Stakeholders’ Views of Postdoctoral Pediatric Dentistry Admissions: A Preliminary Report

Objectives: The dental postdoctoral application and matching process is a high-stakes and resource-intensive process for all involved parties. While programs seek the most qualified candidates, applicants strive to be competitive and increase their likelihood of being accepted to a desirable program. There is a scarcity of data regarding subjective and objective factors underlying the complex interplay between programs and applicants. This study aims to offer a qualitative insight into the stakeholders’ experiences and views on the matching process.
Methods: We conducted telephone and in-person interviews with 10 pediatric dentistry program directors (PD) and 10 recent applicants to pediatric dentistry programs in the United States. Participants were selected to represent the geographic (the 5 districts of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry) and institutional (hospital or university-based) diversity of pediatric dentistry programs. Confidential interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. We used ATLAS.ti 7.0 for coding and thematic analysis. Coding incorporated both deductive and inductive topics. Here, we report on the larger themes that emerged from interviews with PD and applicants.
Results: All participants seemed descriptive and forthright about their experiences with regards to the application and matching process. Veracity and need for more information were themes most often articulated from both groups. Program directors named curiosity, willingness to learn, and self-motivation as desirable applicant characteristics. Applicants relied on mostly subjective sources to gather information about programs, and prioritized location and financial factors as pivotal for their rankings. Both parties appreciated the uniformity of the current application process, but also highlighted several weaknesses and areas for improvement.
Conclusions: These preliminary results shed light on the postdoctoral matching process in pediatric dentistry via a qualitative description of stakeholders’ experiences and viewpoints. These insights can serve as a basis for improving and refining the postdoctoral matching process.