J Dent Educ. 72(11): 1261-1267 2008
© 2008 American Dental Education Association
Critical Issues in Dental Education |
Recent Admissions Trends at UNLV-SDM: Perspectives on Recruitment of Female and Minority Students at a New Dental School
Jeremy Sewell, B.A.;
Nathan Hawley, B.A.;
Karl Kingsley, Ph.D.;
Susan O’Malley, M.Ed.;
Christine C. Ancajas, D.D.S.
Key words: dental education, health workforce diversity, admissions, recruitment
Submitted for publication 03/13/08;
accepted 07/22/08
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Abstract
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As the U.S. population continues to become more diverse, there has been a movement toward the recruitment of more diverse students into the dental profession. The purpose of this study was to assess the current and historical trends in diversity among dental school applicants and enrollees at a new dental institution, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, School of Dental Medicine (UNLV-SDM). Applicant and enrollment data for the first four cohorts, sorted by gender and ethnicity, were retrieved and summarized by the Office of Admissions and Student Affairs at UNLV-SDM. The principal findings of this analysis revealed enrollment of females at UNLV-SDM was relatively consistent during this time interval, although significantly lower than the U.S. average of all dental schools. The enrollment of minorities at UNLV-SDM, however, was consistent and comparable to the U.S. average, although these percentages were disproportionately smaller than the percentage of minorities in the general population. Based upon these findings, a new model for outreach and recruitment of females and minorities was recently created, based in part upon evidence of successful strategies by dental educators at other institutions, in order to increase the enrollment of female and underrepresented minority students.
The population of the United States is steadily becoming more diverse in terms of race and ethnicity. Dental schools, and the dental profession in general, continue to struggle with the recruitment and development of racially and ethnically diverse dental providers and dental educators.1 Non-whites in the United States account for nearly one-fourth of the total population (24.9 percent) according to the most recent census,2 while non-white dental school applicants and enrollees account for only one-eighth of the total (12.8 percent and 12.6 percent, respectively).3 Affirmative action has created both educational and professional opportunities in the dental profession.4 Females appear to have reaped a comparatively larger share of the benefits from affirmative action policies. Females now comprise 44.2 percent of dental school applicants and 43.8 percent of enrollments in the United States,3 and these percentages are nearly reflective of their overall proportion in the general population.
While these data provide important information regarding the current levels of diversity in dental education, they do not convey the historical trends of diversification and the recent progress made by dental institutions. Data collected by the American Dental Association (ADA) over fifteen years provide the most recent diversification trends involving females and minorities in dental education.5 These data show that the proportion of female applicants, enrollees, and graduates during these fifteen years have increased overall, but have most recently stabilized at approximately 45 percent. These data also reveal, however, that the racial and ethnic profiles of the student population at U.S. dental schools have changed very little during the same time interval and have not exhibited the same increasing trends as have females.5,6
As the U.S. population continues to become more diverse, the integration of cultural sensitivity training and cultural competencies into the dental curriculum, as well as the recruitment of more diverse students into the dental profession, provides tangible benefits not only for underserved minority patient populations, but also for dental students and dental professionals.7 Recent studies have demonstrated that underserved minorities are more likely to seek care and treatment from providers of their own cultural, racial, or ethnic background.8 This observation was partially attributed to a lack of confidence in the ability of non-minority providers to facilitate treatment and care in a culturally sensitive manner.9 Another study found that only slightly more than half (55 percent) of dental alumni indicated they were well trained in treating ethnically and racially diverse patient populations.10 Moreover, a recent review of studies and surveys found that minority dental providers are more likely to seek employment in, and provide care to, underserved or minority neighborhoods and communities.8 This research found that increasing diversity in dental schools helps to motivate all dental school graduates, not just underrepresented minorities, to provide services and treatment in underserved minority neighborhoods and communities.8
A primary set of goals for this study was to analyze the current and historical trends in diversity at a new dental school, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, School of Dental Medicine (UNLV-SDM), and to determine if the admission process was biased against females or minorities. Using summary data provided by the school’s Office of Admissions and Student Affairs, the overall percentages of female and minority applicants and enrollees were assessed over a four-year period (2002–05). Analysis of these data provided a clear, unambiguous profile of the student demographics and diversity of this recently established dental school, which was then used to effectively direct recruitment and specific outreach efforts.
