Exploring dental professionals' outlook on the future of dental care amidst the integration of artificial intelligence in dentistry: a pilot study in Pakistan.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to explore the perspectives, familiarity, and readiness of dental faculty members regarding the integration and application of artificial intelligence (AI) in dentistry, with a focus on the possible effects on dental education and clinical practice. METHODOLOGY: In a mix-method cross-sectional quantitative and quantitative study conducted between June 1st and August 30th, 2023, the perspectives of faculty members from a public sector dental college in Pakistan regarding the function of AI were explored. This study used qualitative as well as quantitative techniques to analyse faculty's viewpoints on the subject. The sample size was comprised of twenty-three faculty members. The quantitative data was analysed using descriptive statistics, while the qualitative data was analysed using theme analysis. RESULTS: Position-specific differences in faculty familiarity underscore the value of individualized instruction. Surprisingly few had ever come across AI concepts in their professional lives. Nevertheless, many acknowledged that AI had the potential to improve patient outcomes. The majority thought AI would improve dentistry education. Participants suggested a few dental specialties where AI could be useful. CONCLUSION: The study emphasizes the significance of addressing in dental professionals' knowledge gaps about AI. The promise of AI in dentistry calls for specialized training and teamwork between academic institutions and AI developers. Graduates of dentistry programs who use AI are better prepared to navigate shifting environments. The study highlights the positive effects of AI and the value of faculty involvement in maximizing its potential for better dental education and practice.

Assessment of knowledge, attitude, and practice of faculty and postgraduates toward Bisphenol A (BPA) exposure in dental care.

Bisphenol A (BPA) is commonly used in resin-based dental materials and is categorised as an endocrine-disrupting compound. This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and practice toward the use of BPA among faculty members and postgraduate students. In this descriptive study, a validated self-administered questionnaire was used, and 204 dentists were included, with a response rate of 56.2%. The findings revealed that faculty members had significantly better knowledge (p=0.024) and practice (p=0.036) and more positive attitudes (p=0.024) toward BPA exposure. Regression analysis showed a significantly positive effect of attending a workshop/lecture or reading an article about BPA on the participants' total mean knowledge (p<0.001) and practice scores (p<0.001). Furthermore, faculty members showed a significantly more positive attitude (p<0.001) toward BPA exposure. These results emphasise the importance of increased awareness and education concerning BPA exposure to ensure optimal dental care.

Impact of self-assessment on dental student's performance in pre-clinical conservative dentistry course.

BACKGROUND: Self-assessment (SA) is an interactive course that endorses the accomplishment of learning objectives through learners' identification of insufficiencies in their didactic knowledge and pre-clinical skills. This study was planned to determine whether there is any improvement in the faculty assessment (FA) score following the implementation of SA in the Pre-clinical Conservative Dentistry Course. METHODS: Fifty-four first-semester dental students were given an introductory lecture followed by a demonstration for Class I Cavity Preparation in typhodont mandibular first molar. At the end of the demonstration, the Scoring Rubric (SR) was explained point-wise in the prepared cavities. During the next session, all students performed Class I cavity preparation and they were given an assessment sheet to enter their scores (SA1). All teeth were evaluated by the Grading Faculties in a blinded manner (FA1). Each participant was explained the difference in their respective SA1 from FA1 and their queries were resolved individually. During the next sessions, Students and Grading Faculties followed the same protocol and scores were recorded as SA2, FA2, SA3 and FA3. RESULTS: The mean score of SA1 was significantly higher than that of FA1 (p < 0.001). However, no significant difference was obtained between SA and FA in the second (p = 0.352) and third (p = 0.434) assessments. In contrast with first assessment, mean marks obtained in FA were higher compared to SA in both second and third assessments. There was a statistically significant improvement in mean marks obtained by the students over time (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: SA endorsed student-faculty communication and enhanced student's poise and technical skills in operative pre-clinical dentistry.

