Targeting the Pipeline to a Diverse Dental Student Body: Saturday Academy at New York University College of Dentistry

Abstract

Pipeline programs aim to increase the representation of underrepresented minorities in the dental profession. At New York University College of Dentistry (NYUCD), two dental students initiated the development of a pipeline program for high school students called Saturday Academy. The purpose of the program is twofold: to mentor and coach underrepresented minority and low‐income high school students through the college application process, and to expose them to the field of dentistry as a viable career option through both didactic and hands‐on learning. The aim of this pilot study was to determine outcomes for the first five years (2013‐17) of the Saturday Academy pipeline program at NYUCD with regard to the high school students’ experience with the program and their career interests after high school graduation. Across five cohorts, a total of 82 students participated in Saturday Academy. A “where are you now?” survey sent to 72 participants who reported high school graduation years between 2013 and 2018 received a response rate of 76%. The survey results showed that all (100%) of the responding Saturday Academy participants had graduated from high school and were enrolled in college, and 71% were interested in health profession careers. Almost half (47%) of the students self‐identified as being pre‐dental, and 96% reported that Saturday Academy had increased their interest in the dental profession. These pilot results justified an expansion of Saturday Academy at NYUCD in both size and creation of an alumni outreach initiative. Other dental schools may benefit from the strategies used by this program in establishing or expanding their pipeline programs.

Assessing price sensitivity in dental education and implications on student diversity

“…Several dental schools have implemented pipeline programs, including New York University College of Dentistry's Saturday Academy, Texas A&M Health Science Center‐Baylor College of Dentistry's “Bridge to Dentistry” program, and Tufts University School of Dental Medicine's partnership with the IDID (Increasing Diversity in Dentistry) Initiative. Research on the first 5 years of NYU's Saturday Academy program (2013–2017) showed its effectiveness in increasing students’ interest in dentistry: 47% of participants described themselves as being pre‐dental college students, and 96% identified the Saturday Academy program as having influenced their interest in dentistry 41 . Additionally, the Summer Health Professions Education Program (SHPEP) is a free summer enrichment program for pre‐health students from disadvantaged and low‐income backgrounds funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation 39 .…”

Reimagining the pipeline: Saturday Academy at New York University College of Dentistry goes virtual

“…Saturday Academy was founded in 2012 and implemented in 2013 by two dental students, now full‐time faculty at NYUCD 5 . It is a cost‐free pipeline program aimed at increasing diversity in the healthcare professions, particularly dentistry.…”

“…To mentor and coach URM and low‐income high school students through the college application process and 2. To expose them to pathways to dental careers through both didactic and hands‐on learning 5 . Additionally, Saturday Academy aims to mitigate the significant barriers that underrepresented groups face on their journey to health professional schools 6–10 …”

The true cost of applying to dental school: Diversity in the dental profession

“…Moreover, there is no widespread pipeline program that focuses on reducing application fee barriers to increase the number of qualified applicants from URM and underserved groups, apart from isolated universitybased programs. 8,9 While the eventual financial, societal, and population health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is hard to predict, it is not unreasonable to believe that the long-lasting economic impact will be felt most by society's most marginalized members. Economic hardship is likely to adversely impact not only the financing and support of future dental pipeline programs for URM students and those suffering from the intergenerational effects of poverty, but also the ability of these students to incur the risk of the dental application process and its associated expenses.…”