Evaluating externship programs: impact of program length on clinical productivity.

Community-based dental education programs such as externship programs have become an integral component of dental school education. Qualitative evaluation of externship programs has captured increased confidence, efficiency, skill, and independence among students. To better understand these findings, quantitative evaluation of the externship experience is necessary. The current study investigated the clinical care (defined as dental procedures) provided by Boston University School of Dental Medicine students who completed six-week general dentistry externships compared to those completing ten-week general dentistry externships. Results indicate that the scope of services provided in the ten-week externship differed from the six-week externship. The longer externships allowed for students to perform more complex procedures toward the latter part of their externships. Students participating in the ten-week externship also provided more procedures per week than students in the six-week externship. Because scheduling of patient appointments is generally a function of the site, number of patient visits and procedures performed per patient did not differ between the two groups. Our findings provide insight into the reason why longer externships increase clinical confidence, efficiency, and skill. In the continuing effort to improve the externship experience in dental schools, these findings should be taken into consideration.