Standardized test scores as acceptance criteria for dental hygiene programs

The principal goal of acceptance criteria is to select candidates who will graduate and transition into professional practice. However, in an attempt to increase the diversity of their student populations, educators are anxious to make changes to the traditional acceptance criteria, such as standardized test scores. Yet data indicate that standardized testing biases against certain populations of students (i.e., female, culturally diverse, and those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds). Fairer assessment measures should continue to be sought.