An Evidence-Based Self-Assessment Educational Module for Dental Hygiene Curricula

Abstract

Literature on self-assessment presents substantial evidence regarding the impact of self-assessment on practitioners and quality of care. Related dental hygiene research documents a need to enhance curricula; however, no published curriculum module exists to effectively teach self-assessment. The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of a self-assessment educational module for dental hygiene curricula designed using evidence from the literature and adult learning principles. This module was implemented with 33 junior dental hygiene students as a guest presentation with active learning strategies followed by a clinical practice time period. A one-group, pretest-posttest design was employed using a 2-part pretest and three-part posttest to determine if the module affected dental hygiene students’ perceptions about self-assessment and their voluntary application of it in the clinical environment. The relationship between students’ perceptions and voluntary application of self-assessment also was examined. In addition, students’ comments on daily clinical self-assessment forms were evaluated to determine if the module affected the quality of those comments.

Results using the Mann-Whitney test indicated the self-assessment module was effective (p<0.05) in improving the students’ perceptions and voluntary clinical application of self-assessment. No statistically significant relationship was found between the students’ perceptions and their application of self-assessment using Pearson’s Correlation. The quality of self-assessment comments on the students’ daily clinical evaluation forms was enhanced after module implementation (p<0.05). This change in quality before and after module implementation was demonstrated by a quantitiative analysis using a self-designed rubric and a qualitative thematic analysis of student comments to identify predominant themes. Students also were surveyed to determine which module components were most effective. Findings indicate a self-assessment educational module enhanced these dental hygiene students’ self-assessment perceptions and skills. Future studies using other methods with other populations and educational settings are indicated.