A Retrospective Analysis of a Cross‐Year Peer Tutoring Program for Oral Health Students

• Published in: Journal of dental education Vol. 83; no. 2; pp. 137 - 143
• Main Authors: Johnson, Sara N., Mays, Keith A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Dental Education Association 01.02.2019
• Subjects: academic performance; dental education; dental students; Education, Dental - methods; educational methodology; Peer Group; peer tutoring; Retrospective Studies; tutoring; United States; United States; dental education; peer tutoring; tutoring; dental students; academic performance; educational methodology
• ISSN: 0022-0337; 1930-7837; 1930-7837
• DOI: 10.21815/JDE.019.016

Health professions education is extremely challenging for students, requiring high performance in fast‐paced learning environments. In addition, the challenge of instructing students at many performance levels and the lack of teaching assistants can create a knowledge gap between educators and students. Using cross‐year peer tutors is one potential method to close this gap and improve student performance. The aims of this study were to retrospectively evaluate the impact of a cross‐year peer tutoring program on successful course completion of oral health students and to assess student and tutor perceptions of the experience. First‐ and second‐year dental and dental therapy students were assigned to cross‐year tutors as a result of progression committee recommendations and self‐identification. Potential tutors were vetted by the course directors. The collected data included number of courses in which students were assigned a tutor, the type of course (lecture vs. lab), and students' success in the courses. These data were collected for a four‐year period (2013‐14 to 2016‐17), and student and tutor perceptions were assessed in one year. The results showed that 94% of the students who received tutoring passed their courses. Students who had been tutored had a significantly lower failure rate than those who were not tutored (20% vs. 80%, respectively). These results suggest that the cross‐year peer tutoring program was useful in closing the learning gap between instructors' expert level and novice learners. Participating students and tutors also perceived the program as a positive and beneficial experience.