Impact of the OSCE on anxiety levels and perceptions of dental students: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

While objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) is a widely used method for assessing clinical competencies in dentistry, it can be a significant source of anxiety for students. Neither the extent to which dental students experience anxiety related to this exam nor the students’ perceptions of the test’s clinical value have been formally measured. OSCE induces moderate to high levels of anxiety in dental students, particularly among males. Despite this, students generally view the OSCE positively, considering it a useful, realistic, and formative tool.