The Changing Role of Post-Baccalaureate Programs in the Pipeline to Dental Education

A major focus of many post-baccalaureate (post-bac) programs is assisting underrepresented minority, economically or educationally disadvantaged students who have graduated from college and demonstrated potential to become competitive health professional education applicants. These programs have evolved and today many applicants participate in pre-health preparation programs, shifting the educational landscape, and adding additional educational debt to the pipeline. The OHWRC examined changing trends in post-bac programs with dental schools, and the role of these programs in a broader policy context. Detailed information on the current set of programs was collected, and key informant interviews were conducted with both dental school admissions staff and post-bac program administrators.