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Published on: December 4, 2013
Should Pass/Fail Grading Be Used Instead of Traditional Letter Grades in Dental Education? Two Viewpoints: Viewpoint
Bruno C Jham1, Dolores Cannella2, Shawn Adibi2
1Bruno C. Jham is Associate Professor and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, College of Dental Medicine-Illinois, Midwestern University; Dolores Cannella is Associate Professor and Associate Dean for Education, School of Dental Medicine, Stony Brook University; Shawn Adibi is Associate Professor, Department of General Practice and Dental Public Health, The University of Texas School of Dentistry at Houston; Kim Austin is Associate Professor and Assistant Dean of Diversity, Inclusion, and Access, Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC; Veeratrishul Allareddy is Professor, Department of Oral Pathology, Radiology, and Medicine, The University of Iowa College of Dentistry & Dental Clinics; and Cynthia S. Petrie is Associate Professor, Dr. George Tanaka Hawaii Professor of Restorative Dentistry, and Chair of the Department of Restorative Clinical Sciences, School of Dentistry, University of Missouri-Kansas City. bjham@midwestern.edu.
Abstract:
Discussions about which grading system (letter grade or pass/fail) is more effective in dental education have been occurring for several decades. As more institutions continue to consider the change from the traditional five-tier letter grading system (A/B/C/D/F) to a two-tier grading system (pass/fail), this debate will likely continue. This point/counterpoint article examines arguments for and against each type of grading system, taking into consideration academic performance, learning outcomes, psychological well-being, learning environment, acceptance/performance in postgraduate educational programs, and student motivation. Viewpoint 1 supports the position that a pass/fail system improves learning experiences for dental students, whereas Viewpoint 2 argues that the traditional letter grading system provides for more objectivity and reliability in student evaluation.
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