Companies launch initiative to recruit, develop new dental faculty
WASHINGTON, D.C.--The American Dental Education Association, a voice of dental education, has announced a collaboration with the Academy for Academic Leadership to develop current and future faculty for academic dental institutions.
With more than 400 vacant budget positions in U.S. dental schools in 2005-06 and the impending retirement of large numbers of dental and allied dental faculty members, there are pressing needs to attract practitioners to dental education and to encourage new faculty to stay.
"Recruiting and developing dental faculty members are critical in preparing practitioners and conducting research--both necessities in preserving the oral health of the public," said Dr. James Q. Swift, ADEA President. "With this new collaboration, ADEA has taken a significant step forward in the Association's continuing efforts to ensure that our institutions have the faculty they need now and in the future."
ADEA's other major faculty development initiatives include the ADEA Leadership Institute and the ADEA Allied Dental Faculty Leadership Development Program, which help develop faculty and administrative leaders in predoctoral, advanced, and allied dental education; the ADEA Scholarship of Teaching and Learning online Community of Interest, which assists faculty in becoming more effective teachers; and the AADR/ADEA Academic Dental Careers Fellowship Program , which is conducted jointly with the American Association for Dental Research, and encourages and prepares dental students to enter academic dentistry.
The ADEA-AAL collaboration will be directed toward two initiatives. The ADEA/AAL Institute for Teaching and Learning provides practicing dentists and new dental educators with intensive training in teaching methods and course planning, as well as guidance in how to succeed in the academic environment.
The ITL is conducted in two phases that total seven days of residential, fellowship-type learning experiences along with bridging activities conducted by participants at their home institutions. The ADEA/AAL Institute for Allied Health Educators will provide similar training for allied dental and other allied health professions educators in a one-phase, two and a half day format.
"The AAL is delighted to enter into this collaboration with ADEA," said Dr. N. Karl Haden, AAL founder. "Working together will enable us to make significant headway in addressing the faculty recruitment and retention challenge."
The AAL successfully conducted two inaugural ITL programs for dental educators in 2006. Twenty-four junior faculty and practitioners transitioning into academic dentistry completed a three-phase program held in collaboration with the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Dentistry.
In addition, 26 faculty members at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas School of Dental Medicine completed a two-phase program held at that school.
In 2007, two national ADEA/AAL ITL programs will be held. One, again in collaboration with the UMKC School of Dentistry, will be conducted in residential sessions July 12-15 and Sept. 14-16. The other, held in collaboration with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Dentistry, will be conducted in residential sessions Aug. 16-19 and Nov. 9-11.
The application deadline for both ITL programs is June 1. The ADEA/AAL IAHE program will be held July 19-22 at the UMKC School of Dentistry. The application deadline for the IAHE program is June 11.
For more information on ADEA, visit American Dental Education Association.
