To explore and evaluate the problem-based learning (PBL) -team-based learning (TBL) model in clinical practice teaching of periodontology.

Sixty students majored in oral medicine admitted in our department in 2011 were randomly divided into PBL-TBL group and lecture-based learning (LBL) group (30 students in each group) . Both a test and a sheet of questionnaire were used to evaluate the effect of PBL-TBL, and the correpsonding scores for the two groups were compared with independent t-test.

The students of PBL-TBL group were scored higher in the test (t= 3.293, P= 0.002) , suggesting higher abilities in disease diagnosis and differential diagnosis (t= 4.926, P<0.001) , treatment planning (t= 4.229, P<0.001) , and answering questions (t= 6.198, P<0.001) than those of LBL group. Upon questionnaire results, the students in PBL-TBL group showed significantly higher ability in learning motivation (t= 16.706, P<0.001) , enhancement in learning and cooperation (t= 21.289, P<0.001) , and case analysis and treatment (t= 24.349, P<0.001) compared with those in LBL group. It was found that 93.3% students in PBL-TBL group were satisfied with this new teaching model.

PBL-TBL model can arise students′ learning initiative, strengthen teamwork, foster critical thinking, and improve their ability in solving clinical problems. It is a more effective teaching method compared with LBL model in clinical practice teaching in periodontology.