Dental School Administrators Research Articles

Cybersecurity threats and preparedness: Implications for dental schools.

Cybersecurity threats are a growing concern in healthcare, where digital systems now underpin patient care, financial management, and educational operations. A cybersecurity breach in a Dental school environment can have widespread consequences to the mission of the school-patient care, research, education and service. For dental school administrators, these risks highlight the necessity of robust cybersecurity measures. For student learners, the impact may include interruptions to their education. For patients, it could mean compromised personal data and reduced access to clinical care. While many sectors have responded to increasing cyber threats by enhancing their defenses, healthcare and dental schools, often lag in implementing necessary protections. This emphasizes the need for proactive measures, such as regular system audits, advanced encryption methods, and ongoing cybersecurity training for administrators and students alike, to mitigate future risks and safeguard institutional integrity.

Building sustainable approaches to recruit, retain, and professionalize Black, Latinx, and American Indian students interested in dental careers.

Only twelve percent of dentists in 2020 self-identified as being Black, Latinx, or "Other," which includes American Indian. Moreover, the proportion of dentists from these groups profoundly fails to reflect the demographic composition of the U.S. overall. Evidence-based, ethically-grounded approaches are needed to successfully and continuously recruit and retain Black, Latinx, and American Indian dental students. We explored the barriers and opportunities to sustainable pathways to the dental profession. We conducted focus groups in 2021 with current Black, Latinx, and American Indian dental students and key informant interviews with dental school administrators using elicitation guides developed for this project. We completed a thematic analysis of data to identify and check findings to strengthen validity. We identified the following successes, challenges, and opportunities for recruiting Black, Latinx, and American Indian dental students. Successes include institutional investment to build and sustain pathways, yet many of these practices are institution- or administrator-specific and may defy replication. Challenges are more widespread, and include weak accreditation standards; systemic bias and failure to consider candidates holistically in admissions decisions; costs associated with admissions test preparation and volunteer shadowing; transportation, geography, school culture and language/citizenship status. Opportunities include mentoring, scholarships, removing bias from admissions, institutional financial investment in pathway programs, and peer norming among programs. Building sustainable pathways involve early support of students, removing systemic biases, and institutional commitments to equity to create a workforce to meet population needs.

A cross-sectional survey of attitudes and barriers toward pharmacist services at predoctoral academic dental institutions

BackgroundThe pharmacy profession continues to evolve through novel practice settings and collaborations. Recent reports have highlighted services provided by pharmacists in academic dental settings. ObjectivesThis study aimed to measure attitudes and barriers to pharmacist services at academic dental institutions via a survey of dental school administrators. MethodsA survey was circulated in summer 2019 to all accredited dental schools in the United States through the American Dental Education Association clinic dean listserv. The survey consisted of Likert scale questions pertaining to barriers and attitudes regarding pharmacist services in dental education programs and clinics. The survey was open from July 2019 to December 2019. Responses were analyzed with descriptive statistics and Spearman rank correlation. ResultsComplete attitude and barrier responses were received from 30 of 66 accredited institutions. Responding schools showed a generally positive attitude toward pharmacist services. Respondents identified funding as the barrier with greatest impact on program development and expansion. ConclusionAttitudes among dental education program administrators regarding pharmacists are generally positive. Barriers remain to fully incorporating pharmacists into dental institutions in the United States. Increased funding and reimbursement for pharmacy services would support universal pharmacist integration to this practice setting.

