A 10-year survey of US deans: trends, challenges, and mentoring in prosthodontics. Part 2

Part 2 of this survey reports on the 2009 survey findings distributed to the deans of US dental schools. A national, electronic survey of 58 dental school deans was distributed by e-mail to evaluate an interest in specialty training, an interest in specialty training in prosthodontics, faculty shortage issues, predoctoral curriculum in prosthodontics, ideology regarding dental specialties, and the administrative position of prosthodontics within the schools.

The survey data were transferred to an online spreadsheet program for statistical analysis (Key Survey, Inc. http://www.keysurvey.com, Braintree, MA). The opinions of dental school deans were viewed as legitimate indicators of change within predoctoral and postdoctoral prosthodontic education. Statistical analysis was carried out using Statistica Version 9.1 (Statsoft, Tulsa, OK).

Of the 58 deans, 42 deans responded, for a 72.4% response rate. Twenty-three deans reported an increase in the number of students seeking specialty training after dental school. Only three deans reported a decrease in those seeking specialty training. In the 2009 survey, 45% the deans responded that there was an increased interest in prosthodontics. One or more open faculty positions in prosthodontics existed at 24 (59%) of the dental schools, and 30 (71%) offered at least one incentive or a variety of incentives to recruit faculty. The 2009 respondents to the deans' survey revealed predoctoral student exposure to prosthodontists was high, and exposure to advanced education in prosthodontics students was low. A survey of internal school programs that might have an impact on an increased interest in prosthodontics revealed the presence of a predoctoral mentoring program for prosthodontics in 36 (88%) of the institutions. The clinical curriculum included treatment of a variety of cases including complex cases as defined by a diagnostic classification system. The 2009 survey respondents reported an increase in the number of schools where prosthodontics is a separate entity or department.

Deans reported an increased interest in prosthodontics in the 2009 survey. Open faculty positions in prosthodontics existed in the majority of dental schools, and most schools offered incentives to recruit faculty. The survey of deans found a very high level of exposure of dental students to full-time prosthodontists and a very low exposure level to students enrolled in advanced education in prosthodontics. The establishment of mentoring programs in prosthodontics was reported by most deans, and the predoctoral curriculum included treating complex cases. Most deans stated that dual-specialty training in prosthodontics and periodontics would be beneficial. The 2009 survey reported an increase in the number of departments of prosthodontics in US schools.