The number of CODA-accredited advanced education in general dentistry programs in the U.S. rose quickly since being recognized in 1981, starting with four programs that year and leaping to 93 by 2020, according to data published in January 2022 by the American Dental Association's Health Policy Institute.
Five trends to know:
1. The number of applications received per AEGD program has risen from 37.9 in 1990 to 52.6 in 2000. In 2010, the number of applicants per program stood at 52.6, and in 2020 the ratio reached 70.3.
2. Program graduates have steadily increased since 1990. Starting at 292 that year, the number of graduates increased to 600 by 2010 and to 784 in 2020.
3. Underrepresented minority residents as a percentage of total enrollment increased since starting at 13.4 percent in 1990. Underrepresented minorities include residents who identified as Black or African-American, Hispanic or Latino, or American Indian or Alaskan Native. The percentage of residents hovered in the teens from 1990-2015 before jumping to 33.3 percent in 2020. Although AEGD enrollment has jumped for underrepresented minority residents, only 13.8 percent of dental school graduates in 2020 identified as such.
4. Female AEGD enrollment gradually increased from 25.4 percent in 1990 to 51.5 percent in 2020. Similarly, in 1990, 30.8 percent of all dental school grads were female, rising to 51.4 in 2020.
5. The percentage of AEGD residents who are graduates of international dental schools increased nearly four-fold over 30 years, from 5.6 percent in 1990 to 21.5 percent in 2020.