Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

D W Chambers

Publications and source records attributed to D W Chambers.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1992

The search for a profile of aptitudes that characterize dentists.

This article is a reinterpretation of an unsuccessful attempt to develop a standard battery of aptitude measures to distinguish practicing dentists. Of 22 potential predictors used by a firm specializing in aptitude testing and career counseling, the national sample of 116 dentists tested showed few differences from the norm group, and some differences were counterintuitive. For example dentists performed no better than the norm on spatial visualization and worse than the norm on several measures of language skill and on finger dexterity. Based on these findings, this paper argues that a broad conceptualization is required when attempting to characterize the aptitudes necessary to complete dental education and to maintain a dental practice. The apparent inconsistency between these findings and successful prediction of performance in laboratory courses using available admissions instruments is explained.

Aptitude↗
PubMed1988

How good is my test?

Instructors must appraise the quality of their examinations, laboratory ratings, and any other test data upon which grade decisions are made. The basic concepts of test theory are reviewed to provide some support for making these appraisals. Four types of validity are discussed. The concept of reliability is presented along with a summary of various reliability coefficients and limitations on the interpretation of reliability. Practical suggestions are offered for instructors seeking to gauge the quality of their tests. The use of the standard error of measurement for estimating the likelihood of misgrading a student is demonstrated.

Education, Dental↗
PubMed1988

How good are my grades?

Currently no index exists for quantifying the grading effectiveness of tests or evaluation systems. The existing literature in educational measurement is suggestive of solutions; however, many of the techniques are only applicable in special cases and the theoretical and computational foundations are difficult. An alternative, the Qa statistic, is proposed. This statistic is the estimated proportion of correctly graded students. It is an extension of the standard error of measurement and takes into account student observed scores, reliability of available score data, and instructor-determined grade cutoffs. A one-page, computer-generated Qa report is analyzed and implications for its use are discussed. Data are presented from a sample of 60 grading situations showing that increased testing produces small marginal increases in proportion of correctly graded students.

Education, Dental↗
PubMed1987

Radiographic detection of dental calculus.

To determine the sensitivity and specificity of the radiographic detection of calculus, 275 proximal tooth surfaces from 18 patients were evaluated. Standardized periapical radiographs obtained before extraction were coded, batch processed, and evaluated independently by two investigators under optimum viewing conditions. After extraction, the teeth were photographed and evaluated both microscopically and by planimetry on 40 X linear projections. Evaluation of calculus by conventional radiography showed low sensitivity: radiographic deposits were detected on only 44% of surfaces that demonstrated calculus microscopically. Specificity was high and the rate of false positives was only 7.5%. Detection of calculus was influenced by the thickness of calculus, the percentage of root surface occupied by calculus, and by tooth type; but not by attachment loss, probing depth, proximal surface, or arch location. These results show that present radiographic techniques are not appropriate for detecting calculus on root surfaces.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Issues in transferring preclinical skill learning to the clinical context.

The relationship between student performance in preclinical technique laboratory courses and in clinic is not straightforward. While American dental education in the preclinical courses is effective in teaching mastery of fundamentals to most students and identifying those who should not proceed to patient care, the prediction from technique laboratory performance of who will do well in clinic is weak. Factors accounting for this poor correlation include differences in the mix of skills required in the two contexts, failure to teach for transfer of skills to new settings, and laboratory education practices that create clinically dysfunctional habits. As a means of understanding the transfer issue, a distinction is made among task as given by the instructor, task as interpreted by the student, and task as negotiated in the interpersonal context of dental education.

Clinical Competence↗
PubMed1987

Adjusting for hard and easy graders.

The dental education literature demonstrates that rater training and the use of criterion-anchored evaluation systems have been only partially successful in reducing the use of private standards by raters. A method is described for statistically removing this source of bias. A study is reported where scores normalized using this technique were significantly better predictors of students' future performance than were raw scores. Assumptions, techniques, and practical considerations are also discussed.

Attitude↗