title: Assessment skills of dental students as peer evaluators.
abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate the level of assessment skills of dental students as evaluators in an introductory dental anatomy preclinical course. Three groups of evaluators independently and separately evaluated each student's wax-ups: seven third-year student evaluators, five fourth-year student evaluators, and four faculty evaluators. There were 13 criteria on which the students' wax-ups for teeth #3, 6, 8, and 12 were evaluated on a scale ranging from 1=honors/highest score to 4=fail/lowest score. Of the three groups of evaluators, scores given by the third-year students were the highest with an average of 2.47 (SD=0.69), while faculty evaluators gave the lowest scores with an average of 2.61 (SD=0.68). The percentages of marginal passes and failing scores given by the third-year students were the lowest (marginal pass=15.8% and fail=17.2%) of the three evaluator groups. The results of the study indicated that assessments were influenced by the type of evaluator. In order to utilize students more effectively as evaluators in preclinical assessments, a calibration method for student and faculty evaluators should be established along with close mentorship by faculty. Involving dental students as peer teachers could reinforce the learning experience for them and encourage them to consider a future academic career.
authors.affiliation: Dr. Kim received a DMD degree in May 2015 from Harvard School of Dental Medicine; Dr. Chutinan is Instructor in Restorative Dentistry and Biomaterials Sciences, Harvard School of Dental Medicine; and Dr. Park is Assistant Dean for Dental Education, Office of Dental Education, Harvard School of Dental Medicine.
authors.forename: Arthur H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Dr. Kim received a DMD degree in May 2015 from Harvard School of Dental Medicine; Dr. Chutinan is Instructor in Restorative Dentistry and Biomaterials Sciences, Harvard School of Dental Medicine; and Dr. Park is Assistant Dean for Dental Education, Office of Dental Education, Harvard School of Dental Medicine.
authors.forename: Supattriya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chutinan
authors.affiliation: Dr. Kim received a DMD degree in May 2015 from Harvard School of Dental Medicine; Dr. Chutinan is Instructor in Restorative Dentistry and Biomaterials Sciences, Harvard School of Dental Medicine; and Dr. Park is Assistant Dean for Dental Education, Office of Dental Education, Harvard School of Dental Medicine. sang_park@hsdm.harvard.edu.
authors.forename: Sang E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D000715:Anatomy / Q000193:education; D002138:Calibration; D057189:Checklist; D004497:Education, Dental; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000379:methods*; D005179:Faculty, Dental; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D008611:Mentors; D010379:Peer Group; D013335:Students, Dental; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods
keywords: assessment; dental anatomy; dental education; dental students; peer teaching; preclinical education; student teacher