An employment checklist for prospective dental educators

Recent dental literature suggests that there is a shortage of dental educators and provides suggestions for dental schools to increase and improve recruitment efforts. However, little has been published to aid the prospective dental educator in finding the most appropriate position. A checklist to aid the prospective faculty member is proposed, which enumerates critical employment characteristics to be considered by the applicant during the recruitment process. Essential elements of the dental school environment, the department environment, the salary and benefits structure, and the community are discussed. Techniques for application of the checklist are also suggested.