The flexible requirement system for grading of clinical performance of undergraduate dental students.

A new grading system is presented for evaluating and grading dental students' clinical competence and performance in paediatric dentistry at the undergraduate level. The Flexible Requirements System is a clinical competence evaluation system designed to address some of the common deficiencies of other requirements-based performance evaluation systems, by utilising a unique method of collecting and manipulating certain measurements of student performance in various groups of clinical procedures. The system aimed to incorporate adequate flexibility in its requirements to afford students fair and equal opportunities, whilst maintaining adherence to departmental clinical competence criteria and standards.