Self-assessment in dental education: efficacy of a novel visual guide

Purpose: This study aimed to assess the efficacy of a novel systematic visual guide in enhancing self-assessment and clinical skill development among first-year dental students in preclinical operative dentistry.

Methods: A quasi-experimental design was used, involving 70 first-year dental students at the University of Iowa and approved by the IRB [202401434]. Students were randomly assigned to either a control group (no visual guide) or an experimental group (with the visual guide). Both groups completed a Class IV composite restoration exercise and underwent self-assessments and instructor evaluations at three stages: Practice #1, Practice #2, and Practical. Data were analyzed using paired t-tests and Krippendorff’s alpha to assess grading reliability and agreement between self-assessments and instructor evaluations.

Results: The findings indicated a slight improvement in self-assessment accuracy and instructor evaluation agreement in the experimental group from Practice #1 to Practice #2, but no statistically significant differences were observed. Instructor grader agreement, as measured by Krippendorff’s alpha, showed modest improvement after the guide’s introduction but remained below acceptable reliability levels.

Conclusions: While the visual guide provided structure for self-assessment, its overall impact on improving self-assessment accuracy and agreement with instructor evaluations was limited. Further refinement of the guide and its integration with comprehensive feedback and training is recommended to maximize its educational benefit.