01 July 2023

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Aspen Dental expands involvement in top university externship programs

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The University of Washington is the most recent university to tap doctors in the Aspen Dental network to serve as adjunct faculty and mentoring clinicians in its clinical externship rotation for the fall 2023 semester. According to an Aspen Dental news release, these clinicians join 12 other Aspen Dental practice owners that serve as preceptors and adjunct faculty in clinical externship programs at other top universities including the University of California, Los Angeles and the University of Michigan.

Aspen Dental first joined the University of California, Los Angeles's externship program in 2018, when they piloted their program. A select group of dental students had the opportunity to complete a two-week community rotation. Today, students in their fourth year complete at least six weeks of rotations at six different practice models, with Aspen Dental representing the dental support organization model.

Connections made within the program allowed Aspen Dental leaders to connect with the University of Michigan, where students are completing similar rotations. Later this fall, University of Washington students will have the same opportunity.

"The vision of the ongoing collaboration with university externship programs is to inspire students to develop the skills clinically and socially for continued professional growth, which we are champions of day in and day out," said Dr. Arwinder Judge, chief clinical officer at Aspen Dental. "Dental students on the precipice of their professional careers are gaining real-world experience to determine what path is best for them, while potentially matching with an immediate post-graduate opportunity within an organization that will support them through their journey as a new doctor."  

Externship programs enable dental students at these universities to gain hands-on experiences in various dental practice models while completing their clinical rotations at Aspen Dental office locations. Students develop valuable skills necessary for professional growth and to learn patient engagement, practice management and team-based care delivery, while also increasing access to dental care for vulnerable populations through sustainable community service.

Rachel Greene, clinical assistant professor of restorative dentistry at the University of Washington, said in the news release that the externship program allows dental students to learn more about different dental models before entering the workforce.

"This experience empowers them to choose a career that is best suited for them while also giving back to the community," she said. 

"There is no substitute for hands-on experience," said Bill Piskorowski, associate dean of community-based clinical education UCLA, in the news release. "This program prepares our students to deliver person-centered care in an integrated health care delivery system. We have started to see a shift in the industry with historically non-traditional practice opportunities becoming traditional."

To date, 52 dental students have participated in rotations in an Aspen Dental practice. The class of 2024 is expected to include 60 students on rotation at Aspen Dental branded offices from all three participating universities.

About Aspen Dental offices

TAG – The Aspen Group was founded in 1998 in New York by Bob Fontana with a simple goal in mind: to break down the barriers that doctors and patients face when it comes to dental care. Today, more than 20 years later, with 1,000+ Aspen Dental-branded offices nationwide, the mission of the company remains the same – to bring better care to more people. TAG supports the largest group of branded dental offices in the world. For more information, visit aspendental.com, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.