Accuracy of student self-evaluations of dental sealants

The purpose of this study was to (1) assess the accuracy of student self-evaluations of dental sealants through comparisons with faculty evaluations, and (2) determine if a difference in accuracy exists between dental and dental hygiene students. Dental (n = 17) and dental hygiene (n = 13) students from the University of North Carolina School of Dentistry at Chapel Hill placed and evaluated a total of 127 dental sealants on 29 patients in the undergraduate patient care system. Each student evaluated the placed sealant using criteria for the characteristics: area covered, quantity, porosity, and retention. The student self-evaluation was followed by an evaluation performed by two faculty examiners using the same criterion-referenced evaluation. The average of the two faculty evaluations was compared with the student's self-evaluation for analyses. Results indicated student scores were consistently higher than those given by the faculty. Additionally, dental and dental hygiene student scores correlated to about the same degree with the faculty average score.