• Christopher A Barwacz, Gustavo Avila-Ortiz, Veerasathpurush Allareddy, Monelle Tamegnon, and Kaitlin Hoogeveen.
• Dr. Barwacz is Assistant Professor, Craniofacial Clinical Research Center, The University of Iowa College of Dentistry and Dental Clinics; Dr. Avila-Ortiz is Assistant Professor, Department of Periodontics, The University of Iowa College of Dentistry and Dental Clinics; Dr. Allareddy is Associate Professor, Department of Orthodontics, The University of Iowa College of Dentistry and Dental Clinics; Ms. Tamegnon is Graduate Student, Department of Biostatistics, The University of Iowa College of Public Health; and Ms. Hoogeveen is Predoctoral Student Researcher, The University of Iowa College of Dentistry and Dental Clinics. chris-barwacz@uiowa.edu.
• J Dent Educ. 2015 Mar 1; 79 (3): 265-77.

AbstractThe aim of this study was to provide an overview of current predoctoral implant programs in the United States, including curricular characteristics and clinical practices regarding implant therapy education and program directors' characteristics. An electronic survey was sent to predoctoral implant program directors of all 64 accredited U.S. dental schools; 52 of the 60 eligible programs responded, for a response rate of 87%. The responding program directors were primarily affiliated with either prosthodontics departments (44%) or restorative dentistry departments (40%). Structurally, 80.8% of the responding schools integrate their implant programs into the third year of the curriculum. Clinical implant therapy exercises reported were simulation exercises without direct patient care (90.4% of responding schools) and direct patient care under supervision (94.2%). The most frequently taught restorative modalities are posterior single-tooth implant crown (96.2%), mandibular implant-retained overdenture (88.5%), and anterior implant-supported single crown (61.5%). A majority (74.5%) of responding programs utilize analog surgical guide planning, while 25.5% reported use of digital guided surgery planning software. All schools in the Northwest and 66.7% in the South Central regions utilize custom abutments as the primary abutment design, while a majority of schools in the North Central (62.5%), Northeast (53.8%), Southwest (66.7%), and Southeast (80%) regions use stock abutments (p=0.02). Regional differences were significant with regard to fixation modality, with all the Northwest programs using screw retention and 90% of Southeast and 87.5% of North Central programs using cement retention (p=0.002). This study demonstrated that while institutions share program director and curricular similarities, clinical practices and modalities vary significantly by region.

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