Variables influencing students' course quality evaluation: A cross-sectional study for a bachelor's degree dental program

Purpose: This cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate and predict variables that influence the Students' Course Evaluation Surveys (SCES) in a bachelor's degree of dental medicine and surgery program. Materials and methods: Data from the Faculty of Dental Medicine for the academic year 2021-2022 were analyzed including 39 course reports, students' course evaluation surveys, students' academic performance data, and the program specification. The survey contains 24 statements that evaluate five main domains of the courses, which are course syllabus, staff performance through the course, course learning resources, course execution, and course quality. Results: Chi-squared Test revealed no significant association between the total average students' evaluation score of the course against factors such as student's level, term, main mode of instruction, course category, department, and course director's gender, academic experiences, and nationality. On the other hand, pairwise comparisons revealed that grades from A+ to C were predictors of the total average SCES scores (p <= 0.004). Using the Paired Samples T-Test, the student's evaluation scores for their course were found to be significantly higher for females than males (mean +/- SD = 50.56 +/- 24.3 vs. 41.00 +/- 26.3, p = 0.042). Using Pearson correlations, results showed a significant association of total average students' course evaluation scores against factors such as average course syllabus, staff performance, course learning resources, course execution, and course quality (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Average course syllabus, staff performance, course learning resources, course execution, and course quality are major predictor variables that influence SCES scores in the examined program. Enhancing these domains will be of great importance to improve the quality of the courses at the dental bachelor level.