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From Presence to Performance: The Influence of Attendance and Engagement Incentives on Dental Students' Academic
1Department of Physiology, School of Dentistry, Federal University of Rio Grande Do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil.
Introduction:
Promoting class attendance remains a challenge in dental education-particularly in foundational science courses such as physiology. Although attendance is often linked to academic success, this relationship is not always consistent. This study evaluated the correlation between attendance and academic performance among undergraduate dental students, with and without engagement-based bonus incentives.
Materials And Methods:
A retrospective study was conducted using data from six consecutive semesters (2022-2024) of a Physiology II course in a Brazilian dental school (N = 265). Attendance rates and final grades were analysed using Pearson or Spearman correlation tests based on data distribution. Bonus points were awarded for active participation, regular attendance and completion of assignments.
Results:
Without bonus incentives, correlations between attendance and academic performance were weak and inconsistent, with statistically significant results in four of six semesters. In contrast, when bonus points were included, all semesters demonstrated positive correlations-ranging from moderate to strong-with all achieving statistical significance.
Discussion:
These findings suggest that attendance alone may not reliably predict academic success unless paired with strategies that promote engagement. Incentive-based participation and active learning tools such as case discussions and formative quizzes appear to strengthen the connection between presence and performance.
Conclusion:
When supported by active engagement strategies, attendance becomes a more meaningful predictor of academic achievement. These results support the use of incentive-based approaches in physiology and other basic science courses in dental education.
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