Future of Medical Education Journal

Future of Medical Education Journal

Assessment of the Relationship between Critical Thinking and Information Literacy in Dental Students: A Cross-sectional Study

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Sedigheh Kheirandish 1
Seyed Hossein Mousavi 2
Marzieh Mahmoodi 3, 4
Sima Mirzaei 5
1 Department of oral and maxillofacial pathology, School of Dentistry, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran
2 Department of Medical Emergencies, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran
3 Addiction and Lifestyle Research Center, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran
4 Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, School of health and nutrition, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran
5 School of Dentistry, Bushehr university of medical sciences, Bushehr, Iran
10.22038/fmej.2026.91173.1706
Abstract
Background: In the dental profession, which faces complex diagnostic challenges and sensitive decision-making, possessing critical thinking skills is essential for the students of dentistry to analyze evidence and select the best treatment plan. On the other hand, information literacy, as a prerequisite for accessing reliable and up-to-date knowledge, forms the foundation of these decisions. Improving students' information literacy can increase their level of critical thinking skills.
Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted on 149 undergraduate dental students of Bushehr University of Medical Sciences who had completed at least one semester in 2021. The California Critical Thinking Skills Test (CCTST-form B) and the standard Information Literacy Questionnaire were used to determine the scores of critical thinking and information literacy, respectively, and then the relationship between the two variables was examined. Linear regression model was used for data analysis through SPSS software version 24.
Results: The mean score of critical thinking in students was 9.67±3.77 (out of 34) and the mean score of information literacy was 43.96 ± 10.04 (out of 87). These scores were below the midpoint of the achievable score range for both variables. Also, there was a significant relationship between students’ critical thinking and information literacy (P = 0.020) so that with the increase of information literacy, the level of students' critical thinking increased.
Conclusion: Due to the fact that dental students do not have the desired level of critical thinking and information literacy, it seems necessary to plan and implement appropriate educational programs so as to promote the students’ information literacy and thus improve their critical thinking skills.
Keywords
Medical education
Critical thinking
Information literacy
Dentistry
Subjects
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