Oral assessments; Knowledge and perception of faculty in undergraduate dentistry program

Objective: Medical education globally constitute formative and summative assessments. Oral examination is an integral part of assessment used to assess various learning domains, conventional oral assessment has been criticized for its reliability and validity. So with the changing trends, emphasis is given on structured oral assessments (SOE). The aim of this study is to know the knowledge and perception of faculty on oral assessments. Methods: A cross sectional questionnaire was designed, and faculty members of dentistry program participated. Result and statistical analysis: A total of n=45 faculty members participated in survey. Descriptive data was presented in the form of frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation. Independent sample t test was used to compare the response scores between the genders. Chi square test was used to test the association between the gender and study responses. Conclusion: Structured oral assessment was the most preferred type, but time and student willingness was the major barriers. All five domains of Bloom’s taxonomy along with knowledge and interpersonal skills can be successfully assessed by SOE. There is a need for periodic faculty workshops to help them implement the newer trends in teaching and learning.