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Updated: Mar 27, 2026

Oral Health Assessment by Lay Personnel for Older Adults
Published on: February 2, 2020
A comprehensive clinical competency-based assessment in periodontics.
J Shiloah1, M Scarbecz2, P S Bland1
1Department of Periodontology, College of Dentistry, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA.
The comprehensive periodontics competency case experience (CCCE) offers a more effective assessment of dental students' independent patient management skills than traditional exams. Students found the CCCE valuable for learning clinical periodontal disease management, despite challenges in patient recruitment.
Area of Science:
- Dental Education
- Periodontology
- Clinical Skills Assessment
Background:
- Traditional periodontics clinical examinations often assess limited skills.
- Current methods may not adequately evaluate students' independent periodontal patient management capabilities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and evaluate a comprehensive periodontics competency case experience (CCCE) for senior dental students.
- To assess student perceptions of the CCCE compared to traditional examinations.
Main Methods:
- Senior dental students participated in the CCCE, managing a moderate periodontitis patient independently.
- Students presented their case findings and treatment outcomes to faculty.
- A survey was administered to gather student feedback on the CCCE components.
Main Results:
- Students reported a favorable impression of the CCCE compared to traditional junior year examinations.
- Key helpful components included independent work (72.4%), private practice simulation (65.5%), and oral photography (55.2%).
- A significant challenge was patient recruitment, with 62.1% rating it 'very difficult' and screening a mean of 5.9 patients.
Conclusions:
- The CCCE is perceived positively by dental students as an improved assessment tool.
- The experience enhances learning in clinical periodontal disease management and independent practice skills.
- Addressing patient recruitment challenges is crucial for optimizing the CCCE as an educational assessment.
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