Gender Differences in Pediatric Dentistry Chairs in the United States and Canada.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze gender differences in personal and professional demographics, job perceptions and work satisfaction between male and female pediatric dentistry academic leaders in the United States and Canada. STUDY DESIGN: A 40-question survey was sent electronically to department chairs requesting information about demographics, current circumstances of the position, professional history, and opinions about the position. Data was analyzed by the sex of the respondent. RESULTS: Eighty-eight surveys were distributed electronically and 55 chairs responded (response rate: 62.5%). Women comprised 29.5% of the sample, were younger and had less leadership training than men. Men had served longer in the position (t(41)=2.02, p=0.05) and had higher ranking academic titles. Women spent more time managing personnel (p=0.026), creating courses and programs (p=0.029), and teaching (p=0.006) than men. Female chairs perceived to have a difficult relationship with the faculty (p=0.027), felt they received less faculty support (p=0.002), and were significantly more dissatisfied in the job (p=0.037). Men were more stressed about a heavy workload than women (p=0.001). CONCLUSION: Gender was significantly related to the demographics, experience, perceptions of the skills and abilities required for job performance, time management and job satisfaction for pediatric dentistry department chairs in American and Canadian institutions.

Student and Faculty Satisfaction with Their Dental Curriculum in a Dental College in Saudi Arabia.

The existing dental curriculum is taught at the College of Dentistry since 2002. The aim of this research is to explore the satisfaction levels of faculty members and students with that curriculum. This information will justify a curriculum reformation plan that addresses the aspirations of both faculty members and students. In this cross-sectional study, a two-section survey was prepared. Section 1 investigated the level of satisfaction with the curriculum, and Section 2 sought reasons why participants were satisfied with the curriculum. The questionnaire was electronically mailed to faculty members, interns, and senior students. Data were analyzed to identify patterns and points of disagreement expressed by faculty and students. The overall response rate was 68.7%. The mean standard deviation (SD) score in the study sample from all respondents was 5.0 (+3.0). Faculty significantly registered higher satisfaction than students (mean (SD) = 5.9 (+2.9) and 4.1 (+2.8), P = 0.002). Results of multivariate analysis showed that faculty members were more satisfied with the curriculum than students because they thought the curriculum prepared competent graduates (regression coefficient = 1.76 and 0.69). Teaching staff and students' satisfaction levels with the curriculum were significantly associated with their perception that the curriculum produces competent graduates. Areas with low students' satisfaction levels were related to promotion of engagement with others and development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills. These areas should be the focus of future curriculum reformation to prepare competitive graduates with competences aligned with the recommendations of the Saudi Arabia Qualification Framework and of the international benchmarks.

Leadership development for early-career educators: Association report on the ADEA summer program for emerging academic leaders.

There is a continuous challenge in academic health education to retain early career faculty members and staff. Attrition rates in the field can be as high as 42% in the first five years of an individual's career and are principally due to a sense that academic careers do not progress at a satisfactory rate. In response to this ongoing issue, the American Dental Education Association launched the Summer Program for Emerging Academic Leaders (ADEA EL) in 2012. The program has supported 301 participants from over 74 academic programs and private practice institutions. This current study describes data collected from program participants in an effort to conduct a thorough review of the program. In all, pre- and post-program data were assessed from faculty members and staff who have participated in the program over its eight-year history. The outcomes of this mixed-methods study describe an assessment of the curriculum (including changes that have occurred over the tenure of the program), the fit of the intended learning outcomes, reasons why a program such as the ADEA EL is needed, and what can be done to provide additional leadership resources and support for faculty members in dental education. This study represents the first time a longitudinal report of a professional development program designed exclusively for early-career faculty and staff has been described in the literature. Its outcomes are intended to be supportive of institutions and other programs focused on support and retention of early faculty and staff.

Use of a Modified Delphi Process to Define the Leadership Characteristics Expected of Pharmacy Faculty Members.

