Resident Satisfaction With Orthodontic Training: Evaluating Experiences and Program

INTRODUCTION: The satisfaction of orthodontic residents with their training programs is a key indicator of program effectiveness and serves as an important guide for the improvement of educational and clinical training programs. This survey was conducted to evaluate the perceived satisfaction of orthodontic residents with the current training in the United States. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study that utilized a 40-item structured survey to assess the satisfaction of orthodontic residents regarding their training programs. The survey was anonymous and assessed 27 various aspects of residency training. RESULTS: A total of 85 residents responded to the survey, yielding a response rate of less than 10%. The mean age was 29.94 ± 3.55 years; 60.7% were females. Overall, 78.8% of respondents were satisfied with their overall residency training, with the highest areas of satisfaction observed in clinical training (89.4%), clinical infrastructure (86.9%), access to patients to achieve clinical competency (88.2%), and interpersonal dynamics with co-residents (88.3%), part-time faculty (95.3%), full- time faculty (78.8%), and program director (78.8%). Residents were less satisfied with the organization, structure, and delivery of didactic content (47%), the allotted research time (50.6%), research mentorship (44.8%), and auxiliary staff support (38.9%). Females were less satisfied with their research preparation (p = 0.013), and residents in shorter programs were more satisfied with business and practice management preparation (p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: While most residents in this sample reported overall satisfaction with their training, notable gaps remain in the didactic, clinical, and research areas. Despite the low response rate, which limits the generalizability of the study, these findings underscore the need for ongoing program evaluation and suggest that CODA may benefit from directly incorporating resident feedback into the accreditation process.