A decade of grassroots pathway programming: Saturday Academy at New York University College of Dentistry

Abstract

Background: Successful pathway programs require early and sustained support of student participants.Purpose: We present the history and outcomes of a successful decade of continuous, grassroots, pathway programming at an individual dental institution.Methods: Programmatic data were used to evaluate information on program participant demographics, academic pursuits, and career interests. Descriptive analyses were used to report on program enrollment as well as alumni academic and career outcomes.Results: Between the years of 2013 and 2022, 346 high-school students participated in Saturday Academy at NYU Dentistry. Of the 240 college-aged and older program alumni, 72% (n = 172) have shared their academic and career plans after high-school. At the time of publication, 78% (134/172) of alumni that have maintained contact with Saturday Academy and have expressed interest in pursuing a career in the health professions. Of the 172 alumni, 14% (n = 24) have enrolled in or graduated from a health professional program (dental hygiene, nursing, accelerated dental or medical program, dental or medical school, or other health professional program). Of these alumni (24/172), half (n = 12) have pursued education in the dental professions, specifically. Conclusion: Saturday Academy at NYU Dentistry is an example of a sustainable and impactful pathway program in dental education and its outcomes support the merit of calls for increased institutional commitment and support of similar initiatives.

Black and Hispanic predoctoral dental students’ perceptions and considerations of careers in academic dentistry

“…[4][5][6][7][8][9][10] Only a small fraction of dental school graduates pursue careers in dental academia at early stages of their careers, [12][13][14] despite initiatives aimed at introducing dental students to academic careers. [15][16][17][18] Post-practice dentists annually comprise the largest cohort of new recruits to dental education. 19 As dental education strives to produce a workforce that will reflect the diversity of the US population, efforts must also be made to achieve diverse representation among dental educators and administrators.…”