The current status of orthodontic education in U.S. pediatric dental residencies

Purpose/objectives The purpose of this study was to survey the current status of orthodontic education at pediatric dental residencies in the United States. A similar survey was conducted >10 years ago. With changing healthcare politics, social demands, and technology, it is important to have current information about dental education. Methods A 23‐item anonymous survey was sent to individual pediatric dental residency program directors via Qualtrics email software. The survey was sent a total of 4 times over an 8‐week period. If the surveys were not completed in a predetermined amount of time, they were resent to those who had not yet completed them. Results There were 34 responders for a 24% response rate. Of the respondents, 73% reported teaching biomechanics of tooth movement, and 45% reported teaching 2 × 4 mechanics to “marginally acceptable” level. Early (91%) to late mixed dentition (77%) is the most commonly treated orthodontic case. While most programs do not require a minimum number of orthodontic cases for graduation (85%), residents’ understanding of growth and development is mostly (71%) evaluated through the results of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry Qualifying Examination. Conclusion This study summarizes the current climate of the orthodontic education component in U.S. pediatric dental residencies.