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The objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) is being widely used for assessment of skills in dental education around the world. In India, OSCE awareness is rising, and a few exploratory attempts have been made in its implementation. This article describes use of a five-station mini-OSCE for formative assessment of dental diagnostic and radiographic skills in an undergraduate curriculum. Besides gaining experience in OSCEs, the purpose of this project was to study their validity, objectivity, feasibility, acceptability to students and faculty, and impact on student performance. The mini-OSCE was found to be a fairly valid and reliable tool for formative assessment, though it required more planning, preparation, and resources than other means of assessment. A specially developed orientation module improved its feasibility. The nineteen students perceived it to be a meaningful examination and a fair method due to uniformity of tasks and time allocation; they found the scoring to be transparent and objective. The specific and immediate feedback received was appreciated by both students and faculty members.

Introduction: The aim of this retrospective study was to determine the prevalence of three-rooted mandibular permanent first molars among the Indian population by using periapical radiographs., Methods: Five hundred eighty-six patients (320 females and 266 males) were selected, with at least 1 mandibular first molar. A total of 1054 periapical radiographs of mandibular first molars, comprising 526 right side and 528 left side, were included. The radiographs were taken at 30-degree mesial angulation and were evaluated by using the magnifying lens. The incidence, gender, and symmetry of three-rooted mandibular first molars were recorded and analyzed by using the chi(2) test., Results: The prevalence of three-rooted mandibular first molars was 5.97% for all patients and 4.55% for all teeth, respectively. The incidence of bilateral symmetrical distribution was 37.14%. The incidence was 6.88% for female patients and 4.89% for male patients (chi(2) = 1.02, P > .05) and 4.94% for the right side and 4.17% for the left side, respectively (chi(2) = 0.36, P > .05). No statistically significant differences were found between female and male patients and between the right-side and left-side occurrences., Conclusions: Clinicians should be aware of the high racial prevalence of this unusual root morphology in mandibular first molars among the Indian population before and during the root canal treatment of three-rooted mandibular first molars., (Copyright 2010 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)