TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE ASSESSMENT OF UNDERGRADUATES IN PROSTHETIC DENTISTRY

Introduction:
Practical skill is basically the knowledge required to perform a task. Technical knowledge is normally taught by teachers. While practical skills are absorbed from community, environment through experience. In prosthetic dentistry, the assessment of practical skill is done using direct observation of procedures skills (DOPS) in accordance with the listed requirements of dental qualification agency (DQA). This tool assesses the procedural skill necessary to provide good clinical care as a part of workplace based assessment component of dental degree program. To achieve high competency level, the practical experience is needed to enhance the skill and find new approach to do the same skill in short time.

Objective:
The aim of this study was to analyze the outcomes of 4 examiners assessments during the competency test procedures (technical knowledge assessment for year 4 dental degree program).

Methodology:
The clinical and laboratory competency tests outcomes of 28 students (year 4 dental degree program) were used for this experiment. The exams included selected laboratory and clinical technical knowledge for removable partial denture construction and complete denture clinical procedures. A checklist was approved for the assessment and the examiners were briefed and provided by a copy to mark one by one skill during the assessment sessions. Four examiners (two with long experience and the others newly joined) were shared the assessment. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 17.0. Descriptive analysis, paired-t test, and Pearson correlation were used at a significance level = ρ< 0.05 and ρ<0.001).

Results:
Records were normally distributed for both clinical and laboratory technical knowledge. Generally, high reliability was estimated between the two examiners of lab work except that some steps of the test showed different examiners’ opinion. The assessments of the clinical part by the experienced examiners were highly correlated and no difference was found.

Conclusions:
Evaluation of student practical knowledge should not be underestimated. Detailed information can be collected after the assessment regarding the student deficient areas that should be reinforced by extra training. Detailed subsections of the technical and practical assessments are important to enhance standardization and reduce assessment bias. In addition, The analysis revealed clearly the practical knowledge weak areas as well.