Tomorrow's Leaders, Starting Today: A Pilot Leadership Development Program for Dental Students

Abstract

Effective leadership is vitally important as the dental profession strives to meet current and future challenges. Leadership development programs have been created for mid-career dental professionals, but the relative lack of such programs for dental students may represent a missed opportunity to cultivate the dental leaders of tomorrow. A pilot leadership development program for dental students is described in this article. A voluntary leadership development program for dental students was offered in 2008 at the Case School of Dental Medicine with support from the Ohio Dental Association Foundation. The program aimed to increase students' leadership knowledge, improve their leadership skills, and provide inspiration through exposure to leaders who could serve as role models. At the conclusion of the program, students attended the Ohio Dental Association's Leadership Institute event. Forty-six students attended at least one program session. Thirty students attended all or all but one of the on-site sessions. Thirty-three participants responded to a post-program anonymous online survey. The majority of participants (81 percent) rated the program as very useful or useful and said they would participate in the program again (85 percent). Student attendance at the state dental association's leadership event increased appreciably from previous years. Student participation in the pilot program exceeded expectations. Leadership development programs for dental students are feasible and can benefit students and the dental community.