Assessment of surgical skills in implant dentistry.
OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to (1) compare 2 scales in the assessment of first-stage implant surgery, (2) assess the interrater reliability of these scales, and (3) compare self-assessment with observer assessment.


METHODS
Twenty-three patients underwent first-stage implant surgery. One assessor, an experienced dental surgeon, assisted and supervised the operator, while the second, a postgraduate trained in assessment, observed the procedure closely. The assessment scales consisted of a checklist and a global rating scale.


RESULTS
A significant correlation was found between the checklist and the global rating scale scores (r = 0.47, P = .002). The British Standards Reproducibility Coefficients were 2.5 (checklist) and 7.4 (global rating scale) for interrater reproducibility and 7.0 (checklist) and 12.6 (global rating scale) for self-assessment versus assessor reproducibility. Finally, analysis of the intraclass correlation coefficients between the assessors (0.74 and 0.64 for the checklist and the global rating scale, respectively) and between the surgeons' and trainers' scores (0.09 for the checklist and 0.18 for the global rating scale) showed a much weaker agreement for the latter.


CONCLUSIONS
There was good correlation between scores using the 2 different methods of assessment. The interrater reliability was substantial for both scales. However, training of assessors to ensure higher levels of interrater reliability may be necessary. These results also demonstrated the inability of some surgeons to assess their performance accurately.


CONCLUSIONS
Both the checklist and the global rating scales provided useful assessment data, and both were considered of value by the assessors and surgeons in providing feedback. The development of assessment and self-assessment skills in implant surgery is necessary if we are to establish a culture of commitment to lifelong learning.
Bousdras
Vasileios
V
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Eastman Dental Institute for Oral Health Care Sciences, University College London, United Kingdom. V.Bousdras@eastman.ucl.ac.uk
Aghabeigi
Behnam
B
Petrie
Aviva
A
Evans
Ann W
AW
D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards*; D003758:Dental Implantation, Endosseous / Q000592:standards*; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D015588:Observer Variation; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012647:Self-Assessment; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013515:Surgery, Oral / Q000193:education / Q000592:standards*