Women in dental education and their desire to lead: A follow-up.

The aim of this study was to provide a follow-up to the 2015 national survey of women in dental education to re-examine factors and perceived barriers to pursuing administrative and leadership roles. At the beginning of 2023, a survey was administered to full-time women faculty in predoctoral dental programs in the United States. The survey instrument employed a structured format along with open-ended questions to capture qualitative data. The overall response rate was 26% (527/1994) and included respondents from fifty-five of the sixty-seven dental schools contacted. Half of respondents indicated holding an administrative position and 20% reported administration as their primary appointment. There was a significant increase in the number of women holding a leadership role in 2023 (76%) compared to 2015 (53%). Those seeking a leadership position in 2023 were less likely to have participated in leadership training (p<0.01) and less likely to have previously sought an administrative position (p>0.01). Women in leadership and administrative roles were more likely to indicate receiving extra compensation for administrative duties (p<0.01) and a desire for higher rank (p = 0.04) compared to 2015, but perceptions persist among the majority of respondents (71%) that women are not being compensated equally to their male counterparts. Respondents highlighted the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on career advancement and the positive culture changes that have contributed to greater workplace flexibility. Overall, respondents sent a resounding message that women in dental education need structural change to achieve success: pay equity, mentorship, and inclusive and supportive work environments.

The power of coaching: Developing leaders and beyond.

In recent decades, the application of coaching for career development and supporting faculty in leadership roles has greatly expanded in higher education. Coaching can offer transformational and life-changing experiences, inspire critical reflection in early career decisions, and (re)ignite passion and commitment at all career stages. While coaching focuses on transforming individuals, it also has the potential to impact organizations and professional environments. The power of coaching deserves appropriate recognition within dental education and scholarship. In this article, the authors discuss the potential for career coaching as a tool for developing future leaders in dental education. After differentiating between coaching and mentoring, coaching for professional development is reviewed as an evidence-based approach that can enhance traditional leadership and professional development programs. Although this article was inspired by programming supporting the development of female leaders, coaching applies to all leaders and may be particularly helpful in supporting the development of diverse leaders including but not limited to individuals from different backgrounds, national origins, gender, racial, socioeconomic, and cultural distinctions. After a review of existing coaching initiatives in dental education, a variety of coaching strategies for faculty, staff, and trainees will be described that can be implemented by oral health educational institutions. Examples of coaching strategies range from developing internal coaching programs to contractual agreements with external coaching groups. Step-by-step guidelines are included.

Building a workforce of diverse women leaders: Understanding intersectional identities.

BACKGROUND: Women have made significant advancements in the dentist workforce, growing from 20% of dentists in 2005 to 34.5% in 2020. Women have also made inroads in academic dentistry. While much scholarship has documented a growing feminization in dentistry and efforts to promote gender equity in the profession, there has been less exploration of the intersectional identities of these women. This manuscript explores how academic dentistry can support diverse women's leadership focusing on intersectional identities. METHODS: Applying the theoretical framework of intersectionality, we assess publicly available data to explore the percentages of faculty and deans who are women of color. Drawing upon best practices in higher education and our personal experiences, we explore opportunities to increase participation and support the advancement of women of color in academia. RESULTS: In the academic year 2018-2019, of the 5066 full-time faculty members, 40.5% were women. Minoritized women comprised 13.4% of full-time faculty members, compared to White women who were 20.6% of full-time faculty. Minoritized women comprised 7.3% of dental school deans, compared to White women who were 17.6% of deans. CONCLUSION: Intersectionality allows for a deeper examination of women in academic dentistry. Women of color are often erased in discussions about women in academic dentistry, even as the profession celebrates the progress made by women. Embracing the intersectional identities of women and by extension, people who identify as gender non-confirming may help dental schools to become humanistic environments where faculty and leadership represent the growing diversity in the profession and in the world.