Objective. To reach a consensus on a working definition for leadership and identify expectations for leadership among all pharmacy faculty members. Methods. A modified Delphi process was employed to establish consensus among experienced department and division chairs regarding the definition and expectations of faculty leadership to guide faculty evaluation and development. From the AACP faculty roster, 280 department and division chairs were surveyed to identify participants with at least five years of experience in their roles and willingness to participate. Twenty-three chairs were identified from a variety of colleges and schools to comprise the expert panel and asked to participate in three rounds of questions over a two-month period. One Likert-type question and six open-ended questions were included in round 1. A thematic analysis of round 1 responses provided items for participants to rate their agreement with and provide comments on in rounds 2 and 3. Consensus for items was set prospectively at 80% of participants selecting agree or strongly agree for each item. Items could be modified by the panel in subsequent rounds of surveys if participants suggested edits to items. Results. Consensus was achieved among 23 chairs regarding a definition, 10 guiding principles, four learning competencies, six skills, six expected leadership activities (ELAs), and 20 personal characteristics related to faculty leadership. Conclusion. The results of this study provide guidance to pharmacy faculty members and administrators regarding leadership characteristics including knowledge, skills, and activities expected for faculty members to develop into effective leaders for the academy and the pharmacy profession.

The perceived impact of the group practice model on enhancing interpersonal skills of predoctoral dental students.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to assess if a clinical group practice model has an impact on enhancing the interpersonal skills of predoctoral dental students, what factors may influence the development of these skills, and what, if any, are innovative and technological solutions that can potentially influence interpersonal skills in predoctoral dental students. METHODS: This study surveyed the faculty responsible for teaching the dental students in a recently developed group practice model. Out of 18 eligible group practice leaders at one US dental school, 17 respondents (94.4%) completed the survey. In addition, this study asked the faculty to provide qualitative response and recommendations to improve interpersonal skills. Based on the feedback, a focus group was conducted to explore opportunities to further enhance the skills. RESULTS: The results of the study suggest that the group practice model has a positive and distinct impact on the development of overall interpersonal skills for students. Further research suggests that the greatest impacted areas of personal development are critical thinking skills and teamwork. However, as a way to make the model more effectual, most faculty suggested the need for additional time, for both students and faculty. To some extent, using technology and innovative teaching pedagogies could potentially address the challenge of limited time. CONCLUSION: Based on the results of the survey, one may conclude that with adequate design and conditions, the group practice model can have a positive effect on the interpersonal skills of its students.

The Benefits of Volunteering as an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Educator.

A faculty shortage crisis exists in oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMS) education affecting dental students, OMS residents, and OMS full-time faculty. This report was designed to help nonacademic OMS practitioners better understand the problem and appreciate the potential benefits of volunteering as a part-time faculty member. Volunteer part-time faculty can help bolster the efforts of the faculty leaders (full-time and part-time) by taking on some of the dental student and/or resident educational responsibilities. They can also help free up some of the full-time faculty members' time to allow them to complete the scholarly activities required of full-time academicians. Volunteer part-time faculty can greatly benefit from their involvement in dental education. Exposure to faculty leaders and dental students and residents can be educationally enriching and stimulating for volunteer part-time faculty. Students and residents will benefit from learning the differing approaches to patient management that volunteer part-time faculty can provide. In addition, volunteer part-time faculty can have a scope of practice or practice emphasis that differs from and complements that of the faculty leaders. Finally, residents can also benefit from exposure to private practice management strategies that volunteer part-time faculty share. The present report explores how all parties can benefit from OMS faculty volunteerism.

Perspectives of New York State Dental Residency Directors on Licensure by Residency.

