title: An innovation in the assessment of future dentists.
abstract: 'The assessment of students is a serious and often tragic enterprise.' The central question in assessment is 'What is one trying to assess?'. Is it factual knowledge, ability to apply and problem solve, clinical competencies or indeed other attributes? The domain being assessed requires appropriate methods. Professionals involved in examination development have identified three characteristics which all assessment methods demand: reliability, validity and feasibility. This article sets out to describe these features.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatric Dentistry, St Bartholomew's School of Medicine and Dentistry.
authors.forename: E S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Davenport
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Cushing
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Holsgrove
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002983:Clinical Competence; D004497:Education, Dental / Q000592:standards*; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000379:methods*; D005179:Faculty, Dental; D006801:Humans; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013335:Students, Dental / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D006113:United Kingdom