adea compendium C D A J O U R N A L , V O L 4 8 , Nº 7
The ADEA Compendium of Clinical Competency Assessments: A Potential Pathway to Licensure Steven W. Friedrichsen, DDS
a b s t r a c t The profession of dentistry benefits broadly from a licensure process
that assures the public that the practitioner is prepared to provide contemporary oral health care. The American Dental Education Association Compendium of Clinical Competency Assessments (ADEA Compendium) is being purposely developed as a valid and reliable assessment of clinical competency and gauge of student readiness for practice or entry into advanced dental education. The ADEA Compendium can serve as a transformative pathway to licensure.
AUTHOR Steven W. Friedrichsen, DDS, is a professor and the dean of the Western University of Health Sciences College of Dental Medicine. He is the chair of the ADEA Compendium of Clinical Competency Assessments work group. Conflict of Interest Disclosure: The views and opinions expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the American Dental Education Association. The author is one of six who hold the patent and trademark for iFF, a mobile formative feedback application. The commercialization of iFF does not result in financial remuneration for the author.
T
he profession of dentistry would benefit from the increased involvement of practicing dentists and hygienists demonstrating an interest in transforming the dental profession’s licensure processes. The most prevalent licensure pathway involves the use of a single-encounter, procedure-focused, high-stakes, patient-based clinical examination — the licensing exam that most practicing professionals are familiar with. Historically, the most interest in change has come from the dental education community including students preparing for licensure examinations as well as educational program faculty and administration. This paper points out the value of broad-based support for changes to
licensure for dental professionals, identifies key drivers involved in support of change, highlights selected efforts undertaken within the profession to engage in change and provides a detailed portrait of the American Dental Education Association (ADEA) Compendium of Clinical Competency Assessments (ADEA Compendium), an emerging new assessment and licensure model. The ADEA Compendium has evolved from the collaborative efforts to bring transformative change to the dental licensure process. The ADEA Compendium offers advantages over the existing licensure exams, meshes with changes in dental education assessment and can provide a valid and reliable assessment of readiness for practice. JULY 2 0 2 0 321
