JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Dental undergraduate students are required to show sufficient practical skills prior to treating patients. Practical skills and the underlying theoretical knowledge are taught in preclinical courses. Usually, the learning outcome is assessed in written multiple-choice examinations (theoretical knowledge) and practical skills tests. However, students' assessment of practical skills is more time-consuming and prone to bias than objective multiple-choice examinations.

Objective:

This study aimed to analyze the relation between students' theoretical knowledge and practical skills in Endodontics. Furthermore, the predictive validity of theoretical knowledge assessment on students' practical skills was assessed.

Methods:

Examination results from all students who participated in the preclinical phantom course in Operative Dentistry (sixth semester of the undergraduate dental curriculum in Germany) between the summer-term 2015 and the summer-term 2022 were retrospectively evaluated (N=447). The effect of age, gender, previous course participation, and theoretical knowledge on students' practical skills was assessed using Pearson’s correlations, Wilcoxon rank sum tests, and linear regression analysis. Subsequently, students' theoretical knowledge and practical skills were compared to identify a suitable pass-mark for students' theoretical knowledge associated with sufficient practical skills ≥60% (Fisher’s exact test).

Results:

Students' theoretical knowledge was significantly associated with practical skills (P_adj.=.019, r=0.13). By using the current pass-mark for the theoretical knowledge of 60%, a significant differentiation between insufficient practical skills <60% and sufficient practical skills ≥60% was achieved (P=.024). However, for the discrimination between students with sufficient and insufficient practical skills, an adapted pass-mark for the theoretical knowledge would be more appropriate. The ideal pass-mark amounted to 58% (P=.020).

Conclusions:

Students' practical skills and theoretical knowledge are significantly correlated. By objectively measuring students' theoretical knowledge, a rough estimation of students' practical skills (ie, a differentiation between sufficient and insufficient practical skills) is possible.