NBDE Part 1 Standardization

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DREDAY

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I called ADA myself and spoke to a NBDE coordinator to find out what is going on with the scoring on the new format. So here are the points they told me:

#1. The scoring of the exam is based on a SCALE and not a CURVE. Therefore, your score does not depend on how other students do. The scale for this exam was determined by the test makers, based on pilot exams and previous board exams. So essentially we are using a scale based on the curve of previous exams. That explains why people are scoring lower.

#2. Each question is worth a different amount of points. Questions that are considered "harder" are worth more points than "easier" questions. That is how two raw scores of 83 can each amount to a 92 overall or a 89 over all.

#3. The coordinator assured me that a score of 90 on the new exam is equivalent to a 90 in the old exam.

#4. A score of 90 is considered to be around the top 20%.

#5. Scores from each different exam format can be compared to each other because each format has an equal number of easy, medium, and hard questions.

#6. There will be a recalibration of the scale in september/october of this year.
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I received this email. Let me know what you all think. From the sounds of it, BOARD EXAMS NEW OR OLD CANNOT BE COMPARED AND THEY DO NOT STATE WHETHER A PERSON WHO SCORES HIGHER KNOWS MORE THAN SOMEONE WHO SCORES LOWER. How the hell are schools supposed to decide who to select for residency!!!!??




I am e-mailing you on behalf of Dr. Laura Neumann. I understand from the set of e-mails below that students continue to express concerns regarding the National Board Part I examination scores. Several days ago, I sent an e-mail out to advanced education program directors, deans, and academic deans regarding this very matter. It appears below.




This is to provide you with an update on the NBDE Part I examination. Prior to January of 2007, Part I of the National Board Dental Examinations was a battery of four examinations. Standard scores were awarded in anatomic sciences, biochemistry/physiology, microbiology/pathology, and dental anatomy. An average of these four standard scores was also computed and reported. Because these were standard scores, it was possible to compare performance in the four disciplines and the overall examination across candidates and across examination dates. As of January 2007, Part I became a comprehensive examination. As such, only one standard score is reported. To provide greater feedback to students on areas of strength or weakness, the Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations reports raw score information for each of the traditional disciplines included on the examination. However, this raw score information cannot be used to make valid comparisons among candidates' knowledge, abilities, and problem solving skills.

The content and format of the comprehensive Part I as well as the underlying scoring system is different from those of the traditional examination. Because of these differences, it is also not appropriate to compare candidates' comprehensive scores with the average scores achieved by candidates who took the traditional Part I. Preliminary comparative analyses show that the overall passing rate for student candidates on the comprehensive Part I is comparable to the overall rate on the traditional examination. Also, the error rate and standard error of measurement for the scores at and near the passing point is the lowest along the overall measurement scale. The pass/fail status of candidates continues to be appropriate for making decisions regarding licensure.

With regard to the distribution of scores, an audit of the scores has shown that the range of the average comprehensive scores on Part I is comparable to the range of the average standard scores on the traditional examination. However, we caution you about comparing candidates who took different examination formats based on scores at other points in the score scale. At this time, there is insufficient evidence to support such comparisons due to the limited number of students who have taken the comprehensive examination. We continue to use consistent methods including equating across examination versions and standard setting in processing examination results. As usual, we will publish trend information for 2007 in March 2008.


As you can see, the Joint Commission and its staff are urging program directors and others to use caution in the use of Part I scores for purposes other than licensure. The staff will continue to monitor the scores and keep the communities of interest informed. If you should have any questions or you would like to discuss this, please do not hesitate to contact me at your convenience.


Regards,


Gene


Gene A. Kramer, Ph.D.

Secretary, Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations

211 East Chicago Avenue, Suite 600

Chicago, Illinois 60611-2678
 
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DREDAY said:
With regard to the distribution of scores, an audit of the scores has shown that the range of the average comprehensive scores on Part I is comparable to the range of the average standard scores on the traditional examination.
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What the heck does range of the average mean? Is that referring to those average raw scores listed on the score report? It sounds like they haven't compared scores outside of that range (i.e. scores much higher than average) to what was possible on the previous exam, so they haven't addressed the trend that it seems dental students at all school have noticed - that it's rare to score in the mid-to-high 90s/that schools at which students frequently were getting awesome scores, their students are now scoring about 5 points lower than what would be expected of them.

So, what does this mean for residency apps? At times like these I kind of wish we weren't pass/fail.
 
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exactly what weve been saying from the beginning. directors can no longer say that a score of __ is good or bad relative to the old exam. i dont know what directors will do? all i can say is that if you took the old exam and scored "in the 90s" then you will still be looked highly upon. if you took the new exam, maybe your entire application will hold more importance (whereas, many people in the past said that your board scores would be worth some 50% of your application). possibly, although not "legit" according to the ADA report, directors will add 5 or 6 points to the overall score on the new exam so that it can be compared to the old exams. but honestly, those are just shots in the dark. i dont know....?
 
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apparently two things can only happen: 1) scores wont be compared from older exam results or 2) it will be adjusted and compared to older exam results
 
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I see this as a positive note. At least they are now accknowledging there is a difference between the two exams. In my opinion they will need to either send out new scores which are no longer "preliminary scores" or send out a new percentile calibration which shows what percentile each score actually means. At the present time they do not match. I do not believe the top 21% is scoring 90 and above so they need to redefine one of the two - the score or the percentile.

