title: Factors influencing dental students' specialty choice: a survey of ten graduating classes at one institution.
abstract: The aim of this study was to survey ten graduating classes at Harvard School of Dental Medicine regarding students' specialty choice and factors influencing that choice. Students were surveyed once in 2008 (for the Classes of 2007-11) and again in 2013 (for the Classes of 2012-16). A prior article reported results regarding students' interest in and experiences with prosthodontics; this article presents results regarding their interest in all dental specialties and factors influencing those interests. Of a total 176 students in the Classes of 2012-16, 143 responded to the survey, for a response rate of 81%, compared to a 95% response rate (167 of total 176 students) for the Classes of 2007-11. The results showed that orthodontics was the most popular specialty choice, followed by oral and maxillofacial surgery. From the 2008 to the 2013 survey groups, there was an increase in the percentages of students planning to pursue oral and maxillofacial surgery, pediatric dentistry, and postdoctoral general dentistry. The educational debt these students expected to accrue by graduation also increased. The largest percentage of students chose "enjoyment of providing the specialty service" as the factor most influencing their specialty choice. "Prior dental school experience" and "faculty influence" were greater influences for students pursuing specialties than those pursuing postdoctoral general dentistry. Increased interest in particular disciplines may be driven by high debt burdens students face upon graduation. Factors related to mentoring especially influenced students pursuing specialties, demonstrating the importance of student experiences outside direct patient care for exposure to the work of specialists beyond the scope of predoctoral training. This finding suggests that dental schools should increase mentoring efforts to help students make career decisions based not on financial burden but rather on personal interest in the specialty, which is likely to have a more satisfying result for them in the long run.
authors.affiliation: Dr. Shin is a Periodontics Resident, Columbia University College of Dental Medicine; Dr. Kinnunen is Assistant Professor, Department of Oral Health Policy and Epidemiology, Harvard School of Dental Medicine; Dr. Zarchy is a practicing endodontist in Lansdale, PA; Dr. Da Silva is Vice Dean and Assistant Professor, Department of Restorative Dentistry and Biomaterials Sciences, Harvard School of Dental Medicine; Dr. Chang is Section Head, Maxillofacial Prosthodontics, Cleveland Clinic, Head and Neck Institute; and Dr. Wright is Professor and Chair, Department of Prosthodontics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
authors.forename: Jane H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: Dr. Shin is a Periodontics Resident, Columbia University College of Dental Medicine; Dr. Kinnunen is Assistant Professor, Department of Oral Health Policy and Epidemiology, Harvard School of Dental Medicine; Dr. Zarchy is a practicing endodontist in Lansdale, PA; Dr. Da Silva is Vice Dean and Assistant Professor, Department of Restorative Dentistry and Biomaterials Sciences, Harvard School of Dental Medicine; Dr. Chang is Section Head, Maxillofacial Prosthodontics, Cleveland Clinic, Head and Neck Institute; and Dr. Wright is Professor and Chair, Department of Prosthodontics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
authors.forename: Taru H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Kinnunen
authors.affiliation: Dr. Shin is a Periodontics Resident, Columbia University College of Dental Medicine; Dr. Kinnunen is Assistant Professor, Department of Oral Health Policy and Epidemiology, Harvard School of Dental Medicine; Dr. Zarchy is a practicing endodontist in Lansdale, PA; Dr. Da Silva is Vice Dean and Assistant Professor, Department of Restorative Dentistry and Biomaterials Sciences, Harvard School of Dental Medicine; Dr. Chang is Section Head, Maxillofacial Prosthodontics, Cleveland Clinic, Head and Neck Institute; and Dr. Wright is Professor and Chair, Department of Prosthodontics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
authors.forename: Marisa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zarchy
authors.affiliation: Dr. Shin is a Periodontics Resident, Columbia University College of Dental Medicine; Dr. Kinnunen is Assistant Professor, Department of Oral Health Policy and Epidemiology, Harvard School of Dental Medicine; Dr. Zarchy is a practicing endodontist in Lansdale, PA; Dr. Da Silva is Vice Dean and Assistant Professor, Department of Restorative Dentistry and Biomaterials Sciences, Harvard School of Dental Medicine; Dr. Chang is Section Head, Maxillofacial Prosthodontics, Cleveland Clinic, Head and Neck Institute; and Dr. Wright is Professor and Chair, Department of Prosthodontics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
authors.forename: John D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Da Silva
authors.affiliation: Dr. Shin is a Periodontics Resident, Columbia University College of Dental Medicine; Dr. Kinnunen is Assistant Professor, Department of Oral Health Policy and Epidemiology, Harvard School of Dental Medicine; Dr. Zarchy is a practicing endodontist in Lansdale, PA; Dr. Da Silva is Vice Dean and Assistant Professor, Department of Restorative Dentistry and Biomaterials Sciences, Harvard School of Dental Medicine; Dr. Chang is Section Head, Maxillofacial Prosthodontics, Cleveland Clinic, Head and Neck Institute; and Dr. Wright is Professor and Chair, Department of Prosthodontics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
authors.forename: Brian Myung W
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Dr. Shin is a Periodontics Resident, Columbia University College of Dental Medicine; Dr. Kinnunen is Assistant Professor, Department of Oral Health Policy and Epidemiology, Harvard School of Dental Medicine; Dr. Zarchy is a practicing endodontist in Lansdale, PA; Dr. Da Silva is Vice Dean and Assistant Professor, Department of Restorative Dentistry and Biomaterials Sciences, Harvard School of Dental Medicine; Dr. Chang is Section Head, Maxillofacial Prosthodontics, Cleveland Clinic, Head and Neck Institute; and Dr. Wright is Professor and Chair, Department of Prosthodontics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. robert_wright@unc.edu.
authors.forename: Robert F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Wright
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002321:Career Choice; D004499:Education, Dental, Graduate / Q000191:economics; D005260:Female; D005792:General Practice, Dental; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008404:Massachusetts; D008611:Mentors; D009970:Orthodontics; D010377:Pediatric Dentistry; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D011476:Prosthodontics; D012456:Salaries and Fringe Benefits; D012575:Schools, Dental; D013039:Specialties, Dental / Q000191:economics / Q000193:education; D013335:Students, Dental; D013515:Surgery, Oral; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: advanced dental education; career choice; dental education; dental specialties; dental students; postgraduate dental education