Exploring environmental sustainability in dentistry among students and educators in the United Arab Emirates: a cross-sectional survey.

OBJECTIVES: Creating environmentally sustainable healthcare culture within the dental field requires embedding the content in the dental curriculum at the undergraduate level. This study aimed to explore the current awareness and drivers among dental students and educators regarding environmentally sustainable dentistry (ESD) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and identify barriers and enablers to embrace it. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey using online questionnaires was carried out in six undergraduate dental education institutes within the UAE. Data analysis included descriptive statistics. RESULTS: In total 153 students and 53 educators participated in the survey. Most students and educators were not aware of any ESD content in their curricula. However, the majority of educators were familiar with the concept of ESD, while students were mostly unfamiliar or slightly familiar. Nonetheless, students largely agreed on its importance and their interest in learning it, as they viewed it relevant to their future practice. Educators agreed that the dental profession has a responsibility to be environmentally friendly and expressed their desire in introducing ESD content into the curricula. Several barriers were reported such as lack of knowledge, curricula space, educational resources, and time. Meanwhile, enablers included providing ESD capacity building, training and resources. CONCLUSIONS: There was no explicit presence of ESD content in the dental curricula in the UAE. Despite the lack of adequate awareness on this topic among educators and more so among students, they both had positive views towards incorporating ESD into dental curricula. Overall, this study highlighted the importance of promoting ESD in dental programs. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: ESD is gradually becoming a critical aspect of modern oral healthcare system. It has been mandated in the dental curricula in several regions globally. Embedding ESD in the UAE dental curricula would have several benefits for the environment as well as the future of the dental profession in the region. The clinical significance includes, but not limited to, improved treatment outcomes; patients, students and staff health and well-being; reduced health risks, and cost savings.

Can peer feedback substitute for faculty feedback in predoctoral dental education?

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: The ability to give and receive feedback is a key skill to develop during predoctoral dental education, and the use of peer feedback specifically offers distinct benefits including a different understanding of material due to peers' proximity of knowledge development and assisting with overburdened instructors. However, it is unclear if peer feedback offers similar quality to instructor feedback. METHODS: Dental students in two different graduation years provided quantitative and qualitative peer feedback on a case-based oral and maxillofacial pathology simulation. The data from these exercises were aggregated and analyzed to compare the quality of qualitative feedback to course examination scores. Student perceptions of peer feedback were also recorded. RESULTS: The mean quality of feedback was not correlated with course examination scores, though the number of times students gave high-quality feedback and received high-quality feedback was correlated with course examination scores. Student feedback overall had a lower quality than instructor feedback, though there was no significant difference between instructor feedback quality and the maximum student feedback quality received. Student perceptions of the utility of feedback were positive. CONCLUSION: While instructor feedback is more reliable and consistent, our findings suggest that in most instances, at least one peer in moderate-sized groups is able to approximate the quality of instructor feedback on case-based assignments.

Exploring the acceptance of geriatric dentistry programming for undergraduate dental students through stakeholder interviews.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: Older adults frequently report unmet oral healthcare needs. Current research suggests a lack of provider willingness to perform geriatric dental care plays a role in limiting older adults' access to dental services. To better understand the acceptance of geriatric dentistry programming in Ontario, and to explore considerations for successful implementation, we completed consultations with dental students and dental education stakeholders. Findings from a scoping review we conducted previously (Alicia C. Brandt and Cecilia S. Dong) were used to guide this research. METHODS: Consultations involved a questionnaire and semi-structured individual interviews. Descriptive and parametric statistics such as Pearson's bivariate correlation and One-way analysis of variance were completed on questionnaire data using SPSS V.28. Interview data were transcribed verbatim, and the content was analyzed using emergent coding and thematic analysis in NVivo. Student and faculty data were analyzed separately and then consolidated. RESULTS: Ten students and 12 dental faculty members completed the questionnaire of which ten students and nine faculty members also participated in interviews. Themes were organized into barriers and facilitators, with a subsection on interprofessional collaboration. Barriers included: 1. Student anxiety and skill level; 2. Constraints of the learning environment; 3. Patient factors; and 4. Knowledge gaps. Facilitators included: 1. Learning environment and culture; 2. Volume of exposure; 3. Soft skills; and 4. Desired interventions. CONCLUSIONS: Both students and faculty stakeholders demonstrated acceptance of geriatric dentistry programming at the undergraduate dentistry level that supports improved access to care for this population. Pilot programs integrating different intervention elements which were viewed as most promising would be beneficial.

