The Thrills and Chills of ChatGPT: Implications for Assessments in Undergraduate Dental Education

Abstract

Background and Purpose: Open-source Artificial intelligence (AI) applications are fast transforming access to information and allow students to prepare assignments and offer quite accurate responses to a wide range of exam questions which are routinely used in assessments of students across the board including undergraduate dental students. This study aims to evaluate the performance ChatGPT, an AI-based application, on a wide range of dental assessments and discusses the implications for undergraduate dental education. Methods: This was an exploratory study investigating the accuracy of ChatGPT to attempt a range of recognized assessments in undergraduate dental curricula. ChatGPT was used to attempt ten items based on each of the five commonly used question formats including single-best answer (SBA) multiple-choice questions (MCQs); short answer questions (SAQs); short essay questions (SEQs); True/False questions and fill in the blanks items. In addition, ChatGPT was used to generate reflective reports based on multisource feedback (MSF); research methodology; critical appraisal of the literature. Results: ChatGPT application provided accurate responses to majority of knowledge-based assessments based on MCQs, SAQs, SEQs, Tue/False and fill in the blanks items. However, it was only able to answer text-based questions and did not allow processing of questions based on images. Responses generated to written assignments were also of good quality apart from those for critical appraisal of literature. Word count was the key limitation observed in outputs by ChatGPT as it was only able to produce reports limited to approximately 650 words. Conclusion: Notwithstanding their current limitations, AI-based applications have the potential to revolutionize virtual learning. Instead of treating it as a threat, dental educators need to adapt teaching and assessments in dental education to the benefits of the learners whilst mitigating against dishonest use of AI-based applications.

Is there still a need for dental textbooks when doubts can be clarified by artificial intelligence and open access science?

“…In this scenario of fluid future prospects in dental education, a preprint article investigated the impact of using ChatGPT on common assessments in dental education. Their results demonstrate plenty of scope for ChatGPT to attempt dental assessments and achieve acceptable grades (6). The potential for providing reliable answers to common questions may also replace traditional web search engines, saving time and allowing an improved filter from the vast ocean of information, advertisements and distractions that can be found online.…”

ChatGPT giving advice on how to cheat in university assignments: how workable are its suggestions?

“…Several studies have examined the ability of ChatGPT to be used as a replacement for student examinations or assessments in a variety of elds of accounting (Wood et al, 2023), anatomy (Talan & Kalinkara, 2023), computer science (Bordt & von Luxburg, 2023), cultural heritage (Spennemann, 2023a), dentistry (Ali et al, 2023), economics (Geerling, Mateer, Wooten, & Damodaran, 2023), engineering (Nikolic et al, 2023), English (high school) (de Winter, 2023), information systems (Busch & Hausvik, 2023), law (US) (OpenAI, 2023b), medical licensing boards (Gilson et al, 2023;Kung et al, 2023), medicine (Gravel, D'Amours-Gravel, & Osmanlliu, 2023), nursing (Irwin et al, 2023), operations management (Terwiesch, 2023), ophthalmology ( (Currie et al, 2023). While ChatGPT is able to provide coherent text that at rst sight presents as a well-informed answer, the responses are formulaic, mechanistic and essentially shallow (Bishop, 2023).…”

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“…articles that discuss non-quote specific conversation(s) and do not provide access to the full text [30]; and 5.…”

“…ChatGPT is the typical double-edged sword presented by many new technologies [26]. It is a potential tool to enhance student learning e.g., [27][28][29], while at the same time has the ability to substantively aid students in assignment writing with the associated potential for academic misconduct e.g., [30][31][32].…”