COVID-19 and a Call to Adapt Dental Education

Introduction: COVID-19 has harmed the economic, academic, and clinical pursuits of dental educational institutions and dental students. As dental associations, health agencies, and regulatory bodies around the globe announced the need for social distancing and stricter safety measures, some dental schools worldwide have been adapting to accommodate for such changes.Methods: This review attempts to provide a general picture of the early responses of some dental schools worldwide to the COVID-19 crisis and identify some of the regulations that influenced dental schools' initial decisions. An analytical approach was used to assess changes to dental school curriculums in didactic (academic/non-clinical) and clinical education, examinations, administration, and dental school research. The assessment was based on a web-based search of a variety of online global references including research articles, reviews, letters, press releases, and surveys regarding the early effect of covid-19 on dental education at some dental institutions in the U.S, Europe, and Asia from late February to early July of 2020. The review also offered further recommendations to dental school administrators regarding the future of dental education during the early stages of a pandemic.Conclusions: Innovations in technology and blended educational methodologies will continue to influence how certain dental schools around the world adapt to the changes caused by COVID-19 and better prepare dental education institutions for potential future public health disruptions.Clinical significance: Dental schools will need to adapt their education system to improve didactic, preclinical, clinical, administrative, and research components of dental education in response to the changes caused by COVID-19 and future pandemics.

Patient contentment assessment: A contrivance of standard refinement

Background: The aim of the study is to determine the level of satisfaction after periodontal therapy (non-surgical and surgical). Materials and Methods: Questionnaires were given to patients after treatment and the responses were scored. Results: Results have implications for dental school administrators and educators in their efforts to provide high-quality patient care and to retain an adequate patient pool. Conclusion: Patient satisfaction is one of the desirable outcomes of dental care. The majority of studies carried out since the early 1980s concentrate on patient perceptions of various service quality attributes and the role that socio-demographic variables play in determining satisfaction.

Students' awareness of LGBT resources in Dutch dental schools.

The aim of this survey-based study was to investigate dental students' perceptions regarding the available services and facilities for LGBT persons in Dutch dental school administrations. A 19-item questionnaire, originally developed in English, was implemented for the study purposes. Translation into Dutch as well as cross-cultural and conceptual adaptation were performed according to well-established guidelines. A link to the survey was sent via e-mail to all registered undergraduate students at the Academic Center for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA), and the dental schools of the University of Groningen (RUG) and the Radboud University Medical Center Nijmegen (RUMC). Of the 1,789 students initially invited to participate, 294 completed the online survey. Response rates among dental schools ranged between 7.60% and 20.24%. As a whole, the students of the participating dental schools were not cognizant of existing resources for LGBT students. There were significant differences in students' perceptions across schools, with RUG students being significantly less aware of LGBT resources compared to ACTA and RUMC (P<0.05). Students' perceptions were not significantly influenced by school, sexual preference, and year of study (P>0.05). No significant differences were observed in the responses of LGBT and non-LGBT students (P>0.05). Undergraduate students were generally not aware of LGBT resources in Dutch dental schools. This lack of knowledge calls for attention by dental school administrators, program directors, and faculty to foster a visible, comprehensive, culturally competent environment in dental education settings in The Netherlands.

Dental Students’ Knowledge of Resources for LGBT Persons: Findings from Three Dental Schools

Recently, there has been increased attention to including cultural diversity in the education of health professionals, including concern for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) inclusion and visibility. Studies regarding cultural exposure and acceptance of LGBT populations have been concentrated in medicine, with findings showing that medical providers often graduate having missed the preparation required to care for LGBT persons. A visible, comprehensive, culturally competent environment in dental schools would help ensure that all oral health professionals and students are aware of services available to address the particular needs of LGBT students. The aims of this survey-based study conducted in 2015-16 were to determine dental students' perceptions regarding LGBT students' needs and to assess dental students' knowledge of resources for LGBT persons at three U.S. dental schools, one each in the Midwest, West, and South. Of the 849 students invited to participate, 364 completed the survey (338 dental, 26 dental hygiene), for an overall response rate of 43%. The response rate at individual schools ranged from 30% to 55%. The results showed perceptions of insufficient LGBT information, resources, and support at these institutions, especially at the Western school. There were significant differences among the three schools, with students at the Western school more than the other two schools perceiving that their institution was less aware of whether it met the academic, social support, and spiritual needs of LGBT students. There were no significant differences between LGBT and non-LGBT students' perceptions. The authors urge dental school administrators to explore the degree to which their programs teach respectful and caring behavior towards LGBT students and, by extension, LGBT patient populations.

