This study examined the factors influencing the proportion of underrepresented minority students (URM) in dental schools. Using a comprehensive recruitment model, it considered the relative importance of community characteristics (population demographics, oral health policies, dental care system, and university environment), dental school characteristics (Pipeline-supported, mission, and financing), and community-based dental education (CBDE) characteristics of the dental school on recruitment of URM students. Data come from a national survey of dental school seniors and a variety of publicly available sources. Three outcome variables measure URM recruitment: percent URM, percent Hispanic, and percent African American in the first year of dental school. Multivariable results revealed that the most important factors predicting a higher percent URM in first-year classes were a higher proportion of URM clinical faculty and graduating students' perceptions that their clinical rotation experience improved their ability to care for diverse groups. For percent Hispanic in the first year, a higher proportion of URM clinical faculty and students spending more time in clinical rotations predicted greater Hispanic recruitment. Graduating students' perceptions that they were less prepared to treat diverse groups were directly associated with the proportion of Hispanic students in the class. For a higher percent of African Americans in the first-year class, the most important factors were a higher proportion of blacks in the county, support from the national Pipeline program, and graduating students' perceptions of better preparedness to integrate cultural differences into treatment planning. Higher total financial aid awarded by the school was negatively associated with recruitment of African Americans. Results suggest some improved URM recruitment strategies for dental schools.

No abstract

No abstract

Terry T. Nakazono, M.A.; Daisy C. Carreon, M.P.H.Abstract: This article describes the conceptual and analytical framework that will be used to assess the effectiveness of the Pipeline, Profession, and Practice: Community-Based Dental Education Program. The evaluation will use a mixed method qualitative and quantitative data collection, analysis, and triangulation. Baseline measures are reported using data from the 2003 ADEA survey of dental school seniors. Baseline measures show the dental schools are confronting a major recruitment challenge that will require short and long pipeline efforts to attract and retain underrepresented and low-income (URM/LI) persons. Gaps were found between the perceptions of URM and non-URM students in the adequacy of the curricula. The majority of all seniors described the current extramural clinical rotations as positive experiences, but URMs were more likely to report the experience improved their ability to care for diverse groups.

The purpose of this investigation was to determine whether flossing, as an adjunct to toothbrushing, performed in a school-based program can contribute significantly to a reduction in gingivitis. Four volunteer third grade classrooms (n = 112) were randomly assigned to finger-floss, looped-floss, flossholder, and brushing-only control group. Measures taken at baseline and in four weeks included gingival (GI), plaque (PI), and flossing dexterity indices (FDI). Results using ANOVA showed no differences in PI among groups. However, both brushing-only and finger-floss groups showed GI scores significantly lower than the looped-floss group. A repeated measures ANOVA revealed that the finger-floss group improved gingivitis scores most over time, while the flossholder group improved scores the least. The ANCOVA results with FDI showed that at the final measurement, looped-floss manual dexterity was rated significantly better than finger-floss and that both groups were rated better than flossholder. Final indications are that toothbrushing alone can produce clinical results similar to use of a combination of toothbrushing and flossing.