(PO-028) Influence of 3D Digital Technology on Gender Effect in Self-assessment

Author: Ruchika Agrawal, BS – DMD Candidate 2022, Harvard School of Dental Medicine
Author: Jacqueline Harris, D.M.D. – Harvard School of Dental Medicine
Author: David L. Kornmehl, D.M.D. – Resident
Author: Aisha Ba, D.M.D. – Harvard School of Dental Medicine
Author: Hiroe Ohyama, D.M.D. – Assistant Professor, Harvard School of Dental Medicine
Submitter: Ruchika Agrawal, BS – DMD Candidate 2022, Harvard School of Dental Medicine

Objectives:
Our previous studies demonstrated that there was a significant correlation between student self-assessment ability and preclinical performance, and a significant difference in self-assessment ability between male and female students. We also demonstrated that 3D digital technology improved weaker students’ self-assessment skills. Such technology provides a new resource for evaluation that is less susceptible to levels of bias that have persisted in conventional visual evaluation. This study aimed to explore how 3D digital technology influenced the gender effect in student self-assessment.

Methods:
Third-year operative preclinical students (208 students, Class of 2016-2021) self-assessed their independent work on competency exam procedures at course completion: Class II amalgam and Class III composite preparations. After the conventional visual self-assessment, Class of 2018-2021 students conducted digital analyses of their scanned cavity preparations with CEREC using the same rubric. Calibrated faculty members graded student preparations using the same rubrics. Gap scores were determined by subtracting the faculty score (F) from either the student-visual (SV-F) or student-digital scores (SD-F). The Gap scores were statistically analyzed (Student’s T-test; p-value of < 0.05).

Results:
Digital technology removed the statistical significance that existed between genders for conventional visual assessments of Class II preparations (P-Value= 0.041-visual, 0.370-digital) and all procedures combined (P-Value= 0.011-visual, 0.257-digital) and did not introduce significance where none previously existed in Class III preparations. With digital technology, males no longer over-estimated their abilities at a higher rate versus females. Additionally, the smaller SD-F Gaps (5.92%-males, 3.88%-females) compared to SV-F Gaps (9.20%-males, 6.69%-females) indicated students’ improved self-assessment with digital technology

Conclusion:
Overall, this study found that digital tools were able to improve student self-assessment accuracy and eliminate gender differences in self-assessment. This suggests that digital technology may provide a valuable contribution to preclinical and clinical training.