As Dr. Michael Glick observes in his July JADA editorial, "Dental Education: An Evolving Challenge," dental education faces a number of challenges as our institutions prepare future dental professionals and the next generation of teachers and researchers (JADA 2006;137[7]: 940–4). Even with these challenges, U.S. academic dental institutions remain the fountain-head of a competent work force to meet the oral health care needs of the public.
In 2005, the American Dental Education Association (ADEA) formed the Commission on Change and Innovation in Dental Education (ADEA-CCI) as its primary mechanism to lead and coordinate the Association’s efforts to assist in the development of curricula for the 21st century. ADEA-CCI was formed based on the premise that no meaningful curricular change can occur unless it is systemic and includes the various external agencies and stakeholders that influence curricula.
Members of ADEA-CCI include the ADEA Council of Deans, ADEA Council of Sections, ADA Board of Trustees, ADA Division of Education, ADA Council on Dental Education and Licensure, ADA Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations, the Commission on Dental Accreditation, the ADA Foundation and higher education administration.
ADEA-CCI’s purpose is to build consensus within the dental community by providing leadership and oversight to a systemic, collaborative and continuous process of innovative change in the education of general dentists so that they enter the profession competent to meet to oral health needs of the public throughout the 21st century, and to function as an important member of an efficient and effective health care team. ADEA-CCI has discussed the issues Dr. Glick raises at great length and is in the process of developing a broad-based plan for change. ADEA-CCI will serve as a facilitator of change and innovation.
Dental education has been, and must remain, firmly rooted in scientific discovery. Advances in genetics and molecular biology promise to change the health care system in significant ways—probably within the lifetime of today’s dental school graduates. But, beyond the acquisition of scientific knowledge at a particular point in time, the capacity to think scientifically, to apply the scientific method, is pivotal if students are to analyze and solve oral health problems, understand research and practice evidence-based dentistry. The explosion of scientific knowledge makes the acquisition and retention of all the information necessary for a lifetime of practice during dental school impossible. Students must learn how to learn.
Lifelong learners providing evidence-based care to meet the needs of society: that is the theme underlying ADEA-CCI’s work for dental education in the 21st century. We invite JADA readers to learn about and comment on ADEA-CCI’s activities by visiting its Web site at "www.adea.org/CCI/default.htm".