Questionable research practices of medical and dental faculty in Pakistan - a confession.

PURPOSE: Intellectual honesty and integrity are the cornerstones of conducting any form of research. Over the last few years, scholars have shown great concerns over questionable research practices (QRPs) in academia. This study aims to investigate the questionable research practices amongst faculty members of medical and dental colleges in Pakistan. METHOD: A descriptive multi-institutional online survey was conducted from June-August 2022. Based on previous studies assessing research misconduct, 43 questionable research practices in four domains: Data collection & storage, Data analysis, Study reporting and Collaboration & authorship were identified and investigated. Descriptive (Frequencies, Percentages, Mean, SD) and Inferential (chi square) statistics were calculated. RESULTS: A total of 654 faculty members responded. Every respondent reported committing at least one QRP in their career. The most common QRPs included deliberately failing to mention funding, publishing program evaluation data not meant for research purposes or approved by an ethical body, inappropriately storing identifiable information and non-disclosure of any conflicts. There was significant association of age, gender and academic rank with QRPs in 'Data collection and storage' and 'Data Analysis' domains. CONCLUSION: Medical and dental faculty members participating in this study are involved in a range of questionable research practices (QRPs) in Pakistan. Their confession might have contributed to the faculty developing self-awareness and reinforcing academic integrity. There is a need for reviewing policies and practices to improve research culture. Future research should explore the factors resulting in such practices.

Black and Hispanic predoctoral dental students' perceptions and considerations of careers in academic dentistry.

BACKGROUND: Dental schools aim to train and support a diverse dentist workforce. Among all faculty, full-time and part-time faculty who identify as members of historically underrepresented groups are 13.9% and 8.4%, respectively. The recruitment and retention of faculty is a known challenge, with growing faculty vacancies at dental schools. This study explored dental student perceptions of academic careers, specifically focusing on Black and Hispanic predoctoral students. METHODS: From August to November 2022, we conducted focus group with second-, third-, and fourth-year predoctoral dental students who identified as Black or Hispanic using a semi-structured interview guide that was developed for this study. Data were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. RESULTS: Four themes emerged: (1) students perceived academic dental dentistry as inclusive but not diverse spaces for Black and Hispanic people; (2) academic dental careers were perceived as secondary careers; (3) academic dental careers were perceived as a career option with a lack of autonomy and less income, compared to clinical practice in other settings; (4) students expressed a lack of knowledge about pathways to academic dental careers. Despite these challenges, students expressed interest in academic dental careers and noted being inspired by younger faculty members. CONCLUSION: Dental schools must do more to encourage dental students to consider careers in academic dentistry. Pathway programs, mentoring, and the presentation of academic careers as a viable career option for students by faculty should be further emphasized practices. Increasing the diversity of faculty members is also key. Students cannot be who they cannot see.

Gender trends in dentistry: Dental faculty and academic leadership.

