It was refreshing to read so many letters in June JADA concerning the growing crisis of dental faculty shortages. The dental community has done a tremendous job of acknowledging the need for quality faculty, but is falling behind in resolving the issue.
Referring to the American Dental Education Association’s, or ADEA’s, task force on future dental school faculty, the trends all point downward. There are currently hundreds of open faculty positions with the potential for many more. In addition, only 0.5 percent of the 1998 graduates planned a career in academics (that’s about 20 out of roughly 4,000 students).
Dental schools only make one product, practicing dentists, but ideally they’re supposed to make two, practicing dentists and dental school faculty. You can’t hire English teachers to teach operative dentistry, unless they’ve gone through dental school.
One of the main reasons for the lack of student interest in entering academics is financial (salary, student debt, tenure) but that’s something no single person can fix and for which no one simple solution exists. Solutions regarding money need to be addressed at the federal, state and university levels.
However, another major reason that students aren’t pursuing academic careers—and one that can be fixed right here in our schools—has got to be image.
What image does a student acquire of a career in academics while in dental school for four years? Does it seem like a pleasant place to work? What is the attitude of the faculty regarding their career? How does the faculty treat students? Are there any faculty identifying promising students and mentoring those students toward academics? Are students even aware of the opportunity for a career in academics, and do they know what it takes to get there? Are teaching assistant programs or adequate research opportunities available for students? Do admissions offices actively seek applicants who would enjoy a career in academics?
More importantly, once identified, do dental schools allow these precious individuals to interact with faculty role models and other students with similar aspirations?
Take the ADEA for example. The Council of Students, or COS, of the ADEA meets twice a year to discuss issues related to dental education and to network with professionals in academics. This is a potential breeding ground for future faculty. Many schools choose to support the COS and send student representatives but, unfortunately, many do not. A major reason again is funding.
Alumni who actively support dental schools should consider earmarking some donations to help send students to participate with the COS. I would encourage all schools to develop a plan to promote academics among students and to feed the pipeline for future faculty.
