Dental education at the crossroads: A perspective from the chair

Abstract

I n January 1995, the Institute of Medicine’s longawaited study of great import to our citizenry was unveiled in Washington. The highlights of this broadly based portrayal of dental education-past, present, and futureare reviewed. The origins of this Institute of Medicine initiative can be traced to the early ’90s. The leadership of the American Association of Dental Schools joined with its sister organizations in recommending an in-depth study of dental education. There was a growing feeling that it was time to chart a thoughtful course for the next generation of young people aspiring to careers in dentistry. The Institute of Medicine was an appropriate organization to take the lead, with its long-standing history of successful analyses of health issues from clinical care to public policy. Funding for the Institute of Medicine came from both public and private sources and, most importantly, it was not an arm of the Federal Government. The study’s resources came from a wide array of contributors: The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the American Fund for Dental Health, the Department of Defense, the Health Resources and Services Administration, the Veterans Administration, the American Association of Retired Persons, and the CIGNA Dental Health Corporation. This allowed the Committee on the Future of Dental Education the needed funds to carry out this initiative over a 2-year period. The Committee’s charge was to assess dental education in the United States and make recommendations regarding its future, namely: 1. examine the current status of dental education and oral health in the United States and consider future scientific, demographic, economic, organizational, and other developments that may affect oral health status and the system for education of dentists and other personnel; 2. develop a statement of how, over the next 25 years, oral health and oral health services can be improved in the United States, and identify the shortand long-term