OBJECTIVES: Gender equality in the healthcare workforce has been a topic of discourse for many decades. In dental academia, women's representation of enrolled students and faculty has risen consistently since the 1980s. However, women in faculty leadership positions may still be lagging when compared to men. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the number of women who occupy the upper echelons of academic rank and title by analyzing cross-referenced data from the American Dental Association and the American Dental Education Association on women dental school graduates in relation to academic appointments. METHODS: Gender distribution in rank, title, and appointments in the decade from 2011 to 2019, as well as percentage of women graduates over the same period, were collected for descriptive statistics. Multiple linear regression analysis, Cochran Armitage, and chi-square tests were conducted to examine trends over the years and to determine significant differences in overall percentages (p < 0.05). RESULTS: The total women faculty percentages ranged from 36% to 40%. While the lower-level rank of instructor retained a higher representation of women (56%-65%), the higher rank of professor had disproportionately lower women percentages (18%-26%). Graduates, full-time faculty, lower-level academic ranks, and higher-level academic ranks for women followed similar upward trends that were statistically significant (p < 0.05). When comparing the different groups against each other, the annual increase in women DMD/DDS graduate percentage was higher than women full-time faculty (0.28%), instructor rank (0.92%), professor rank (0.50%), and department chair appointments (0.49%). CONCLUSIONS: Our data show that women are still underrepresented at higher academic ranks. However, the upward trends for professors, assistant deans, and program chairs suggest that in recent years, more women faculty may have been encouraged, mentored, or offered higher administrative positions in academic institutions.

Homenagem ao Prof. Dr. Learreta / Tribute to Prof. Dr. Learreta / Homenaje al Prof. Dr. Learreta

Preito de gratidão ao Professor Dr. Jorge Alfonso Learreta. Nascido em Buenos Aires, Argentina, em 11/12/1949. Cursou Odontologia aos 17 anos. Seus conhecimentos em Histologia o fez ganhar uma bolsa de estudos para a França. Aqui estudou com cirurgiões renomados e voltou para Argentina. Especializou-se em Ortodontia e Ortopedia funcional em 1971. Tinha uma ampla rede de amigos e mestres em diversas partes do mundo. Começou a investir em tecnologia para estudar a ATM no início dos anos 90. Especializou-se em estudo das imagens e já em 1994, possuía casos com RNM antes e depois dos tratamentos, algo que veio a se tornar o padrão-ouro da sua filosofia. Homem estudioso, conhecedor de vasta literatura e de inteligência indescritível com grande poder de observação e raciocínio, vivenciou diversos problemas na Odontologia com soluções simples e geniais. O prof. Learreta é a definição de uma pessoa a frente de seu tempo que deixa um legado na odontologia da dor orofacial e seus ensinamentos foram além da neurofisiologia da ATM.

I offer gratitude to Professor Dr. Jorge Alfonso Learreta. Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on 12/11/1949. He studied Dentistry at the age of 17. His knowledge in Histology earned him a scholarship to France. Here he studied with renowned surgeons and returned to Argentina. He specialized in Orthodontics and Functional Orthopedics in 1971. He had a wide network of friends and teachers in different parts of the world. He began investing in technology to study the TMJ in the early 90s. He specialized in studying images and in 1994, he had cases with MRI before and after treatments, something that became the gold standard of his philosophy . A studious man, knowledgeable about vast literature and indescribable intelligence with great power of observation and reasoning, he experienced several problems in Dentistry with simple and ingenious solutions. The prof. Learreta is the definition of a person ahead of his time who leaves a legacy in orofacial pain dentistry and his teachings went beyond the neurophysiology of TMJ.

Ofrezco agradecimiento al Profesor Dr. Jorge Alfonso Learreta. Nacido en Buenos Aires, Argentina, el 11/12/1949. Estudió Odontología a los 17 años. Sus conocimientos en Histología le valieron una beca para Francia. Aquí estudió con reconocidos cirujanos y regresó a la Argentina. Se especializó en Ortodoncia y Ortopedia Funcional en 1971. Contaba con una amplia red de amigos y profesores en diferentes partes del mundo. Comenzó a invertir en tecnología para estudiar la ATM a principios de los 90. Se especializó en el estudio de imágenes y en 1994 tuvo casos con resonancia magnética antes y después de los tratamientos, algo que se convirtió en el estándar de oro de su filosofía. Hombre estudioso, conocedor de vasta literatura e inteligencia indescriptible con gran poder de observación y razonamiento, experimentó varios problemas en Odontología con soluciones simples e ingeniosas. El prof. Learreta es la definición de una persona adelantada a su tiempo que deja un legado en la odontología del dolor orofacial y sus enseñanzas fueron más allá de la neurofisiología de la ATM.