A secondary set of goals for this study was to identify and set benchmarks and specific, targeted goals and strategies for increasing the proportions of female and minority applicants and enrollments to at least meet the national averages. While the primary and secondary goals of this project are short-term in nature, an additional long-term, tertiary goal was to identify targets and develop strategies, so that the UNLV-SDM applicant pool more accurately reflects the local and regional demographic profile, generating a more representative clinician pool that better serves its communities.
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Materials and Methods
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Applicant and enrollment data for 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2005 (the first four cohorts) were retrieved and summarized by the Office of Admissions and Student Affairs at UNLV-SDM. Only summarized applicant and enrollment data regarding gender and ethnicity were given to the study authors to prevent the disclosure, and ensure the confidentiality, of personally identifiable private information. Minorities were classified, as defined by UNLV, as students or applicants of black (African American), Native American/American Indian/Alaska Native, Hispanic, and Asian or Pacific Islander descent.
The protocol OPRS# 0609-2073 was filed, amended, and approved for exemption by the Institutional Research Board (IRB) of human subjects research under the Basic HHS Policy for Protection of Human Research Subjects, (46.101) Subpart A (b) regarding IRB exemption for research involving the use of educational tests (cognitive, diagnostic, aptitude, achievement), survey procedures, interview procedures, or observation of public behavior, in which the subjects cannot be identified or linked, directly or through identifiers, to the individual subjects. Applications for admission were considered observations of public behavior, as were summarized enrollment data, which are publicly disseminated for this state institution.
The t-test, a commonly employed statistical procedure, can be used to determine whether differences exist between the means of two population samples. In this study, the means of the applicants and enrollments for specific demographic groups (males, females; minorities, non-minorities) were analyzed using t-tests and t-distributions.11 The null hypothesis was that no significant differences would be found between the means of these groups, based upon either gender or ethnicity. Provided the sample size is moderate (>20) for each group, quite severe departures from normality make little practical difference in the conclusions reached from these analyses.12 All samples were measured using two-tailed t-tests, as departure from normality can make more of a difference in a one-tailed than in a two-tailed t-test. Significance level for these analyses was 
=0.05. All statistical analyses were completed using SPSS.13
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Results
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This study characterized the percentage of females enrolled at UNLV-SDM for comparison to the average percentage of females enrolled in dental schools nationally over the four-year period 2002–05 (Figure 1
). The results of this analysis were that the percentage of females enrolled at UNLV-SDM ranged between 27 percent and 34 percent during this time interval. Data obtained from the Associated American Dental Schools Application Service (AADSAS) showed the national average percentage of females enrolled in dental school during this same time period was significantly higher at 44 percent, nearly one-third higher than at UNLV-SDM.
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Figure 1. Percentages of females enrolled at UNLV-SDM and nationally
The national average of female dental school enrollees remained constant over the four-year period examined and was significantly higher than the percentage of females enrolled at UNLV-SDM during the same time interval.
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To determine if the lower percentage of females enrolled at UNLV-SDM was due to bias during the admissions selection process, the percentages of female applicants to female enrollees were compared over the same four-year period (Figure 2). The results of this analysis showed that the percentage of female applicants to UNLV-SDM over this period was relatively consistent, ranging between 33 percent and 35 percent (n=2,272/6,673). The actual percentages of female enrollees (n=90/301) were only slightly lower, ranging between 27 percent and 33 percent, although these differences were not significant (p>0.05, n=6,673).
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Figure 2. Comparison of female applicants and enrollees at UNLV-SDM
Assessment of the percentages of female applicants and enrollees over the four-year period examined revealed these percentages were closely matched and not significantly different.
Y1=2002–03; Y2=2003–04; Y3=2004–05; Y4=2005–06
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This study also characterized the percentage of minorities enrolled at UNLV-SDM, comparing minority enrollment to minority enrollment in dental schools nationally over the same four-year period (Figure 3). The results of this analysis revealed that the percentage of minorities enrolled during this time at UNLV-SDM fluctuated between 7 percent and 8 percent. Data obtained from AADSAS showed that the national average percentage of minorities enrolled in dental schools nationally over the corresponding time interval was roughly comparable, ranging from 8 percent to 11 percent.
