Accreditation issues in post-doctoral general dentistry programs

There has been increasing interest in the organization and accreditation of post-doctoral general dentistry programs (PGD). Numerous national organizations have called for increases in the number of PGD positions and programs. At the same time, there has been a movement to incorporate concepts of competency-based education into dental education programs to stress the outcomes of education rather then the process. These movements have coincided with the current accreditation standards revision cycles for GPR and AEGD programs. These events suggest that PGD educators have a major opportunity and responsibility to assess the goals and educational directions of PGD programs in light of the many changes in dental health care delivery, health policy, and dental education activities. These opportunities will be realized only if the organizations involved with PGD education can find common ground and pool their resources to promote the interests of PGD education.