Characteristics of an excellent orthodontic residency program

Although unquantifiable features, such as faculty passion and dedication to teaching, play a vital role in defining the quality of residency education, determinable features that are fundamental to the definition of a "top tier" orthodontic residency program also exist. The objective of this study was to identify those features.

A survey with 32 items was developed and validated to assess the features of an excellent orthodontic program based on the following 3 major domains: faculty, education, and resident/graduate student/alumni. The survey was sent to 62 orthodontic residency programs in the United States.

Thirty-nine programs (63%) completed the survey. Recurring attributes that were identified in what constitutes an excellent program included the following: an adequate number of full-time clinical orthodontic faculty, with each member providing 1 day per week clinic coverage. The average of all respondents was 4, and the range was 1-6; a healthy mix of part-time faculty members with ≥1 full-time faculty member who monitors every clinical session; 80% full-time faculty members who are American Board of Orthodontics (ABO) certified; a craniofacial faculty member; 4 residents/graduate students per each faculty member who covers a clinical session; resident/graduate student exposure to a wide range of treatment modalities and appliances; approximately 70 new case starts per resident/graduate student (50%-60% of patients who are started are debonded by the starting resident/graduate student); patients with craniofacial anomalies and orthognathic surgery patients should be started by each resident/graduate student; 1.5 operatory chairs per resident or graduate student; 1 dental assistant per 4 residents/graduate students; 1 laboratory person; 1 receptionist/secretary per 4 residents; 100% of residents/graduate students successfully completing ABO written examination upon graduation; 60% of residents/graduate students obtaining ABO certification within 5 years of graduation; 50% of residents/graduate students presenting at national meetings would be ideal; and 50% of living alumni contributing financially to the department during the past 5 years.

Based on the responses from the majority of the US orthodontic residency programs, this study has identified certain features that educators feel are ideal for an excellent orthodontic program.