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Figure 3. Percentage of minorities enrolled at UNLV-SDM and nationally
Comparison of the national average of minority dental school enrollees remained constant over the four-year period examined. The national average was significantly higher than the percentage of minorities enrolled at UNLV-SDM during the same time interval.
Y1=2002–03; Y2=2003–04; Y3=2004–05; Y4=2005–06
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To determine if the admissions process reflected bias in the selection of minorities, the percentages of minority applicants and minority enrollees at UNLV-SDM were compared over the same four-year period (Figure 4). The results of this analysis showed that the percentage of minority applicants to UNLV-SDM was relatively consistent, ranging between 6 percent and 8 percent (n=498/6,673). These percentages closely matched minority enrollees (n=28/301), which ranged between 7 percent and 8 percent over the same time period and did not represent any significant differences (p>0.05, n=6,673).
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Figure 4. Comparison of minority applicants and enrollees at UNLV-SDM
Assessment of the percentages of minority applicants and enrollees over the four-year period examined revealed these percentages were closely matched and not significantly different.
Y1=2002–03; Y2=2003–04; Y3=2004–05; Y4=2005–06
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Discussion
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This study assessed the gender and racial/ethnic diversity of dental school applicants and enrollments at a new dental institution, UNLV-SDM, over a four-year period, 2002–05. The results of our analysis showed that the enrollment of females at UNLV-SDM was relatively consistent during this time interval, although it was significantly lower than the U.S. average of all dental schools. The enrollment of minorities at UNLV-SDM, however, was consistent and comparable to the U.S. average, although these percentages are disproportionately smaller than the percentage of minorities in the general population of both Nevada and the United States. These findings clearly indicate that more emphasis on targeted recruitment and review of admissions criteria may be needed to increase the percentages of females and minorities at this institution.
This study also sought to determine if the admissions process exhibited significant bias against females or minorities. One potential source of bias in the admission process involved the recent introduction of an evidence-based admissions formula, although careful and detailed analysis of this reformulation, reported in the April 2007 issue of the Journal of Dental Education, found that it did not significantly impact the ranking of females or minorities.14 To determine if the admissions process contained additional undocumented sources of bias towards females or minorities, the relationship between applications and enrollments of females and minorities at UNLV-SDM was examined. This analysis showed that the percentages of female and minority applicants closely matched the percentages of female and minority enrollees over the same time period, suggesting no significant bias was evident in, or attributable to, the admissions process.
Having achieved the primary goals of this study, which included establishing the historical trends of female and minority applicants and enrollees, and the determination that no significant bias was evident in the admissions process, the secondary goals could then be addressed. These involved identifying the benchmarks, and subsequently determining strategies, for increasing the proportions of female and minority applicants to match the national averages. As previously mentioned, the application and enrollment of minorities at UNLV-SDM were consistent and comparable to the U.S. average. The percentages of females, however, comprised a smaller percentage of the UNLV-SDM applicants and enrollees than the U.S. dental school averages. In fact, according to the U.S. Census Bureau 2006 population estimate, females comprised nearly half of the state’s population, at 49.2 percent.15 Females also account for more than 56 percent of undergraduate and graduate students in other UNLV programs of study.
Dental educators have implemented multiple strategies to increase the enrollment of female and underrepresented minority (URM) students, although many dental schools have met with only limited success.16,17 Recent strategies proposed by the American Dental Education Association (ADEA) focused on conducting collaborative recruitment programs among schools within a geographic region, creating workshops to improve the operations of admission committees, and developing enrichment programs for college-level students who are considering careers in medicine or dentistry.17 However, multivariate analysis of a national survey of dental school seniors found that, despite all other efforts, one of the single most important factors in predicting the percentage of minority students at a particular school was the proportion of URM clinical faculty at that dental institution.18
Based upon the results of this study and this review of recent evidence, a new strategy for increasing the percentage of female applicants, and subsequent enrollees, was developed. This strategy involved the new dean of UNLV-SDM, as well as the director of admissions, both of whom are female, to engage actively in specific recruitment and outreach activities directed at college-level females interested in dentistry and medicine within the state and local region. These efforts, which began in 2007, involved formal seminar-style presentations, as well as informal recruitment meetings, that were targeted to predental and premedicine student groups at the University of Nevada, Reno (northern Nevada) and at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (southern Nevada). Applicant data for fall 2008 showed that the proportion of female applicants had risen to 39 percent, which was higher than in any previous cycle. Similarly, of students registered to matriculate in fall 2008, 42 percent are female. Although these data represent only one time point and must be confirmed over time, they may signal an important shift in how priorities, strategies, and activities are planned and implemented within the UNLV-SDM recruitment and admissions process.