Well that's my two bits.
 
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johhnny said:
I see this as a positive note. At least they are now accknowledging there is a difference between the two exams. In my opinion they will need to either send out new scores which are no longer "preliminary scores" or send out a new percentile calibration which shows what percentile each score actually means. At the present time they do not match. I do not believe the top 21% is scoring 90 and above so they need to redefine one of the two - the score or the percentile.

Well that's my two bits.
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ANYONE INTERESTED IN CLASS AUCTION LAWSUIT AGAINST ADA? I HAVE SPOKEN TO SEVERAL ATTORNERY'S THAT ARE LOOKING INTO THE SITUATION AND WILLING TO FILE A LAWSUIT AGAINST ADA. PLEASE RESPOND.
 
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personally i don't think anything is going to change. A 90 will still be the magic number. Do you really think residency directors care about a single email. Of course not. They want their applicants to be top notch and some people are scoring in the 90s, so basically the bar has just been raised higher.
 
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DrTacoElf said:
personally i don't think anything is going to change. A 90 will still be the magic number. Do you really think residency directors care about a single email. Of course not. They want their applicants to be top notch and some people are scoring in the 90s, so basically the bar has just been raised higher.
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I hope this isnt the case, because not only students who are competing for residency but also foreign grads (such as myself) who are trying to earn a spot in an ID programs are effected. IF the bar has just been set higher then the transition wasnt just, because who is to say that a 90 before is better than an 85 now when accumulative raw scores are just as the same or slightly similar.
 
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jonnytight said:
I spoke with DREDAY today and this really worries me....

I feel as though we are being cheated in terms of achieving mid90s to high 90s. I will get into contact with my faculty in charge of my boards perp here at the school and at ADA to see what i going on...

the more people we tell, the more of a big deal it will be and the higher possibility of coming to a better resolution....


For people taking the exam in the next 2-3 months (which includes me) How does everyone think about recalibrating our previous scores after they come out with a new scale?
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Hi,
What role does your board prep incharge play? Do you guys have classes or notes handed to you for board preparation. I am an international student trying to get admission at USC. Do you mind connecting me to your faculty incharge of board prep? I would like to email this person and get some advise.

I would highly appreciate your help.
Mira
 
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Thank you so much for your info, It's really help others to understand how they score NBDE. I really appreciated you share your info.
Thank you again. Good luck !!!




Phoenixgila
 
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The letter sounds like another letter or corespondence that someone sent posted a few weeks/months ago..

As with 99.9999% of administration its a very vague or inconclusive letter which doesnt really tell us anything... all its saying is that you cant compare the two scores.

Bascially we who took their boards since Jan are gonna be put on ice until March 2008 to see what equilibrations or adjustments will be done to the "preliminary scores"
 
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Does anyone know the minimum # of questions that you have to get right just to pass NBDE part1?

Thanks
 
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the problem is basically more to do with the FTD like me...who are stuck with really weird scores...n the application time is running out....do we apply with low scores or do we wait to be recaliberated? i mean this is huge ppl....if the recaliberation does not yeild much then we have to start preparing for the next exam to come along....so wat do we do?anyone got any suggestions? help us out here...am actually doing MBA....so I got school and NBDE to think about just like the rest of u guys...let me know how u are coping with it all...
 
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Fox3 said:
I think the ADA is running an experiment RIGHT NOW. There are 2 versions of the exam being given now. One easy control exam and one hard "experimental" exam. A NBDE when given before was a fair equalizer. In its current state, it's a meaningless piece of trash that offers no insight into the merits of any one particular student.

No messing around, I seriously think this is what's going on. The reports of new exam takers is a dichotomy: some say its just like the old one and some say its a screwy, oddball exam that's hard to study for.

1) Exam version A--it's pretty straightforward and fair with lots of repeats. Lots of regurgitation of facts. The curve is very small 5-7 points.

2) Exam Version B--it's harder and more ambiguous. No repeats. Odd comparisons and less memorize and repeat style questions. The curve is much larger (15-20pts). The questions are weighted for easy, medium, and hard with more points for answering hard questions.

I believe that in October, the "internal calibration" is the comparison of the experimental exam to the control.
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before I took the exam, I highly doubted this idea, but after taking it, I can't rule it out as a possibilty. :eek:
 
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dentheartthrob said:
any new news about the Standardization issue?
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The average this yr is 82, last yr it was 86, the yrs before that it has been generally 85.


As far as percentiles, we will not know until next march/April. But I think that the fail rate went way down, and the 90+ is about 10% of test takers, maybe a little less.
That is my take on it.
 
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Did anyone chase ADA abt the trends that they were supposed to publish in March (as mentioned by Gene Kramer in his reply to DREDAY'S email -see above?)
 
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DR TOOTH said:
this is interesting stuff on ADA website reg changes to part 1&2 scoring and exams

http://www.ada.org/prof/ed/testing/index.asp

http://www.ada.org/prof/ed/testing/jcnde_enewsletter_april_08.pdf

http://www.ada.org/prof/ed/testing/act_jcnde.pdf
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Well that still doesn't answer the questions above. I mean, yeah they're changing it in 2010(and the universities will have to have a different type of examination or something to differentiate between students:mad:) but it still doesn't say what happens to us, the ones that have taken the new format. I took it in march and it seemed really hard so i'm taking it again. But from what I've seen the scores are lower than before so they have to do something about it!
 
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