Gainsharing in a general practice residency: Report of an experience

Postgraduate general dentistry programs are facing critical problems with funding, resident recruitment and viability. Recent federal actions reduced and eliminated graduate medical education (GME) support for some programs, and rising student debt and increasingly lucrative private practice opportunities reduce the value of postgraduate general dentistry experiences. Faced with these complex and interlinked challenges, the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Dentistry General Practice Residency implemented a gainshare plan. The first 12 months of the plan produced a 44% increase in production and a concomitant 42% increase in actual collections resulting in enough funds to provide remuneration over base salary for residents, staff and faculty. The plan also compensated the Dean, the host department and the College of Dentistry while also funding the development of a reserve account for program enhancement and future stipend support. Gainshare concepts, rationale and details of the pilot plan are presented along with a discussion of key outcomes and experiences.