Impact of Orthodontic Interest Groups on Pre-Doctoral Students' Pathways to Residency

Objectives: Orthodontic Interest Groups (OIG) are student-run organizations that aim to help dental students cultivate their interest in orthodontics by offering field-specific lectures and workshops earlier than typically encountered in the pre-doctoral curriculum. This study aimed to assess the impact of one OIG during the 2023–2024 academic year. Methods: A retrospective survey-based study was conducted to evaluate events occurring over a single academic year (August 2023 to August 2024). OIG events included lectures on skeletal and soft tissue orthodontic diagnosis, as well as cephalometric analysis. Hands-on workshops on wire-bending and biomechanics were also conducted. Pre- and post-event surveys assessed knowledge gain (n = 50). An end-of-year survey was conducted to evaluate knowledge retention, attitudes toward orthodontics, and intent to apply for an orthodontic residency (n = 23). The results were also compared with students who did not participate in OIG events (n = 42). Analysis was performed using ordinal cumulative link mixed models for repeated measures on participants (pre- vs. post-events) and for independent groups (OIG participants vs. non-participants). Results: Fifty pre-doctoral students attended OIG events; 23 participants and 42 non-participants completed the end-of-year survey. Significant knowledge gain was observed from pre- to post-event. Knowledge retention improved from the pre-event period to the end-of-year survey. OIG participants were significantly more likely to rate their knowledge as moderate-to-expert compared to non-OIG participants (p < 0.001). 87% of OIG participants reported increased interest in orthodontics (vs. 59.52% of non-participants) and were more likely to express intent to apply to orthodontic residency (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Following OIG events, students demonstrated an increase in both knowledge acquisition and retention, whereas non-participants exhibited limited understanding of orthodontics. Additionally, OIG participants showed heightened interest in the field coupled with a greater intent to apply for an orthodontic residency.