(PO-101) Do Admission Factors Influence Performance in Preclinical Operative Dentistry?

Author: David L. Kornmehl, D.M.D. – Resident
Author: Lilia J. Tabassian, BS – Dental Student, Harvard School of Dental Medicine
Author: Muath AlDosari, BDS, MPH, DMSc – Lecturer on Oral Health Policy and Epidemiology, Harvard School of Dental Medicine
Author: Sang E. Park, D.D.S., MMSc – Associate Dean for Dental Education, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, School of Dental Medicine
Author: Hiroe Ohyama, D.M.D. – Assistant Professor, Harvard School of Dental Medicine

Objective: Admission to dental school is based on many factors including grades in undergraduate coursework and on the Dental Admissions Test (DAT). Recognizing factors that affect admissions has been widely studied. However, research analyzing correlations between admission factors and dental student performance has been limited. Students’ success in an operative course requires fundamental knowledge, excellent hand skills, spatial awareness, and strong self-assessment abilities. The goal of this study is to evaluate how admissions factors, such as GPA and DAT, including the Perceptual Ability Test (PAT), relate to students’ academic and preclinical performance, and self-assessment skills in preclinical operative dentistry.

Methods: Third-year dental students (N=239, Class of 2016 to 2022) participated preclinical operative dentistry course. At the end of the course, they took the final multiple-choice exam (academic performance) and performed four competency examination procedures: Class II amalgam preparation and restoration and Class III resin-composite preparation and restoration (preclinical performance). Calibrated faculty graded students’ work independently and students also self-assessed their performance using the same rubrics as faculty. Linear regressions were performed to estimate the association with the admission factors to the mean faculty scores, student-faculty (S-F) gap scores (self-assessment skills), and their final exam scores.

Results: Linear regression analysis demonstrated correlations between the PAT and students’ preclinical performance as well as between the DAT and their academic performance (final didactic exam scores). S-F gap scores indicated a correlation exists with PAT and Class III preparation, but not others. No correlations were found between student performance and GPA.

Conclusion: Our findings from the association between student performance and admission factors may play an important role in the dental school admissions process and assist in identifying students who may benefit from early faculty assistance.