In 2003, New York State enacted legislation that allowed graduating dentists to undertake a one-year postgraduate residency in place of a licensure exam. In 2007, it became mandated throughout the state. This was a paradigm shift for the dental community, and overall opinions varied widely on the topic. On one side, proponents of a board exam claim that the point of dental school is to produce competent practitioners and weed out those who would be dangerous to the practice of dentistry. Contrarily, proponents of residency see the need for further evaluation and assessment of practitioners in order to even understand their levels of competence. In the current residency model of licensure, it is up to attending dentists and residency directors to deem the dentists ready to practice. At this point, there is no standard way of assessing residents, nor are there any guidelines as to what should be used to assess prospective dentists. This puts a lot of responsibility on specific directors to decide what is appropriate in their own situation. The purpose of this survey was to collect and assess residency directors' perspectives on the current licensure model of a residency. The survey response rate was 57% of all residency directors in New York State. The results show how the biggest stakeholders view their role in licensure, what levels of assessment they use and what improvements they would choose to utilize if available.

The Landscape of Predoctoral Endodontic Education in the United States and Canada: Results of a Survey.

Few recent surveys have examined the contemporary landscape of predoctoral endodontic education in the United States and Canada, but anecdotal reports suggest that current dental students have difficulty obtaining adequate clinical endodontic experiences. The aims of this study were to quantify the clinical endodontic experiences of current U.S. and Canadian dental students, to explore the issues surrounding their clinical endodontic competence, and to ask more broadly if current graduating dentists are competent to perform endodontic procedures. In August 2014, a hyperlink to a web-based survey with 27 questions was emailed to the 67 predoctoral endodontic directors of U.S. and Canadian dental schools using a list provided by the American Association of Endodontists. Out of these 67 possible participants, 40 responded, for a response rate of 60%. The findings were varied. The average 2014 graduate completed 5.9 (± 2.4) root canal treatments on live patients, and 69% of the respondents voiced concern regarding a shortage of patient experiences. A majority (59%) of the respondents reported thinking that the supply of endodontic patients has decreased and that students have an inadequate supply of endodontic patients. This study found that a clear majority of predoctoral endodontics directors perceived a shortage of patient experiences for their students although, in reality, the number of completed clinical cases appeared to be unchanged since 1975. In addition, 36% of the respondents reported feeling that their 2014 graduates were not competent to perform molar endodontic treatment in their practices.

Comparing face-to-face, synchronous, and asynchronous learning: postgraduate dental resident preferences.

The Department of Dental Medicine of Lutheran Medical Center has developed an asynchronous online curriculum consisting of prerecorded PowerPoint presentations with audio explanations. The focus of this study was to evaluate if the new asynchronous format satisfied the educational needs of the residents compared to traditional lecture (face-to-face) and synchronous (distance learning) formats. Lectures were delivered to 219 dental residents employing face-to-face and synchronous formats, as well as the new asynchronous format; 169 (77 percent) participated in the study. Outcomes were assessed with pretests, posttests, and individual lecture surveys. Results found the residents preferred face-to-face and asynchronous formats to the synchronous format in terms of effectiveness and clarity of presentations. This preference was directly related to the residents' perception of how well the technology worked in each format. The residents also rated the quality of student-instructor and student-student interactions in the synchronous and asynchronous formats significantly higher after taking the lecture series than they did before taking it. However, they rated the face-to-face format as significantly more conducive to student-instructor and student-student interaction. While the study found technology had a major impact on the efficacy of this curricular model, the results suggest that the asynchronous format can be an effective way to teach a postgraduate course.

Dental rounds: an evolving process of curriculum integration at the LSU School of Dentistry.

