Community dentistry: examiner calibration: practice question

A Dentistry question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Dentistry · Community dentistry: examiner calibration

Sample item

Before a caries prevalence survey, two examiners score the same 20 children independently. Which statistic measures their agreement beyond that expected by chance?

AChi-square testBStandard error of the meanCKappa statisticDStudent t-test

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

C. Kappa statistic

Examiner calibration checks the reliability of scoring. For categorical scores such as caries codes, the kappa statistic measures agreement beyond chance, and values of about 0.8 or more are regarded as strong agreement. Chi-square and t-tests compare groups and do not measure agreement.

Option by option

A. Chi-square test
Chi-square tests association between categories, not reliability.
B. Standard error of the mean
The standard error describes variation of a sample mean.
C. Kappa statistic (correct)
Correct. Kappa corrects the observed agreement for agreement by chance.
D. Student t-test
A t-test compares two means and does not measure agreement.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

Questions about this Dentistry question

What is the answer to this Dentistry question?

The best answer is C, Kappa statistic. Examiner calibration checks the reliability of scoring.

Why is "Chi-square test" not the answer?

Chi-square tests association between categories, not reliability.

Why is "Standard error of the mean" not the answer?

The standard error describes variation of a sample mean.

Why is "Student t-test" not the answer?

A t-test compares two means and does not measure agreement.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Community dentistry: examiner calibration in Dentistry. For categorical scores such as caries codes, the kappa statistic measures agreement beyond chance, and values of about 0.8 or more are regarded as strong agreement. Chi-square and t-tests compare groups and do not measure agreement.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Community dentistry: examiner calibration?

Learn the dental formula, eruption ages and tooth structure once, as tables. Then use the flashcards and the other Dentistry questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.