Evaluation of Problem-solving Ability and Dental Hygiene Competency in Team-based Learning for Clinical Dental Hygiene

Objective: This study aimed to design a structured team-based learning (TBL) program in clinical dental hygiene and evaluate its impact on students’ problem-solving abilities and clinical dental hygiene competencies. Methods: The study included 33 fourth-year dental hygiene students. A structured TBL program was developed, incorporating team formation case-based learning across three topics. Representative cases involving children, adults, and the elderly were selected to provide diverse learning opportunities. The four sub-competencies and problem-solving abilities were assessed before and after TBL intervention. Statistical analyses included the Shapiro-Wilk test, paired t-test, Wilcoxon signed-rank test, and Pearson correlation analysis. Results: Students’ problem-solving abilities improved significantly from a total score of 116.80±11.96 for 32 items to 122.23±12.80 (p=0.002). Dental hygiene competencies also improved significantly after TBL (p<0.001). The results of the correlation analysis between problem-solving ability and the level of dental hygiene competency after TBL showed that all items except the personal control subscale had a positive correlation with the four dental hygiene subcompetencies (p<0.05). Conclusions: Structured TBL significantly improved both clinical dental hygiene competencies and problem-solving abilities. These findings suggest that TBL is an effective educational strategy for enhancing dental hygiene students’ skills in clinical practice.