title: Postdoctoral periodontal program directors' perspectives of resident selection.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Applications for postdoctoral periodontal programs have recently increased. The National Board Dental Examinations (NBDE) has adopted a pass/fail format. The purpose of this study is to examine the criteria used by accredited postdoctoral periodontal programs in the United States to evaluate potential applicants. A secondary purpose was to determine whether the absence of NBDE scores would change program directors' selection process. Basic demographic information of the program directors was also collected.
  
  
  METHODS
  A questionnaire was sent to all 54 program directors of accredited postdoctoral periodontal programs in the United States. The raw data were compiled, descriptive analyses were performed, and results were tabulated and ranked when applicable.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-five of 54 program directors (64.8%) responded to the survey. The five most important factors in selecting residents were: 1) interview ratings; 2) dental school clinical grades; 3) dental school periodontics grades; 4) personal statement; and 5) letters of recommendation. The majority of the programs (94%; n = 33) require an interview, and many (86%; n = 30) have a committee that makes the final decision on candidate acceptance. More than half of the respondents (56%; n = 17) stated that the pass/fail format of the NBDE would affect the decision-making process.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study describes the criteria used by postdoctoral periodontal programs to help select applicants. Interview ratings, dental school grades, personal statements, and letters of recommendation were found to be the most important factors. Results from this study may be helpful for prospective postdoctoral periodontal program applicants in the United States.
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, College of Dentistry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL.
authors.forename: Saba
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: Andrew J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Carmosino
authors.forename: Judy Chia-Chun
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Newton
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lucchiari
authors.forename: Nadia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kawar
authors.forename: Cortino
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sukotjo
mesh_terms: D000288:Administrative Personnel; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015709:Correspondence as Topic; D003657:Decision Making; D004499:Education, Dental, Graduate; D004521:Educational Measurement; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010517:Periodontics / Q000193:education*; D010560:Personnel Selection; D012570:School Admission Criteria; D012647:Self-Assessment; D014481:United States
keywords: Education, dental; education, dental, graduate; educational measurement; internship and residency; periodontic; questionnaires