Dental Student Evaluation in the Predoctoral Comprehensive Care Clinic: I. Daily Feedback for Professional Development

Abstract

Abstract Introduction Assessment of students' learning should not only focus on whether the student has achieved the competencies necessary to advance, but should also guide learning, assisting learners throughout their educational experience in developing the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values considered important at their stage of learning. This material was created to support daily faculty assessment of dental student performance in the predoctoral comprehensive care clinic. Methods The resource consists of the instructor guide, a table of criteria for daily feedback for professional development, and the daily feedback for professional development form. Utilizing these criteria and this form, formative evaluation is recorded and communicated to the student as feedback following each clinic session. Evaluation of performance is focused on diagnosing student deficiencies, reinforcing strengths, planning strategies to address the educational diagnosis, and observing the outcome of the interventions. Results The forms and protocols presented here have been in use in at The University of Iowa College of Dentistry's clinical program since 2007. They are reviewed and refined annually, and have proven to be effective in achieving our objectives. Discussion We have found this protocol to be very effective in initiating and facilitating constructive formative dialog between clinical faculty and fourth-year dental students in our comprehensive care clinic. Reflection on these recordings has also been useful in supporting decisions on the quarterly and final evaluation of our fourth-year students in the Family Dentistry clinic.

Keywords

• Feedback
• Educational Measurement
• Clinical Competence
• Learning
• Self-Assessment
• Dental Education