Prosthodontic Implant Club at UIC, Program Description and Survey Analysis

Area of Science:

• Dental Education
• Prosthodontics
• Mentorship Programs

Background:

• Predoctoral dental education often lacks sufficient exposure to prosthodontics.
• Mentorship and specialized clubs can enhance student interest and understanding of dental specialties.

Purpose of the Study:

• Describe the Predoctoral Implant Club at UIC (PIC-UIC) mentoring model.
• Assess PIC-UIC members' perceptions of the club and the prosthodontic specialty.

Main Methods:

• A survey was distributed to PIC-UIC members to gauge perceptions and outcomes.
• A focus group discussion explored members' exposure to prosthodontics throughout their training and the club's impact.

Main Results:

• Membership in PIC-UIC led to increased exposure to prosthodontics and faculty.
• Over a third of members considered a prosthodontic residency post-PIC-UIC; nearly two-thirds recommended the club.
• Focus group participants found PIC-UIC valuable for career decisions in prosthodontics.

Conclusions:

• The PIC-UIC program effectively boosted predoctoral students' interest in prosthodontics.
• Student feedback indicates that faculty and resident involvement in mentoring is highly valued.
• PIC-UIC demonstrates potential as a pipeline initiative for other dental schools.