The evolving demographic makeup of dental graduates.

The gender, racial and ethnic makeup of dental school graduates and advanced dental education program students is undergoing changes that to some extent mirror the developments in the general population. There have been marked decreases in the ratio of white dental school graduates to the white population, but limited changes in the ratio of minority group graduates to their respective national populations. Compared to their representation in dental schools, women and minority group graduates are under-represented in specialty training programs, with wide variations by specialty fields. There have been marked decreases in the proportion of dental school graduates whose immediate plans include self-employment practice and increases in the proportion anticipating some form of employment.