Survey of Federally Qualified Health Centers to Understand Participation with Dental Residency Programs and Student Externship Rotations

Authors: Margaret Langelier, MSHSA | Simona Surdu, MD, PhD | Carol Rodat, MA | Jean Moore DrPH, MSN, FAAN | Aubri Kottek, MPH

Topics: Education and Training, Oral Health

Research Center: Oral Health Workforce Research Center

December 1, 2016

Demand for dental residency and dental student externship opportunities has grown in recent years, driven by the economy for dental employment and the desire of students for increased market competitiveness. In addition to specialty residencies, some states now also require that general dentists complete a year of advanced education in general dentistry before licensure. The Teaching Health Center program, a feature of the ACA, has contributed to increased capacity in dental residency programs, has impacted new dentist preparedness for practice, has increased opportunities for recruitment and retention of dentists in community clinics, and has increased access to oral health services for safety net populations.

This report examines trends in demand for advanced training by dental students and how this aligns with current policy supporting this training and practice. The report also explores the impact of residencies in ambulatory care settings, particularly for FQHCs, on service capacity and access for patients.

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