U.S. and Canadian dental school involvement in extramural programming.

This project was undertaken from July 1999 to August 2000 to identify the status of extramural programming (that is, a program that has undergraduate dental students providing any aspect of dental care to individuals in settings outside the main clinical facility of the school) in North American dental schools. A survey instrument was mailed to all United States and Canadian dental schools concerning student involvement in extramural programming. The response rate was 79.7 percent. Of the schools responding, 3.9 percent did not offer extramural programming. The type of extramural sites, the percentage of schools offering each type of site, and the mean number of weeks students are at each site were as follows: hospital clinics--71 percent, 2.5 weeks; public health clinics--65 percent, 6 weeks; schools and day care centers--49, 1.7 weeks; private dental offices--37 percent, 2 weeks; and "other"--29 percent, 2.5 weeks. The average number of weeks spent at extramural site(s) per class was: freshman 1.9 weeks (SD=4.3); sophomores 2.3 weeks (SD=4.2); juniors 2.6 weeks (SD=1.9); and seniors 5.3 weeks (SD=6.7). Of total student time in extramural programming, 43.3 percent was spent delivering basic clinical services, 24.4 percent comprehensive clinical services, 11.8 percent health education, 11.8 percent preventive dentistry, and 8.7 percent community activities. From the data collected it is apparent that the majority of North American dental schools are providing a variety of extramural experiences for their dental students. It was found that student involvement in extramural programming increases gradually from the freshman to the senior year.