A three-year study on the relationship of an internal board review course and dental hygiene student performance on the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination.

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to determine whether an internal mock board review course (MBC) could help students improve their National Board Dental Hygiene Examination (NBDHE) scores and study skills. This non-credit, pass or fail course was developed as a requirement for graduation. Methods and Materials. The fall content was based primarily on material from Dr. Esther Wilkins' Clinical Practice of the Dental Hygienist 8th Edition, along with supplemental Internet information. Multiple mock board quizzes were given prior to the end of February, when students must be certified for the spring examination. Results. Seventy-four students completed surveys at the beginning and end of the fall semester. When three years' worth of MBC scores were compared to actual NBDHE scores, the MBC scores were within five percentage points of the actual NBDHE scores 61% of the time. At the beginning of the MBC, 31% of the students thought they would achieve a score of 90% or above on the NBDHE. At the end of the MBC, student surveys indicated that 5% believed they would achieve 90% or above. Seven percent of the class actually did achieve above 90%, proving that the course successfully showed students the depth of study necessary to score 90% or better. Seventy-nine percent of responding students appreciated the 'jump start,' early study schedule, and review of background material. Conclusions. The internal board review course motivated students to study earlier than they would have on their own, and our MBC was able to accurately predict which students were ready to take the NBDHE in the spring semester (70% of the class). Because it is critical to find new and innovative ways to motivate students, further study is ongoing to improve performance for students who did not take the spring NBDHE, and to examine variables that affect student success [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]