This study evaluated the reliability, validity, and educational usefulness of a comprehensive, multidisciplinary Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) in dental education. The OSCE was administered to dental students at the Columbia University College of Dental Medicine (CDM) before they entered clinical training. Participants in this study included CDM's class of 2010 which consisted of 78 students. The overall reliability of the examination was measured via calculation of Cronbach's alpha. Content validity was examined through evaluation of the OSCE by three experienced clinical faculty members. Predictive validity was evaluated by correlating student grades on the OSCE to future clinical performance as measured by number of clinical points achieved during the third year of training. Student perceptions regarding the educational usefulness of the examination were evaluated through a 12-question Liken-type survey and focus group interviews analyzed using a phenomenological approach. Findings of the study indicated the OSCE was a highly reliable examination (alpha=0.86) with high content validity and a moderately high correlation to future clinical performance (r=0.614, p less than 0.0001). Overall, student perceptions of the educational usefulness of the OSCE were positive as based on their responses to a 5-point Likert scale (1=strongly disagree and 5=strongly agree). They reported that the exam required the ability to think critically and problem-solve (4.0 [plus or minus] 0.85), assessed clinically relevant skills (4.59 [plus or minus] 0.69), helped identify clinical weaknesses (4.16 [plus or minus] 0.90), and was a learning experience (4.58 [plus or minus] 0.84). Findings from the qualitative portion of the study identified four main themes including the student perception that the OSCE is a unique assessment experience that required integration and application of knowledge. Recommendations for the use of the OSCE to improve clinical teaching and the implications of this study relating to the expanded use of the OSCE in dental education are discussed. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]