Journal of dental education
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Dental students are future leaders of health care and the dental profession. The purpose of this study was to assess the interest in leadership development programs at the University of the Pacific Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry and compare the results with similar studies. ⋯ Following mentorship, small-group discussion (74 percent), public speaking (56 percent), dental society member mentorship (40 percent), panel discussions (39 percent), community outreach (39 percent), and capstone project (13 percent) followed in popularity. This study established a foundation to develop a pilot for the Dugoni Practical Leadership Initiative at Pacific based on the preferences of the participants in this survey. With more data and longitudinal studies, we will assess how these programs translate to leadership in dental school and after graduation.
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Over the past two decades, interest in dentistry in the United States has shown a steady period of growth. There were 12,210 individuals who applied to the 2009 entering class of U. S. dental schools. ⋯ While the 2009 underrepresented minority applicants comprised 12 percent of both the applicant and first-time enrollee pools, the percentage of underrepresented minority enrollees of underrepresented minority applicants decreased from 2008. Seventy-one percent of enrollees earned a baccalaureate degree in biological science or chemistry/physical science. Regardless of major fields of study, the percent rates of enrollment generally exceeded 32 percent.