Dental School Administrators’ Attitudes Towards Providing Support Services for LGBT‐Identified Students

A lack of curriculum time devoted to teaching dental students about the needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered (LGBT) health care patient needs and biases against LGBT students and faculty have been reported. Understanding dental school administrators' attitudes about LGBT students' needs might provide further insight into these long-standing issues. The aims of this study were to develop a survey to assess dental administrators' attitudes regarding the support services they believe LGBT-identified students need, to identify dental schools' current diversity inclusion policies, and to determine what types of support dental schools currently provide to LGBT students. A survey developed with the aid of a focus group, cognitive interviewing, and pilot testing was sent to 136 assistant and associate deans and deans of the 65 U.S. and Canadian dental schools. A total of 54 responses from 43 (66%) schools were received from 13 deans, 29 associate deans, and 11 assistant deans (one participant did not report a position), for a 40% response rate. The findings suggest there is a considerable lack of knowledge or acknowledgment of LGBT dental students' needs. Future studies are needed to show the importance of creating awareness about meeting the needs of all dental student groups, perhaps through awareness campaigns initiated by LGBT students.

Development and Implementation of Online National Board Dental Examination Review Courses

Failure on the National Board Dental Examination (NBDE) Parts I and II has troubling consequences for dental students, faculty members, and school administrators. Since the NBDE is a high-stakes exam for all involved, it is important to determine effective strategies to help students prepare. The purpose of this article is to describe the development and implementation of online NBDE Parts I and II Review Courses by the faculty and administration at the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Dentistry. The courses are taught by faculty members who are content experts. By utilizing distance technology, students in any geographic location can review the material at the time, place, and pace that are most convenient. Early outcomes show that 592 students from thirty-two states have participated in the courses since they were first offered in 2010-11. In post-course evaluations, students report that participation in the courses encouraged them to spend more time preparing for the exam and that the associated PowerPoint slides/handouts provided structure for their review. The literature suggests that multiple modalities are most effective in preparing for the NBDE. These online review courses can serve as a beneficial component of a student's preparation regimen.

Working with Dental School Admissions Committees to Enroll a More Diverse Student Body

The American Dental Education Association's Admissions Committee Workshop (ADEA ACW) was designed to challenge dental school administrators and admissions committee members to review their current admissions practices and to explore ways to attract a more diverse student body. Presented at the invitation of dental schools, this half-day interactive workshop provides opportunities for a dental school's administrators, staff, and admissions committee members to learn about the value of diversity in the educational environment and how to implement holistic admissions practices that take into consideration the experiences, attributes, and metrics of candidates for admission. This report explores the rationale for the development of the ADEA ACW, discusses lessons learned from presentation of the workshop at more than twenty-seven U.S. dental schools, and tracks enrollment trends of underrepresented minority students in dental schools where the workshop has been presented.

Mobile Phone Hygiene: Potential Risks Posed by Use in the Clinics of an Indian Dental School

The objectives of this cross-sectional study were to determine the level and type of bacterial contamination of the mobile phones of dental personnel involved in direct patient care and to determine the usefulness of cleaning with 70 percent isopropyl alcohol for decontamination. Dental faculty and trainees in an Indian dental school were asked to participate in a study in which a questionnaire concerning patterns of mobile phone use and disinfection was administered. Swabs from mobile phones of the participants were taken using moist sterile swabs and plated on blood agar plates. The bacteria isolated were identified by biochemical tests. Eighteen percent of the participants (n=9) reported using their phones while attending patients. Nearly 64 percent (n=32) used their mobiles for checking time, and 64 percent (n=42) reported never cleaning their phones. In total, fifty mobile phones were cultured for microorganisms: 98 percent (n=49) were culture-positive, and 34 percent (n=17) grew potentially pathogenic bacteria. There was significant reduction in the mean number of colony-forming units after decontamination with alcohol (p<0.001). The bacterial load was reduced by around 87 percent. The results of this study show that mobile phones may act as an important source of nosocomial pathogens in the dental setting. Therefore, it is important for dental school administrators to encourage higher compliance with hand-washing practices and routine surface disinfection through framing of strict protocols to reduce the chances of occurrence of nosocomial infections.

