Leadership, governance and management in dental education – new societal challenges

Abstract

Dental schools around the world face new challenges that raise issues with regard to how they are governed, led and managed. With rapid societal changes, including globalization and consumerism, the roles of universities and their funding have become intensely debated topics. When financial burdens on universities increase, so does the pressure on dental schools. This is exacerbated by the relative expense of running dental schools and also by the limited understanding of both university managers and the public of the nature and scope of dentistry as a profession. In these circumstances, it is essential for dental schools to have good systems of leadership and management in place so that they can not only survive in difficult times, but flourish in the longer term. This paper discusses the concept of governance and how it relates to leadership, management and administration in dental schools and hospitals. Various approaches to governance and management in dental schools on different continents and regions are summarized and contrasted. A number of general governance and leadership issues are addressed. For example, a basic principle supported by the Working Group is that an effective governance structure must link authority and responsibility to performance and review, i.e. accountability, and that the mechanism for achieving this should be transparent. The paper also addresses issues specific to governing, leading and managing dental schools. Being a dean of a modern dental school is a very demanding role and some issues relating to this role are raised, including: dilemmas facing deans, preparing to be dean and succession planning. The importance of establishing a shared vision and mission, and creating the right culture and climate within a dental school, are emphasized. The Working Group advocates establishing a culture of scholarship in dental schools for both teaching and research. The paper addresses the need for effective staff management, motivation and development, and highlights the salience of good communication. The Working Group suggests establishing an advisory board to the dean and school, including lay persons and other external stakeholders, as one way of separating governance and management to some extent and providing some checks and balances within a dental school. Several other suggestions and recommendations are made about governance, management and leadership issues, including the need for schools to promote an awareness of their roles by good communication and thereby influence perceptions of others about their roles and values.

Research in PBL - where to from here for dentistry?

“…Changing the perceptions of others within and outside our schools will require continual active effort. Developing a culture of scholarship within dental schools certainly requires effective leadership (45). The likelihood of influencing perceptions of others outside our schools will be increased if we interact more often with educators from other disciplines, through collaborative research initiatives, co-supervision of postgraduate students or participation in meetings.…”

Dynamic Systems (Complexity) theory as a new conceptual model for researching PBL in dental education

“…Of particular interest to dentistry are the questions, ‘How does approaching schools as complex adaptive systems alter leadership and management practices?’ And ‘How can the fitness of the schools to cope with change, flexibility and adaptability be studied?’ These are key issues for dental schools that tend to be particularly vulnerable to reductions in funding, resources and staff (44).…”

“…And 'How can the fitness of the schools to cope with change, flexibility and adaptability be studied?' These are key issues for dental schools that tend to be particularly vulnerable to reductions in funding, resources and staff (44).…”

A Mathematical Simulation Approach to Testing Innovative Models of Dental Education

“…[2][3][4] Examples of these innovations include increasing enrollment of full fee-paying students (domestic or overseas); increased reliance on the local university supplementation; reduction in staffing levels and expenditures on accommodations and large capital items; and reductions in postgraduate training and research activities. 2,5,6 The long-term effects of the unrelenting pressures on dental schools over the last twenty to thirty years are now becoming evident. Even more important is the growing workforce crisis in academic staffing faced in almost all dental schools as the impact of the widening gap between private practice incomes and academic remuneration takes effect.…”

“…Even more important is the growing workforce crisis in academic staffing faced in almost all dental schools as the impact of the widening gap between private practice incomes and academic remuneration takes effect. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7]8 Against this background, this study develops from an empirical base a simulation model of dental education and a methodology of measuring the key economic forces that influence universities to participate in dental education. In addition, the study tests the model against an innovative (and as yet not implemented) alternative arrangement for dental education.…”