Challenges and Solutions
PDJ : What strategies do you use for faculty retention ( employee perks and benefits , competitive salaries , bonuses )?
Wolff : We have loan repayment programs and multiple no charge continuing education programs . Part-time employees who work 17.5-34 hours per week receive health benefit options . For employees meeting the minimum 1,000 hours per year threshold , they also have retirement benefit options .
Oakley : The cornerstone of faculty retention begins with mindfully recruiting professionals into opportunities that allow them to have fulfilling careers . In order to do so , the preferences and skills of the individual must be intentionally explored and carefully aligned alongside organizational priorities . Leadership development , research methodologies , and teaching training programs are a primary focus for all new faculty to ensure success for the school and the individual . At Pitt Dental Medicine , we work to create a culture and environment that allows people to enjoy their work and thrive with enormous intention . Academic salary limitations are mitigated with various benefit packages ( healthcare , tuition coverage , retirement , etc .) alongside opportunities to work in our faculty practice that is closely aligned with one of the largest academic health care organizations across the country , UPMC . These experiences also provide a necessary and rewarding clinical experience for faculty as they ensure their maintenance of cutting-edge clinical practices and techniques .
Ismail : Dental schools have two sources of funds : tuition and clinical revenues . Donations are usually small and cannot fully support the operations of any school . Offering competitive salaries comparable to private practice would place significant pressure on tuition paid by students . Anyone expecting a dental school to pay them what they could earn in private practice has unrealistic expectations . However , at Temple Dental , we offer 23 days of paid vacation , generous retirement contributions , low-cost medical and dental insurance , and Family Medical
Leave payments that private practices cannot match . Temple Dental faculty can also take courses at Temple University to earn a master ’ s degree in education or business , with the school covering most of the tuition . Additionally , we provide annual bonuses based on performance in didactic , preclinical , and clinical teaching , research , and service .
PDJ : How many hours does each program require ?
Wolff : Penn Dental has multiple CODA approved programs . The main program is a 4-year DMD program . There is a 2.5-year advanced standing DMD program for foreign trained dentists .
Our graduate programs are : 2-year Endodontics program ; 3-year Periodontics ; 3-year Prosthodontics ; 5-year dual board eligible Periodontics / Prosthodontics ; 5-year OMFS / MD ; 2-year Orthodontics ; 4-year Orthodontic / Periodontic dual board eligible ; 2-year Pediatrics ; 2-year Oral Medicine ; 1-year AEGD .
Our non-CODA graduate programs : Master of Science in Oral Biologic Sciences ( MSOB ); Master of Science in Oral and Population Health ( MOPH ); Master of Science in Advanced Dental Sciences ( MADS ); Master of Oral Health Sciences ( MOHS ); Doctorate of Dental Sciences ( DScD ).
Oakley : Each program is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation ( CODA ). CODA does not define the predoctoral program in terms of hours but rather states that the curriculum must include at least four academic years of instruction or its equivalent and must ensure that all educational standards are met . The predoctoral program at Pitt Dental Medicine consists of four academic years ( eleven terms ) of instruction and includes 27 School-defined competencies that students must achieve in order to graduate and practice dentistry .
Pitt Dental Medicine offers several residency programs across the recognized dental specialties . They include ( program duration ): Dental Anesthesiology * ( 3 years ); Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery * ( 4 and 6 years );
16 SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2024 | PENNSYLVANIA DENTAL JOURNAL