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Issues in Dental School Environments: Dental Student Leaders’ Perceptions

The objectives of the study reported in this article were to assess dental student leaders' perceptions of educational efforts concerning lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) topics and the cultural climate concerning LGBT issues in dental schools in the United States and Canada. In addition, the perceptions of student leaders who self-identified as belonging to the LGBT community and of students with a heterosexual orientation were compared. Data were collected from 113 dental student leaders from twenty-seven dental schools in the United States and three in Canada. Fifty student leaders were females, and sixty-two were males. Only 13.3 percent of the respondents agreed that their dental education prepared them well to treat patients from LGBT backgrounds. The more the student leaders believed that their university has an honest interest in diversity, the better they felt prepared by their dental school program to treat patients from LGBT backgrounds (r=.327; p<.001). The better they felt prepared, the more they perceived the clinic environment as sensitive and affirming for patients with different sexual orientations (r=.464; p<.001). The more they reported that dental schools' administrations create a positive environment for students with LGBT orientations, the more they agreed that persons can feel comfortable regardless of their sexual orientation (r=.585; p<.001). In conclusion, the findings indicate that dental school administrators play an important role in ensuring that future care providers are well prepared to treat patients from LGBT backgrounds and that staff, faculty, students, and patients from these backgrounds are not discriminated against.

Dental School Applicants’ Use of Website Information During the Application Process

The University of Pittsburgh's School of Dental Medicine (SDM) is a medium-sized, private, state-related dental school. As other schools have done recently, the SDM made a substantial effort to upgrade its website in 2003. Internal satisfaction and anecdotal data notwithstanding, there is no measure of the website's usefulness in attracting applicants. We designed an anonymous survey of twenty-one questions in an effort to better understand what kinds of information sources our applicants used to make their application decisions; which information they perceived as useful during each phase of the overall application process; how they ranked our website compared to those of other dental schools that they considered; and what they thought could make our website better. Our study supports the notion that applicants rely in part on dental school websites during the application process. Data from this study point to the areas that are of most interest to applicants when they visit a dental school website. This information could help dental school administrators determine the effort they should spend on their school's website as an advertising and recruitment tool. We recommend that dental schools make the most important application-related information and criteria easy to find.

Demographics and distribution of dentists in Mississippi: A dental work force study

Many segments of the population experience one or more barriers to accessing quality oral health care, including availability of licensed dentists. The purpose of the authors' study was to analyze the availability of dentists in Mississippi by county over four decades to determine the geographic distribution of dentists, shifts in their distribution over time and how this distribution relates to population demographics. Dentist-to-population ratios were determined by county from 1970 through 2000. The authors analyzed these data using standardized z scores and geographic information systems (GIS) technology. Results are presented graphically and geographically. Results showed that 55 counties were designated as dental health professional shortage areas in 1970, 51 counties in 1980, 30 in 1990 and 40 in 2000. Counties that have a more favorable ratio of providers to population were determined, indicating areas in which dentists are more likely to practice. Many geographic areas in Mississippi remain underserved. Identifying these areas is a critical first step when addressing the current state of Mississippi's dental work force. This type of information is useful for decision making as well as responding to the population's oral health care needs. Results of this study can assist current and future practicing dentists, dental school administrators and policy-makers in making informed decisions for determining suitable practice locations, dental school admissions criteria and areas to target for public health initiatives. This model also is useful for studying work force disparities in other health care professions.