Although significant progress has been made in identifying benchmarks for female recruitment and the corresponding strategies to facilitate these goals, the general population of Nevada is becoming increasingly diverse, and the task of creating a pool of dental professionals that reflects the demographic composition of the state’s population will require even greater efforts. Although the percentage of minority applicants and enrollees at UNLV-SDM is not significantly different from the U.S. average, these percentages are disproportionately smaller than the percentage of minorities in the U.S. population (24.9 percent) and significantly lower than the percentage in Nevada (35 percent). To address this deficiency (and the tertiary goal of this project), an additional strategy has been developed to increase the percentages of minority applicants and enrollees. A current clinical faculty member, who is an underrepresented minority, was appointed as the UNLV-SDM URM outreach coordinator in 2007 to recruit among minority-led student groups at local college campuses, as well as historically black colleges and universities nationwide. This faculty member has visited several college and university campuses, providing formal seminar-style presentations as well as hosting informal recruitment meetings. To date, however, these efforts have not increased the overall percentage of minority applicants or enrollees, suggesting other potential recruitment activities and strategies may be needed.
In an effort to facilitate future increases in both female and minority applicants, two additional points of outreach and recruitment have recently been identified. These include programs affiliated with UNLV-SDM, including the dental student-organized Dental School Simulation Course and Preview to Dentistry. The Dental School Simulation Course is a two-day, on-site program that allows predental and premedicine undergraduate students to tour the UNLV-SDM dental facility, attend dental science lectures by current dental students, and participate in hands-on work with dental instruments and materials. More than 300 students have participated in this program over the past two years, with female and minority students comprising nearly 30 percent and 13 percent of these totals, respectively. The Preview to Dentistry course is a semester-long seminar series, also organized by UNLV-SDM dental students, which is delivered weekly to local UNLV undergraduate students from the predental and premedicine groups on the main UNLV campus; the percentages of females and minorities in these groups were not available. These courses represent points of outreach and recruitment that may be used in future strategies to target potential female and minority applicants.
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Conclusion
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Many factors can influence the decision of students to apply for admission to a particular dental school. Because UNLV-SDM is one of the more recently established dental schools in the nation, it is imperative to maintain constant and continual evaluation of strategies for the recruitment of females and minorities to this institution. Although various factors, including socioeconomic status and the cost of attendance, may influence the application and enrollment decisions of female and minority students, it is hoped that these studies and findings will highlight the significant efforts that have been undertaken to address the non-financial aspects of application to and enrollment in UNLV-SDM. Now that applicant and enrollment demographics have been analyzed to document the diversity at UNLV-SDM, as well as the strategies to improve these percentages, application and enrollment levels will be continually monitored and strategies revisited and revised in order to complete future studies and comparisons. The results of this, and future studies, will guide recruitment, outreach, and enrollment strategies at UNLV-SDM and may prove useful to other institutions with similar goals.
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Acknowledgments
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The authors thank Dr. Gillian Galbraith, Chair, Biomedical Sciences Department, and Dr. Connie Mobley, Associate Dean for Research, for their support of this project. In addition, the authors thank Dr. Karen West, Dean, for her leadership and vision for this initiative. Finally, Dr. Kingsley thanks the Teaching and Learning Center Writing Group, including Dr. Laurel Pritchard and Dr. Kenneth Fernandez, for their invaluable assistance.
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Author Information
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Mr. Sewell is a third-year dental student; Mr. Hawley is a second-year dental student; Dr. Kingsley is Assistant Professor, Department of Biomedical Sciences; Ms. O’Malley is Staff Research Associate, Department of Biomedical Sciences; and Dr. Ancajas is Director of Admissions, Office of Admissions and Student Affairs—all at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, School of Dental Medicine. Direct correspondence and requests for reprints to Dr. Christine C. Ancajas, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, School of Dental Medicine, 1001 Shadow Lane, D279, Las Vegas, NV 89106-4124; 702-774-2522 phone; 702-774-2521 fax; christine.ancajas{at}unlv.edu.
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Abstract
Materials and Methods
