Setting a standard on the pilot National Board Dental Examination.

Norm-referenced and criterion-referenced approaches to setting a standard, or minimum passing score, were used with the pilot Part II National Board Dental Examination. The criterion-referenced approach used with the pilot is based on the Rasch measurement model. The standards and associated failure rates were found to be similar for both approaches. These findings as well as the advantages associated with using the Rasch model suggest that this criterion-referenced approach to setting a standard on the restructured Part II examination is appropriate.