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Objective: To identify if a lecture or access to a computer aided learning (CAL) programme is more effective in teaching undergraduate dental students IOTN. Design: Prospective controlled trial. Setting: University Dental Hospital of Manchester, 1999 Subjects: Eighty-five 3rd year undergraduate dental students allocated by pseudo-randomisation to two groups. The first group received a lecture and seminar on IOTN, and the second group were given a seminar and access to a purpose written CAL programme. Main Outcome Measure: A standard test was given to the two groups in the form of ten sets of patient records that they had to score with IOTN Dental Health Component (DHC) and Aesthetic Component (AC). Results: There was no difference in mean score for the two groups with AC score (5∙02 and 5∙03). The CAL group of students performed best for DHC grade (mean score 5∙41 compared with 4∙24 for lecture group) and this was statistically significant (p < 0.01). Conclusion: Undergraduate dental students can learn to use IOTN as well or better when using a CAL programme compared with a lecture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the problems of assessment for students on an undergraduate orthodontic course which is using problem-based learning to encourage active self-learning, deep learning and give students the skills to become effective lifelong learners in the future. Traditional assessment does little to encourage a range of behaviours and skills which are encouraged through problem-based learning but which must be rewarded, in the minds of the students, by the chosen method of assessment. This is because learner behaviour is driven by assessment. Details of the range of assessment methods available and those chosen on the orthodontic undergraduate course at the University of Manchester Dental School are reported and discussed.