Agreement between students’ self/peer and faculty assessments of the radiographic technical quality of root canal treatment performed during preclinical and clinical endodontic courses

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Abstract Introduction: This study investigated the agreement between students’ self-assessment or peer assessment and faculty assessment of the quality of root canal treatment (RCT) performed during preclinical and clinical endodontic courses. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study enrolled 23 4th-year students and a faculty member from the University of Medical Sciences and Technology, Sudan. The radiographic technical quality of RCTs performed during preclinical and clinical endodontic courses was evaluated by the students themselves, their peers, and faculty members in terms of the obturation length, shape, and density. Paired Student’s t-test was used to compare self-peer and faculty assessments. P < 0.05 was considered indicative of statistical significance. Results: No statistically significant differences were observed among the three assessment groups in terms of the quality of RCTs performed during the preclinical course. However, statistically significant differences were observed between self- and peer assessments (P = 0.014), and between self- and faculty assessments (P = 0.005), which may be attributable to lower confidence among students when working on real patients, leading to lower self-assessment scores. Conclusion: Significant differences were observed between self- and peer assessments and faculty assessments in the quality of RCT performed during the clinical course, with students underrating their performance. Formative assessment of learning rather than summative assessment, during endodontic courses, is recommended at the end of academic year.