With the support for curriculum change expressed by the American Dental Education Association's Commission on Change and Innovation in Dental Education (ADEA CCI), the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center School of Dentistry (LSUSD) initiated a course that vertically integrates the basic sciences and clinical sciences and promotes critical thinking. The resulting Dental Rounds course includes presentations by D3 and D4 students on interesting clinical cases, which the entire student body is required to attend. Following the third year of the program, a formal evaluation was conducted, in which surveys were disseminated to students, recent graduates, and faculty members to collect feedback on the efficacy of the course, its perceived value, and its success as an educational tool. Of the 242 students and graduates who were sent surveys, 181 responded, a 74 percent response rate. Of the eighty full-time faculty members, sixty-one responded, a 76 percent response rate. Most respondents reported that the objectives of the course were being achieved, but they identified case-related discussion as an area for strengthening critical thinking skills. As a result, modifications were planned to include formal participation of D1 and D2 students in the presentations, less frequent sessions to accommodate more complete cases, more emphasis on basic science, more structured mentoring, and a modified question format. Dental Rounds was a necessary integration step in dental education for LSUSD, and it is anticipated that the planned modifications will lead to strengthening of critical thinking skills in both students and faculty.

Can midlevel dental providers be a benefit to the American public?

The use of midlevel dental providers (MLDPs) is being debated as a means of reducing oral health disparities and increasing access to care among underserved populations. Midlevel dental providers include the advanced dental hygiene practitioner, community dental health coordinator, dental health aide therapist, and dental therapist. While midlevel providers are new to the U.S. dental profession, medicine has utilized these positions for years. Medical literature has shown mixed results as to whether midlevel providers improve access to care and increased practice efficiency, however, it has demonstrated clearly that the quality of care outcomes of these providers have been comparable to those of physicians. Studies of MLDPs suggest potential practice and public health benefits. With appropriate training, licensure, supervision, and deployment to geographical areas of significant need, we believe MLDPs could increase access to care to underserved populations and help in the prevention of deaths attributable to untreated dental disease.

AACP strategy for addressing the professional development needs of department chairs.

OBJECTIVES: Characterize the skills and abilities required for department chairs, identify development needs, and then create AACP professional development programs for chairs. METHODS: A 30-question electronic survey was sent to AACP member department chairs related to aspects of chairing an academic department. RESULTS: The survey identified development needs in the leadership, management, and personal abilities required for effective performance as department chair. The information was used to prioritize topics for subsequent AACP development programs. Subsequent programs conducted at AACP Interim and Annual Meetings were well attended and generally received favorable reviews from participants. A list of development resources was placed on the AACP website. CONCLUSIONS: This ongoing initiative is part of an AACP strategy to identify and address the professional development needs of department chairs. Survey results may also inform faculty members and other academic leaders about the roles and responsibilities of department chairs.

Role of neutrophils in preventing and resolving acute fungal sinusitis.

Acute fungal sinusitis (AFS) is a devastating disease of the paranasal sinuses afflicting immunocompromised individuals. Knowledge about this disease is limited to clinical observations because there are no animal models in which to study the pathogenesis of the infection. Our goal was to develop a murine model of AFS and examine the role of neutrophils in host defense within the nasal cavity. Female C57BL/6 mice were depleted of neutrophils using anti-Gr-1 monoclonal antibody from day -1 to day 5 postinfection to initiate a transient neutropenia within the mice. At day 0, Aspergillus fumigatus conidia were administered intranasally. The untreated Aspergillus-exposed group had significant neutrophil recruitment by day 3, but by day 7 the leukocyte numbers had returned to unexposed levels. There was not a significant influx of mononuclear cells at either time point. In contrast, beginning at day 3 postinfection and continuing through day 7, anti-Gr-1-treated mice had increased cellular recruitment consisting of banded neutrophils at day 3 and mature neutrophils at day 7. Hyphal masses developed only in the anti-Gr-1-treated mice (25 to 36%) but only during the period of treatment. When the treatment was discontinued, hyphal masses could no longer be detected in the nasal cavities of these mice. In contrast, cyclophosphamide treatment did not induce neutropenia, and the nasal cavity remained free of hyphal masses. These studies demonstrate the feasibility of using this model to study AFS and implicate neutrophils in protection of the sinuses against acute Aspergillus infection and in clearance of established hyphal masses.