Societal and professional forces affecting graduate dental education

This paper examines and predicts the effects of societal and professional forces on the future of graduate dental education. Among those factors analyzed are professional developments, paraprofessional changes, public initiatives, and government policy and legislation. The paper concludes with a proposal that suggests the creation of a balanced and flexible dental care delivery system. This system incorporates the concept of the "supergeneralist" and "superspecialist" and uses the auxiliary as the flexible portion of the work force. Advantages of the system as well as the difficulties that might be encountered if such a system were adopted are given.