Effectiveness of Online Faculty Calibration Activities.

Purpose Dental hygiene faculty members must be able to provide evidence of skill calibration for clinical evaluation of students. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of online instructional videos compared to in-person sessions for faculty calibration.Methods A randomized crossover pretest/posttest research design was used to evaluate online and in-person faculty calibration activities. Fifteen faculty members from a baccalaureate dental hygiene program were randomly assigned to an AB or BA sequence for calibration sessions on two different instruments. Following a 2-week washout period, the groups switched activity modalities. A pretest, posttest, and retention test, administered 10 weeks following the activity, were administered to determine learning levels and the new and retained knowledge. A 7-point Likert scale questionnaire evaluated the reaction to and impact of the calibration activities. Descriptive statistics analyzed demographic and Likert scale data. Paired samples t-tests were used to analyze the research questions (p≤0.05).Results Online calibration activities yielded higher posttest scores than in-person activities (p=0.01). Findings related to feelings of confidence revealed a greater percentage of participants agreed that online calibration activities increased their ability to evaluate student performance. Findings related to feelings of preparedness supported equal percentages of participants who agreed the online and in-person activities increased their ability to teach dental hygiene instrumentation. There was no significant difference between in-person and online retention test scores (p=0.235).Conclusion Faculty members agreed that both online and in-person calibration activities were an effective use of their time and contributed to greater feelings of confidence and preparedness. However, the online calibration activities seemed to be more effective at increasing calibration on instrumentation. More research is needed to determine additional effective strategies for online calibration of clinical faculty.

Dental teaching faculty involvement in research activities.

Purpose: This study aimed to examine personal and professional factors in determining the research activity and research culture among dental teaching faculty members in Hyderabad City, Telangana. Materials and Method: Two dental schools with ongoing dental undergraduate and postgraduate programmes were included in the study. The Research and Development (R&D) Culture Index Questionnaire comprising 16 items was employed for this study. Also, self-reported research activity undertaken in the past twelve months was recorded. The association of demographic variables and professionally related variables with the perception of R&D culture and participation in research activities was assessed using the Chi-square test. A P value was set at 0.05. Results: Of the one-hundred and fifteen faculty members who participated in the study, seventy-four (64.4%) worked in the government sector and forty-one (35.6%) in privately funded dental college. The mean age of the study population was 34.11 + 7.13 years. The majority of them presented a paper or poster at the conference (66.1%; 76) followed by publishing paper in peer-review journal (42.6%; 49) and grant application for research (6.1%; 7), and authoring of a textbook was undertaken by only 2.6% of the study population. Males (61.1%; P = 0.04) and those employed in private dental college (65.8%; P = 0.02) had significantly high levels of overall perception than their respective counterparts. Conclusion: Our study concludes that this study population has a positive perception (50.32 + 6.95) towards research with the majority of them having done a paper or poster publication (66.1%) in the last one year.

Exploring dental faculty perceptions of current strategies and barriers to retention.