Dental students’ experiences with and attitudes toward people with mental retardation

People with mental retardation have limited access to oral health care. Dental school administrators reported minimal training in U.S. dental schools for these patients. As a result, students and practitioners may not be prepared to provide needed services. The authors surveyed 295 third- and fourth-year students at five dental schools about their didactic and clinical preparation for, attitudes toward and comfort levels with treating people with mental retardation, as well as whether their experiences affect their willingness to treat people with mental retardation. The authors analyzed data using previously developed statistical software. A little more than 68 percent of respondents reported receiving five hours or less of instruction devoted to how to care for people with mental retardation, and 50.8 percent reported having no clinical training in this area. Nearly 60 percent reported that they had little to no confidence in providing care, while 74.6 percent reported they had little to no preparation in providing care. Students who had experience working with people with mental retardation attributed greater capabilities to such people than did students who had no such experience. Many U.S. dental students are prepared inadequately to provide services for people with mental retardation. Spending time with these patients provides a more positive understanding of the capabilities of these people. Increasing numbers of people with mental retardation no longer live in institutions, and they are dependent on dentists in private practice for care. Increased dental school training and continuing education programs are needed to meet this need.

Learning Disabilities in Dental Education: Trends, Management, and Concerns in U.S. Dental Schools

The prevalence of learning disabilities (LD) in higher education has drawn significant attention at the undergraduate level. College freshmen reporting learning disabilities have increased significantly in the past twenty years. Although anecdotal evidence suggests an increase in the number of dental students with learning disabilities, nothing has been published regarding how dental education is affected by this general trend. The purpose of this study was to obtain information from U.S. dental school administrators regarding the incidence and prevalence of learning disabilities in dental education. We hypothesized that there has been an increase in diagnosed cases of learning disabilities in dental education. Following a pilot study to identify individuals responsible for working with students with learning disabilities in U.S. dental schools (response rate 91 percent, n = 49), a eighteen-item survey instrument was distributed to specific contact individuals (response rate 81 percent, n = 44). Mean cumulative incidence of diagnosed cases of learning disabilities was 0.3 percent; mean prevalence of identified diagnosed cases of LD 0.7 percent. Pearson analysis revealed a statistically significant weak positive correlation between mean prevalence and year, suggesting an increase in identified diagnosed cases of LD in U.S. dental schools over the past seven years (r = 0.24, p = 0.002). We conclude that the presence of learning disabilities in dental education is silent, pervasive, and deserves increased attention.

A comparison of patient satisfaction among current and former dental school patients

Patient satisfaction is becoming an increasingly important indicator of quality dental care. However, most patient satisfaction surveys target only the current patients of the dental practice or institution, which may give an inflated estimate of satisfaction with care, since dissatisfied patients are likely to have left the practice or institution. The purpose of this study was to compare the satisfaction of three categories of dental school patients with several aspects of care received at the school. Data were collected using a telephone survey of 291 patients, systematically selected from the dental school's computer listings of all current, recall, and former patients. The survey instrument sought information about why respondents came to the school for dental treatment, why respondents who were no longer in treatment had dropped out of care, and respondents' opinions on eleven aspects of quality of care provided at the dental school. Dental students who had completed a training session served as interviewers. Results indicate that, overall, patient satisfaction with the care received was high, with none of the means for any category of patient falling into the dissatisfied range. Respondents who had dropped out of care were less satisfied than active or recall patients in five areas: quality of care, length and number of appointments, treatment explanation, and fees. Results have implications for dental school administrators and educators in their efforts to provide high quality patient care and to retain an adequate patient pool to ensure optimal clinical experiences for students.

The hepatitis B e‐antigen positive dental school applicant

There are few guidelines available for dental school faculty and administrators in the management of hepatitis B e-antigen positive (HBeAg+) dental school applicants. It is apparent that this serostatus is unique and requires a different approach from that used for applicants with other infectious diseases, such as the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The issue is examined from a number of perspectives, including the science, policy, legal, and ethical considerations confronted in establishing a policy for the HBeAg+ dental school applicant.

The development and implementation of a system to evaluate dental school administrators

The development and implementation of a system to evaluate dental school administrators

Responsibility quotient: a method for the quantification of actual teaching loads

Dental school administrators must make judgements concerning the relative teaching load of each department as they attempt to distribute scarce institutional resources in an equitable manner across departmental lines. A formula is offered that allows for quantification and direct comparison of relative teaching loads of faculty.