Description of a faculty-student group practice.

Dental schools are facing budgetary constraints, decreasing clinic patient populations, and increasing competition. At the same time, there is a need to provide students a realistic educational environment. The Dental Practice Systems (DPS) Program is a partially self-supported student-faculty group practice designed to address these issues. All individuals appearing for care are accepted into the program. Services are delivered by vertical teams of faculty preceptors, in-house specialty consultants, dental and dental hygiene students, and appropriate auxiliaries. All third- and fourth-year students rotate through the program providing clinical services. In addition, fourth-year students are assigned specific managerial responsibilities. The DPS Program maximizes the use of auxiliaries and students, allowing each to function as autonomously as is consistent with good patient care.