The Effects of Self-Assessment on Clinical Competence in Dental Hygiene Education

Purpose: Accreditation standards require dental hygiene graduates to enter the profession with self-assessment skills and It is imperative for dental hygiene education to foster self-assessment skills throughout the curriculum. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the effect of self-assessment strategies on clinical competence in technical skill development and document student perspectives about the effects of participating in self-assessment activities.Methods: All students enrolled in a pre-clinical course (n=50) attended a baseline lecture introducing self-assessment. Throughout the semester students performed self-assessment activities, which consisted of reviewing recordings of their hands while demonstrating instrumentation principles. Students used a self-assessment form to evaluate their performance and provide a plan to improve their self-identified deficiencies. Scores for all competency exams were analyzed using Chi-square tests to determine whether there was a significant relationship between self-assessment and clinical competency. Scores on the final competency evaluation were compared to those from the previous academic year (control group) using descriptive statistics. A qualitative survey including items about clinical performance, deficiencies, preparedness, ability to learn autonomously, self-confidence, critical thinking, and active engagement in learning, was distributed to students who successfully completed the course.Results: Chi-square analysis determined no statistical significance (p =0.39) in the technical skill development between student groups that were (n=50) and were not exposed (n=56) to self-assessment strategies. A total of 21 participants (44%) completed the survey at the end of the course. Results revealed heightened self-awareness and confidence, enhanced skill development, the significance of self-assessment, increased student engagement, and the desire for instructor feedback.Conclusion: While self-assessment did not impact clinical competency, it may be useful in fostering self-correction of instrumentation errors. Students felt participation in self-assessment activities helped to effectively evaluate their performance, improve skillset, increase engagement, and strengthen self-awareness, confidence, and critical thinking.