Construct validity of the restructured National Board Dental Hygiene Examination

The construct validity of the restructured National Board Dental Hygiene Examination, as operationalized in the pilot, was examined. The findings show that the examination assesses a full range of relevant content and cognitive behaviors. The results of the principal component analysis of the examination data indicate that the pilot is a unidimensional test of dental hygiene functions. The performances of students on the restructured examination and on the April 1996 dental hygiene examinations were comparable. These findings suggest that the restructured dental hygiene examination will be a valid measure of dental hygiene students' knowledge and problem-solving skills.