The Structured Clinical Operative Test (SCOT) in dental competency assessment

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Dental Education
• Clinical Skills Assessment

Background:

• Traditional clinical skills assessment methods like OSCEs are limited in evaluating invasive procedures.
• Invasive clinical procedures are integral to dental undergraduate training.
• There is a need for objective assessment of operative clinical skills, including intraoperative abilities, communication, and ethical considerations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce Structured Clinical Operative Tests (SCOT) for a more objective assessment of operative clinical skills.
• To develop a method that complements OSCEs by assessing invasive procedures.
• To integrate formative assessment and reflective learning into clinical skills evaluation.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing checklists within the SCOT framework to monitor clinical operative skills in authentic clinical settings.
• Implementing a supervisor-validated self-assessment process where students reflect on performance and plan for improvement.
• Conducting assessments immediately after clinical tasks to leverage fresh memory.

Main Results:

• SCOT provides a more objective measure of clinical operative skills compared to traditional methods.
• The supervisor-validated self-assessment fosters deep reflective learning and continuous self-evaluation.
• Checklists aid in monitoring competency in invasive procedures within a realistic clinical context.

Conclusions:

• SCOTs can be practically integrated into undergraduate dental curricula.
• The SCOT methodology is suitable for postgraduate assessment, including VT/GPT programs.
• This approach enhances the objectivity and depth of clinical skills assessment in dentistry.