Military and VA general dentistry training: a national resource.
In 1999, HRSA contracted with the UCLA School of Dentistry to evaluate the postgraduate general dentistry (PDG) training programs. The purpose of this article is to compare the program characteristics of the PGD training programs sponsored by the Armed Services (military) and VA. Surveys mailed to sixty-six VA and forty-two military program directors in fall 2000 sought information regarding the infrastructure of the program, the program emphasis, resident preparation prior to entering the program, and a description of patients served and types of services provided. Of the eighty-one returned surveys (75 percent response rate), thirty were received from military program directors and fifty-one were received from VA program directors. AEGDs reported treating a higher proportion of children patients and GPRs more medically intensive, disadvantaged and HIV/AIDS patients. Over half of the directors reported increases in curriculum emphasis in implantology. The program directors reported a high level of inadequate preparation among incoming dental residents. Having a higher ratio of residents to total number of faculty predicted inadequate preparation (p=.022) although the model was weak. Although HRSA doesn't financially support federally sponsored programs, their goal of improved dental training to care for medically compromised individuals is facilitated through these programs, thus making military and VA general dentistry programs a national resource.
UCLA School of Dentistry, CHS, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA. kathya@dent.ucla.edu
Kathryn A
KA
Atchison
William
W
Bachand
C Richard
CR
Buchanan
Karen H
KH
Lefever
Sylvia
S
Lin
Rita
R
Engelhardt
D000328:Adult; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D003190:Comprehensive Dental Care; D015986:Confounding Factors, Epidemiologic; D003479:Curriculum; D019140:Dental Care for Children; D017742:Dental Care for Chronically Ill; D003730:Dental Care for Persons with Disabilities; D003752:Dental Health Services / Q000145:classification / Q000458:organization & administration; D003758:Dental Implantation, Endosseous; D003796:Dental Service, Hospital; D004499:Education, Dental, Graduate / Q000458:organization & administration; D004632:Emergency Medical Services; D005179:Faculty, Dental; D005792:General Practice, Dental / Q000193:education* / Q000458:organization & administration; D015658:HIV Infections; D006295:Health Resources; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000458:organization & administration; D016015:Logistic Models; D008885:Military Dentistry / Q000193:education* / Q000458:organization & administration; D015397:Program Evaluation; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D014481:United States; D014493:United States Department of Veterans Affairs / Q000458:organization & administration; D014488:United States Health Resources and Services Administration