A study of military recruitment strategies for dentists: possible implications for academia

Results of the annual American Dental Education Association surveys of dental school seniors show approximately 10 percent of graduates enter federal government services while less than 1 percent enter dental academia. To examine this difference, this study sought the perceptions of senior dental students and junior military dental officers regarding their choice of a military career in order to determine how military recruitment strategies influenced their career decisions. Official documents explaining military recruitment efforts were requested from the military services and summarized. In-depth telephone interviews were conducted to gather perception data from the students and dental officers on successful strategies. By employing several strategies, the military was able to inform potential recruits about the benefits of being a dentist in the military. The opportunity to have the military finance a student's dental education was a successful military recruitment tool. Other enticing factors included guaranteed employment upon graduation, prestige associated with serving in the military, access to postgraduate training, minimal practice management responsibilities, and opportunities to continue learning and improve clinical skills without significant financial implications. It was concluded that dental education can use the same strategies to highlight the benefits of an academic career and offer many similar incentives that may encourage students to consider a career path in dental education.