PURPOSE: The aims of the study were to identify perceived strategies for and barriers to faculty retention and examine differences regarding age, gender, and race. METHODS: Cross-sectional data was captured from the eight author-affiliated dental schools. A Qualtrics survey was emailed to all faculty members at these institutions (1467 possible participants) between November 2021 and February 2022. The survey was formulated from best practices listed in the American Dental Education Association Faculty Diversity Toolkit. It consisted of 18 questions, including demographic information and faculty perceptions of their respective workplaces. These responses were then evaluated with descriptive statistics, Chi-squared analysis, Pearson Correlation, and Fleiss' kappa. RESULTS: The survey's response rate was 19.2%. There was no significant difference in perceived retention strategies across race, age, gender, practice tenure, practice type, or clinical versus tenure track. The top four barriers identified were inadequate financial compensation, workload, poor work environment, and burnout. There was a significant difference between racial groups and their perceived barrier of support for promotion (p = 0.048). This was more prevalent among clinical faculty (47.7%) than tenure track faculty (16.2%). The work environment was listed as a leading factor for both promoting retention and encouraging the exodus of faculty members. CONCLUSION: Strategies aimed at improving financial compensation, career recognition, and transparency of the promotion process, along with those aimed at improving the work environment were shown to be vital to retaining faculty. Though the low response rate is a study limitation, these findings provide valuable information and a framework for future studies regarding dental faculty recruitment and retention.

Reshaping dental faculty development using collective healthcare experiences.

Dental academics provide a fulfilling career path to educate the next generation of oral health professionals. The number of dentists choosing a career in dental academics is declining and existing faculty are opting for other career options. As the number of dental schools increase across the US, a critical shortage of educators may be evidenced. In dentistry, innovative approaches to develop academic faculty are not keeping pace with the growing needs of dental faculty, who are challenged to establish a fulfilling work-life balance. This work reviews existing methods that other health professions implement to develop faculty for successful career growth. This review highlights factors and related cofactors that influence career development among dental faculty. Recommendations are presented as potential solutions based on the assessment of similar experiences published by related academic healthcare professions. Dental academia must increase attention to faculty needs and awareness by conducting institutional-specific studies to address these issues with customizable solutions.

Defining success in healthcare education: US dental student and faculty perspectives.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: Academic metrics and clinical performance are necessary but alone insufficient in describing success in dental education. This paper identifies themes critical for dental student success as commonly cited by both dental students and faculty. METHODS: Dental faculty interviews and pre-doctoral D2/D3/D4 student focus groups at two dental institutions generated data for thematic analysis. Themes were individually identified then merged, compared, and contrasted to establish a definitive list of key themes reflected in student and faculty comments. RESULTS: Twenty-five pre-doctoral students participated in one of four focus groups (two focus groups at each dental institution). Thirteen dental education faculty across two institutions participated in structured interviews. Thematic analysis produced five overlapping themes identified by both students and faculty across the two institutions: seeking understanding, collaborative spirit, personal ownership, organization, and broadened perspective. Faculty-specific themes identified long-term retention, a strong moral compass, and self-sufficiency as critical for student success. Student-specific themes identified their most successful peers to have a positive attitude, a perspective focused on personal investment and self-care, as well as access to professional mentors. CONCLUSION(S): Both faculty and students in dental education perceive behaviors illustrative of a growth mindset as hallmarks of success in the oral healthcare profession. Relatedly, students exemplifying resilience and/or grit must believe their efforts to be worthwhile and impactful.

Dental school quality assessment: Effect of student calibration on the outcomes of fixed prosthodontic cases.

BACKGROUND: Quality assurance (QA) of predoctoral dental student laboratory work is an essential part of the learning process that involves evaluating the student's ability, providing constructive feedback, helping develop the students' ability to self-assess, and promoting collegiality and communication among students, faculty, and laboratories. Faculty calibration, while often difficult to coordinate, is also necessary to providing consistent student feedback. AIM: The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether periodic calibration exercises with the fourth-year dental students and faculty impacted the number of student cases rejected during Quality Assurance evaluation of fixed prosthodontic cases submitted to The Dental College of Georgia laboratory tracking. CONCLUSION: Findings from this study provided evidence that ongoing calibration did result in a reduced number of incoming QA rejections in all periods reviewed except for one in which there was significant turnover among department faculty affecting QA calibration for that time period.