Intra-and Inter-examiner Variability in Evaluating Impression Procedures at the Undergraduate Level

Many authors have reported attempts to develop reliable clinical evaluation systems. On reviewing the literature, there is lack of data concerning evaluation and grading of clinical procedures for construction of removable prostheses. This study was conducted to compare intra-and inter-examiners variability in two evaluation methods: glance and grade (global), and check list criteria (analytical) for evaluating final impression making for completely edentulous patients. Three faculty staff members with more than ten years of clinical and teaching experience evaluated final impression made by thirty dental students in removable prosthodontics clinical sessions. Final maxillary and mandibular impressions were graded blindly by each evaluators (A, B, and C) three times, the values were statistically analyzed using Wilcoxon signed rank test and Friedman test setting value of significance at 5 percent. The study revealed that, among the examiners, the intra-examiner variability was statistically significant in most situations for global method. Moreover, there was a statistically significant difference among the three evaluators for half of the evaluation using the same method of grading. Using the analytical method caused an improvement in variability. Analytical method for evaluating final impression making is highly recommended as it is an effective method which satisfies practicality, equality and time management.