Utilizing debates as an instructional tool for dental students.

Debates have been used as an instructional tool since 1999 in the Program in Dental Hygiene and are currently used by the School of Dental Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh. The debate format is designed to present a thought-provoking and uncomplicated teaching tool that uses key elements of adult education, such as emphasis on self-learning and its process. The objective of this article is to demonstrate the use of debates as an instructional tool for dental hygiene and dental students. A debate format is presented in detail. Post-debate small discussion groups and a questionnaire were used to explore dental student experiences with using debates as an instructional tool. Dental students indicated that their experiences with the debate format had positive pedagogical benefits. Students reported that their interest in the given topic was heightened and knowledge was improved or reinforced. The debates also appeared to help students organize their thoughts on the presented topics. The debates were reported to be engaging and were received with enthusiasm by the students. Students reported that the debates enhanced their ability to organize and reinforce their thoughts on issues they may confront as dental professionals.