Anna R Forsyth, Arsen A Melkonyan, Kristopher Kerns, Natasha M Flake, Rachel M Greene, Frank A Roberts
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Purpose: The Regional Initiatives in Dental Education (RIDE) program is an educational track of the University of Washington School of Dentistry that aims to produce leaders who practice in rural areas of the Pacific Northwest. This study assesses outcomes of the first 10 years of the RIDE program. The hypothesis tested is that rural background is the most important predictor of long-term rural dental practice.
Methods: This descriptive study assessed existing data including graduates' location of practice, demographics, rurality of origin, parental occupation, and practice type over time. Subjects are all graduates of the RIDE program from 2012 to 2021 (N = 80), and range in age from 25 to 50 years. Statistical analyses were utilized to explore associations.
Results: Within the study sample 78% of graduates practiced in a rural and/or underserved area, 32.5% of graduates pursued post-graduate dental training, 40% participated in Medicaid, and 78% practiced in the Pacific Northwest at the time of analysis (March 2023). Statistical analysis demonstrated a strong association and medium to large effect sizes between both rural upbringing and training sites and established dental practice in a rural region.
Conclusions: Graduates of the RIDE program practice in rural areas in greater proportion compared to the general population of practicing dentists. RIDE graduates from the study period tended to be male, and white, and practice in a health professional shortage area or rural site. The rurality of origin analysis was confounded by the substantial number of graduates from Spokane, Washington, an urban area surrounded by extensive rural territory.
期刊介绍:
The Journal of Dental Education (JDE) is a peer-reviewed monthly journal that publishes a wide variety of educational and scientific research in dental, allied dental and advanced dental education. Published continuously by the American Dental Education Association since 1936 and internationally recognized as the premier journal for academic dentistry, the JDE publishes articles on such topics as curriculum reform, education research methods, innovative educational and assessment methodologies, faculty development, community-based dental education, student recruitment and admissions, professional and educational ethics, dental education around the world and systematic reviews of educational interest. The JDE is one of the top scholarly journals publishing the most important work in oral health education today; it celebrated its 80th anniversary in 2016.