Design and validation of a tool about cognitive-practical capacities for the minimal intervention treatment of dental caries in undergraduate dental training

Abstract

Introduction: Scientific and technological development in the treatment of dental caries requires systematization of the teaching-learning process and an appropriate methodology fostering the acquisition of knowledge and skills necessary for professional practice. Objective: Design and validate a tool to measure the correspondence of the curriculum and the didactic strategy to the cognitive-practical capacities required for the minimal intervention treatment of dental caries in undergraduate dental training. Methods: A technological development study was conducted with 28 experts selected for their teaching experience, their scientific background and their knowledge about the topic. The experts contributed their opinions through self-administered questionnaires about the clarity, coherence, accuracy, relevance and layout of the tool. Use was made of content validity ratio by the Tristan method and the content validation index. Results: All the items were found to be valid in terms of the four criteria measured, showing agreement between global and acceptable content validation indices. The tool exhibited coherence, accuracy, relevance and clarity, with content validation index values of 0.90, 0.93, 0.92 and 0.94, respectively. Conclusions: A tool was designed and validated which is effective for its content and presentation. It is therefore available for final validation.