Fairness as an Ethical Imperative in Dental Assessment: German Students’ Perspectives on Oral Examinations and Structured Assessment Formats

Background/Objectives: Oral examinations can assess clinical reasoning and professional judgement, but examiner-dependent variation and unclear expectations may compromise reliability, procedural fairness, and accountability. This study investigated German dental students’ perceptions of oral examinations and identified learner-informed priorities for fair, transparent, and ethically responsible assessment.

Methods

This national cross-sectional mixed-methods study used a participatory approach to questionnaire development. The main online survey was distributed to undergraduate dental students through national student networks. Three supplementary questions were administered separately to participants at the 2026 National Conference of German Dental Student Representatives. Quantitative data were analysed descriptively. Free-text responses were examined using qualitative content analysis conducted collaboratively by two researchers.