Innovative Pathways to Oral Health Workforce Resilience: Introducing the CHC-MIF for Mentorship-Driven Strategies in Underserved Settings.

OBJECTIVES

To reflect on personal experiences in community health centers (CHCs) and federally qualified health centers to highlight mentorship as an underutilized tool for addressing oral health workforce shortages, recruitment, and retention.

METHODS

Narrative reflection based on the author's lived experiences as a dentist in CHCs since graduation and as an adjunct faculty mentor, synthesized with literature from 2020 to 2025.

RESULTS

Financial incentives dominate CHC strategies, but mentorship fosters confidence and retention for new graduates. The proposed CHC Mentorship Integration Framework offers a structured approach to bridge post-graduation gaps. The CHC Mentorship Integration Framework comprises three interconnected components: formal on-site one-on-one clinical mentorship, structured professional development training over 6 to 12 months, and peer/network-based support.

CONCLUSIONS

Prioritizing mentorship over monetary benefits can transform CHCs into appealing career destinations, advancing equitable oral health access through resilient, mission-aligned teams.