Dental Public Health resident Harvard School of Dental Medicine
Participants should be aware of the following financial/non-financial relationships: . Nithya Puttige Ramesh, BDS, MPH: I do not have any relevant financial / non-financial relationships with any proprietary interests.. Tooka Zokaie, MPH, MAS: I do not have any relevant financial / non-financial relationships with any proprietary interests.. Amrita Tembhe, BDS, MPH: I do not have any relevant financial / non-financial relationships with any proprietary interests.. Jasmine Joseph, RDH, MPH: I do not have any relevant financial / non-financial relationships with any proprietary interests.. Anthony Palatta, DDS, Ed.D.: I do not have any relevant financial / non-financial relationships with any proprietary interests.. Annaliese Cothron, DHSc, MS, CPH: I do not have any relevant financial / non-financial relationships with any proprietary interests.. Rebekah Mathews, MPA: I do not have any relevant financial / non-financial relationships with any proprietary interests.
Abstract: OBJECTIVE: Dental education programs develop effective future practitioners by educating students in the most innovative approaches to patient care delivery. As the dental workforce steadily grows, dental schools should be visible in communicating how both didactic education and patient care experiences align with that growth.
METHODS: An environmental scan was completed using websites of all 68 dental schools measuring 24 data points assessing how dental schools communicate educational approaches and organizational commitment to health equity, care integration, public health, and value-based care (VBC). Data were analyzed to evaluate differences based on size, type of school, geographic location and organizational infrastructure.
RESULTS: The US currently has 25,995 students enrolled in predoctoral dental education programs. Of the 68 accredited dental schools, 41 are public institutions, 23 are private and 4 are private-state related. Fifteen (23%) schools have a dental public health program and nine (13%) offer continuing education on VBC. This number is higher in public schools (17%) compared to private schools (4%). Over 60% advertised diversity, equity, and inclusion for dentistry and one fifth (21%) listed equity in the school’s mission, vision or objective.
CONCLUSIONS: Websites are the primary source of information for students and patients to learn about dental schools. Few schools communicated a focus in VBC in either educational approach or patient care. While some schools listed diversity within their values or mission statement, few dental schools integrated health equity into their mission statement or patient care philosophy. Most dental schools communicated an investment in integrated patient care.
