A dire need for additional dental educators is emerging. This article reflects on the heavily skewed age groups of our current dental educators and the lack of sufficient new faculty to undertake the tasks of faculty members. A literature review is presented of previous studies monitoring the current demographics of dental faculty, projected trends, and factors that influence an individual's career choices concerning dental education involvement. Both intrinsic and extrinsic factors are explored to offer potential avenues for interesting, recruiting, and retaining qualified individuals as dental faculty. The goal of this article is to stimulate thought-provoking discussions and/or solutions within academic dentistry in regard to the question: Who will be our dental school faculty in the next decade?
Various methods for statistical analysis of data are available to clinicians and researchers. Meta-analysis is a tool by which small, related studies are identified and, through systematic review, are combined into a common data pool for a single, larger population analysis. As with all statistical methods, there are indications and contraindications for the use of meta-analysis. Additionally, meta-analysis is dependent upon the quality of data applied, the bias of the test itself, and the interpretation of the results. This article will discuss these aspects of meta-analysis, including the history of its development and usage in the scientific community, basic terminology, and a relevant literature review.
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