Use of personality, anthropometry and vision scores to select students for psychomotor dental performance.

Based on studies in two dental schools (N = 42 and 22), the hypotheses suggest that the utilization of personality, vision and anthropometric measures as supplemental indices to the currently utilized measures will result in higher concurrent validity than was previously possible (377 versus 48%) . Statement of the Problem Annually over 15,000 students apply for admission to dental schools in the United States, but only about one in every four students who applies is admitted to dental school. Hence, selecting those students who would have the greatest potential to succeed in dental schools and dental practice is important , as is rejecting for admission those who would be less likely to succeed. The quality of performance in dental practice depends , as in other professions (Salvendy and Seymour, 1973), on both the effectiveness of personnel selection and training. The impact of effective training on dental performance has been addressed in earlier publications. In personnel selection, three variables appear to have significant impact on the effectiveness of a dental student and dental practitioners . These are (not in order of importance): (1) knowledge possessed; (2) skill levels attained; and (3) personality and attitude makeup. Knowledge is required to decide what is needed to be done * Professor, the School. of Industrial Engineering, Purdue Univ. ** Assistant professor, Dent. of Industrial Engineering , the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor *** Associate professor, Restorative Dentistry, the State University of New York, Buffalo **** Professor and Director, Restorative Dentistry, the State University of New York, Buffalo ***** Associate professor and Director of Continuing Education , the University of Colorado School of Dentistry This study constitutes a part of a larger study supported by Grant No . 050-1838A-6508 from the American Funds for Dental Health.