Analyzing the Influence of Admissions Criteria and Cultural Norms on Success in an International Dental Studies Program

Abstract

This study determines the extent to which admissions criteria and cultural norms predict the success of a foreign-trained dentist in a United States dental educational program. Correlation and regression tests were applied to an eleven-year period from 1994 to 2004 of retrospective admissions data for 144 International Dental Studies Program students. Five cultural norms were derived from the collective cultural dimensions of a scholarly work of validated multinational surveys by Geert Hofstede. These five cultural norms are Power Distance (degree of inequality between "haves" and "have-nots" in a culture); Individualism (support for independent or group behavior); Long-Term View (deferred gratification versus quick results/rewards); Masculinity (emphasis on performance/outcomes versus socialization); and Uncertainty Avoidance (ability to cope with an uncertain future). Hofstede's calculated country scores on these cultural dimensions applied to the students' countries of education and their influence on students' academic performance were assessed by correlation and regression analyses. Results showed that the TOEFL and National Board Part I examinations and the cultural norm of Long-Term View were the most positive predictors of grade point averages. The other four cultural norms studied were not predictors of success. Those who applied to the program more than once before being accepted did less well in the program, yet "less well" might have meant that they graduated with a 3.0 instead of a 3.5 GPA. Generally speaking, the more recent the graduated class, the higher the ending GPA has been. Admissions committees should determine if they want to invest the resources required to implement a multitude of admissions predictors to find the best of the qualified applicants.

Predictors of academic performance of first year dental undergraduates in Sri Lanka: a re‐evaluation following curriculum changes

“…In a study conducted in Sri Lanka in 1999 involving 460 first‐year dental students, English knowledge was the only factor that significantly predicted their academic performances explaining almost 60% of its variance . A lack of language proficiency may well hinder communication with patients, fellow students and teachers as well as adversely affecting performance in learning and assessments, finally reflecting in their examination scores, GPA or grades .…”

Foreign-Trained Dentists in the United States: Challenges and Opportunities

“…After title and abstract screening, 29 publications that did not answer the focused question or were duplicates were excluded. In total 18 articles were sought, including nine articles [ 7 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 ] discussing workforce diversity in dentistry ( Table 1 ); and nine articles [ 1 , 2 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 ] discussing licensing process for foreign-trained dentists ( Table 2 ).…”

Foreign-Trained Dentists in Advanced Education in Prosthodontics Programs in the United States: Demographics, Perspectives on Current Training, and Future Goals

“…Studies from medical journals also noted a similar pattern: that IMGs were more likely to have higher degrees than were USMGs 17 . Considering the competitiveness of entering US residency programs, only top foreign students could be selected; however, due to extreme variations in educational and grading systems worldwide, academic ranks may not represent an objective indicator to determine students’ performance in their previous training 4,11 . Although having a higher degree might indicate an academic engagement and could be considered favorable by program directors, similar to research and scholarly activities, attainment of an advanced degree does not predict the resident's performance or future career in academics 19 …”

“…This also explains why FTDs have more clinical experience than USTDs. It had been suggested that these experiences might benefit US training programs by adding diversity, maturity, and different perspectives on healthcare; 3,8 however, one study showed that having dental licenses from foreign countries did not predict students’ success in US dental programs 11 …”

“…Upon finishing their advanced studies, many FTDs return to their home countries, but some stay in the United States to practice or teach 10 . Many studies have analyzed the performance of FTDs in IDS 10–13 ; however, none could be identified in the ADE programs. Without understanding their background and expectations, residency programs may not adequately support FTDs and may even impact them negatively.…”