Comparison of assessment methods in dental education

Abstract Introduction Assessment in dental education, especially in competency-based curricula, should reflect the different learning domains by combining methodologies for a more complete assessment of students. Objective To compare the outcomes of three assessment methods (written, clinical and Objective Structured Clinical Exam - OSCE) used in Dental Clinics disciplines. Material and method Two samples were used for this performance analysis: 179 students attending four different dental clinics disciplines in the same semester; and 33 students from the same class during their 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th periods, taking the four disciplines along four semesters sequentially. From the mean grades obtained by the students in each examination, the comparative analyses were carried out using repeated measures analysis of variance. Result The results showed similarity between the theoretical and OSCE evaluations, which differ significantly from the results obtained in the clinical evaluation. Comparing the performance of the same students during sequential periods, the results showed a statistically significant difference in all evaluations, with periods of positive progression and decrease in student performance along the semesters. Conclusion Written and OSCE assessments were similar while clinical evaluations presented significantly higher grades. Therefore, teachers should be aware of the particularities of the assessment methods and apply them, solely or combined, in order to obtain the best outcomes from the students. Evaluation methods should value teacher orientation and consider the validity of subjective evaluation, paying attention to the educational value of the assessments.