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NIDCR Grantees’ Participation in the ADEA Commission on Change and Innovation

Dear Dr. Alvares:

Kenneth Kalkwarf et al.’s article entitled "ADEA Commission on Change and Innovation in Dental Education" in the October 2005 Journal of Dental Education and Dr. Richard Valachovic’s recent follow-up piece of the same name in his October 2006 ADEA newsletter deserve recognition, as well as all those who have participated on the commission, for their efforts and progress in developing "Competencies for the New General Dentist."

It is vital for the profession to realize and adapt to the key changes in dentistry that have taken place over the past five years (many could rightly go back even further). The ADEA Commission on Change and Innovation (CCI) is an important step in opening a dialogue on how to deal with these changes and bring about significant changes in the way dental students are taught. Kalkwarf et al. stated that, "Through its councils, ADEA will engage its membership in workshops and forums to explore new educational and assessment methodologies, to identify best practices in curriculum as models, and to create a dynamic model and process to assist dental schools in curricular innovation."

With his remarks in mind, it is of interest to note that the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) has already funded an educational research and training initiative with many of the same goals as the CCI. It is imperative that grantees of this initiative are represented to the commission either through testimony at a meeting of the commission or a written report. These NIDCR grantees can provide the results of educational approaches that have been used with varying degrees of success and failure as well as the reasons for such outcomes; such valuable data could assist immensely in preparing the report of the CCI.

For example, as a recipient of an award of the NIDCR initiative to the Biodontics Educational Program at the University of Connecticut School of Dental Medicine, we have gained valuable data and insight into the process of dental education reform, as well as what dental students believe to be important issues.

Taken together, the results of all the NIDCR grantees’ programs would, we believe, provide vital information to the ADEA Commission on Change and Innovation. Their findings should be brought to the table.

Footnotes

School of Dental Medicine, University of Connecticut, Farmington, CT 06030, erossoma{at}nso2.uchc.edu

The commission responds

The ADEA Commission on Change and Innovation (ADEA CCI) is pleased to hear from ADEA members and welcomes input into the ADEA CCI’s activities. Dr. Rossomando and Mr. Moura identify a valuable resource to dental education in the NIDCR grantees. The ADEA CCI recognizes that dental curricula differ based on the mission of the individual dental school, but the commission intends to be a conduit of best practices and other information for those schools undergoing curricular change.

There are several ways to engage the ADEA CCI directly. Individuals and groups can submit information to the ADEA CCI through its website (www.adea.org/CCI/default.htm), which also contains updates about the ADEA CCI activities. During the 2007 ADEA Annual Session, the ADEA CCI will host an open forum on dental curricula, with particular focus on a new document, the ADEA Competencies for the New General Dentist (www.adea.org/cci/CallforComments09292006.pdf), and invites ADEA members and others to attend. By January 2007, the ADEA CCI plans to have liaisons in each dental school to report back to the commission on important innovations and to serve as a means for the ADEA CCI to communicate with schools. The ADEA CCI has and will continue to invite individuals from within the dental education community and from other areas of health professions education to provide input about the best means to prepare dental graduates to be lifelong learners providing evidence-based care to meet the needs of society.

The ADEA CCI appreciates Dr. Rossomando and Mr. Moura’s comments and looks forward to hearing from them and other NIDCR grantees.

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