An assessment of the Boston University--Massachusetts Dental Society Dental Placement Program

Thesis (M.S.)--Boston University, Henry M. Goldman School of Graduate Dentistry, 1991 (Dental Public Health).Includes bibliographical references (leaves 26-27).Over the past twenty years a growing interest in and need for dental placement services has emerged. A dental placement program provides a centralized source of information on career opportunities for dental professionals. In addition, the data collected can provide information on supply and demand, thereby helping to identify the community's needs for dental services. During the 1970s, federal and state interest in placement services sparked a movement to develop formalized placement programs. As a result, in 1971 the Dental Information Service Center (DISC) was established as the first computerized placement program in dentistry.　DISC provides placement services on a regional level and operates at the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry with cooperation from the Minnesota Dental Association and the State Board of Dentistry.　The DISC program serves as a model for computer-based dental placement services. In Massachusetts, the first formalized dental placement program was developed and implemented by the Massachusetts Dental Society (MDS) in the early eighties. The MDS placement program was a manually driven system and provided a matching service for dentists seeking dental positions and those offering practice opportunities. In　1987,　the Boston University Goldman SchooI of Graduate Dentistry　(BUSGD) developed a joint venture with MDS to take over operations utilizing a computer based program, and to administer the Placement program at the dental school. By utilizing a simple software program, the BUSGD/MDS placement program was able to provide selected listings to dentists and dental hygienists seeking dental positions and practice opportunities within a selected geographic area. Individuals providing opportunities, as well as those seeking positions can participate in the program. For the past four years, the BUSGD/MDS placement program has served both dental and dental hygiene graduates, and the dental community. Program utilization had stabilized, making this an ideal time to re-assess the program and the users’ needs. This project surveyed both past and current users, to assess the effectiveness of the service.　Based on the findings, recommendations are made to improve the service

Biographies of the founders, ex-presidents, prominent early members and others of the Massachusetts Dental Society /

Mode of access: Internet

Journal of the New York Institute of Stomatology, American Academy of Dental Science, Harvard Odontological Society and the Metropolitan District (Massachusetts Dental Society).

Title from cover.Mode of access: Internet