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Volume 19, Issue 4 (2026)
J Med Edu Dev 2026, 19(4): 73-81 |
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Ethics code: IR.ZUMS.REC.1401.304
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Noormohammadi R, Mirzazadeh S, Mirsiahi M, Mansori K, Nourian A. Learner-centered SNAPPS model and its impact on diagnostic thinking among dental students. J Med Edu Dev 2026; 19 (4) :73-81
URL: http://edujournal.zums.ac.ir/article-1-2709-en.html
URL: http://edujournal.zums.ac.ir/article-1-2709-en.html
Robab Noormohammadi1 
, Sevda Mirzazadeh2 , Mohammadhossein Mirsiahi2 , Kamyar Mansori3 , Azin Nourian *4
, Sevda Mirzazadeh2 , Mohammadhossein Mirsiahi2 , Kamyar Mansori3 , Azin Nourian *4
1- Department of Oral Diseases, School of Dentistry, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran
2- School of Dentistry, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran
3- Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Health and Metabolic Diseases Research institute, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran
4- Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Health and Metabolic Diseases Research institute, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran & Department of Orthodontics, School of Dentistry, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran ,azin.nourian@gmail.com
2- School of Dentistry, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran
3- Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Health and Metabolic Diseases Research institute, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran
4- Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Health and Metabolic Diseases Research institute, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran & Department of Orthodontics, School of Dentistry, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran ,
Abstract: (812 Views)
Background & Objectives: Diagnostic thinking is a core skill for accurate diagnosis and treatment and is essential for all medical students. This study aimed to investigate the impact of learner-centered education using the Student-centered, Narrow, Analyze, Probe, Plan, Select (SNAPPS) approach on the diagnostic thinking skills of dental students.
Materials & Methods: This pretest–posttest quasi-experimental study was conducted on 49 dental students in the second semester of the 2022–2023 academic year, after obtaining informed consent. Students’ diagnostic thinking was assessed before the educational intervention using Bordage’s standard Diagnostic Thinking Inventory (DTI). Then, students were trained using the SNAPPS clinical teaching method and re-evaluated with the same questionnaire. Data were analyzed using paired t-test in SPSS (version 26).
Results: 59.2% of the students were male, 87.8% were single, and 73.5% were non-native. The mean ± standard deviation of the participants' age was 25.04 ± 3.56 years. The mean ± standard deviation of flexibility in thinking increased from 76.89 ± 10.54 before the intervention to 84.16 ± 10.77 after the intervention (p < 0.001). The mean ± standard deviation of structure of knowledge in memory increased from 67.78 ± 8.77 to 71.02 ± 9.89 (p = 0.024). The mean ± standard deviation of the total DTI score increased from 145.45 ± 16.89 to 155.77 ± 18.35 (p = 0.001). The effect size (Cohen's d = 0.522) indicated a medium effect according to Cohen's classification.
Conclusion: The findings of this study indicate that the use of the SNAPPS model was associated with improvements in students' diagnostic thinking, including flexibility in thinking and structure of knowledge in memory.
Materials & Methods: This pretest–posttest quasi-experimental study was conducted on 49 dental students in the second semester of the 2022–2023 academic year, after obtaining informed consent. Students’ diagnostic thinking was assessed before the educational intervention using Bordage’s standard Diagnostic Thinking Inventory (DTI). Then, students were trained using the SNAPPS clinical teaching method and re-evaluated with the same questionnaire. Data were analyzed using paired t-test in SPSS (version 26).
Results: 59.2% of the students were male, 87.8% were single, and 73.5% were non-native. The mean ± standard deviation of the participants' age was 25.04 ± 3.56 years. The mean ± standard deviation of flexibility in thinking increased from 76.89 ± 10.54 before the intervention to 84.16 ± 10.77 after the intervention (p < 0.001). The mean ± standard deviation of structure of knowledge in memory increased from 67.78 ± 8.77 to 71.02 ± 9.89 (p = 0.024). The mean ± standard deviation of the total DTI score increased from 145.45 ± 16.89 to 155.77 ± 18.35 (p = 0.001). The effect size (Cohen's d = 0.522) indicated a medium effect according to Cohen's classification.
Conclusion: The findings of this study indicate that the use of the SNAPPS model was associated with improvements in students' diagnostic thinking, including flexibility in thinking and structure of knowledge in memory.
Keywords: education, dental, clinical reasoning, problem based learning, students, dental, SNAPPS model
Editorial: Original Research |
Subject:
Medical Education
Received: 2025/12/28 | Accepted: 2026/07/28 | Published: 2026/10/1
Received: 2025/12/28 | Accepted: 2026/07/28 | Published: 2026/10/1
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