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On the Eve of ADEA’s Centennial, We’ve Been Listening
Do you remember the old Verizon commercials that asked the question, “Can you hear me now?”
Those commercials come to mind as I consider much of ADEA’s activity from this past year because we rededicated ourselves to listening to and hearing our members in very tangible ways.
Fundamental to the success of any organization is its willingness to truly hear the questions, concerns and priorities of the members it serves. ADEA has always done that, but I believe this past year demonstrated a new level of commitment to active listening.
And your feedback couldn’t come at a better time. In 2023, we mark ADEA’s Centennial, and this is a great opportunity to reflect upon our history of excellence, celebrate our achievements and lay the foundation for another 100 years of success. Your input is critical to our future growth.
So how have we been listening and what have we learned?
- This past spring, ADEA completed its first comprehensive membership survey in more than a decade. We sought to develop a better understanding of the issues you grapple with and the kinds of resources and programming that would provide the most value to you—and how best to deliver them. (On that last point, you were loud and clear: when it comes to publications, you prefer digital over print.)
- We moved forward with the New Thinking for the New Century initiative spearheaded by Chair of the ADEA Board of Directors Nader Nadershahi, D.D.S., M.B.A., Ed.D. That initiative involved an earlier survey of its own and robust dialogue within each of ADEA’s seven councils.
- We launched the first climate assessment survey to collect baseline data on diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging at U.S. and Canadian dental schools and allied dental education programs.
Significantly, there was overlaps in what we learned. For example, the New Thinking for the New Century project ultimately identified challenges in three domains:
- Faculty and staff recruitment for dental, allied dental and advanced dental education,
- Leadership development and succession planning and
- Preparing students for the future of collaborative practice.
Notably, faculty recruitment also emerged as a priority in the ADEA membership survey, cited as the top challenge by nonstudent decision makers, followed closely by retaining faculty. The third biggest challenge for this group? Well-being and stress.
Among students, the top challenges were education debt reduction and the cost of education in general, followed by support and resources for job seekers.
The climate study provided us with valuable insights on the perceptions of students, faculty and staff about DEI and belonging within the dental school/program environment. The data have been shared with the deans and directors of the individual schools and programs that participated in the study. Our hope is the data will inform the development of strategic initiatives that would support access, diversity, inclusion and social justice in dental education.
How are we using what we are learning? Your input helps us develop the programming that best addresses your priorities.
For example, our roster of on-demand courses includes one on rolling out the welcome mat for new faculty. Our new micro-credential program covers several key areas intended to bolster professional development, including one on promoting an inclusive and humanistic learning environment. Both of those initiatives align with the broader goal of supporting faculty retention.
The upcoming 2023 ADEA Annual Session & Exhibition during our Centennial year offers a rich array of educational sessions that address many of the priorities cited by our members, including recruitment and implicit bias, modernizing dental licensure, dental education costs, developing future-ready dental education practices and faculty development.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the professional networking and collaboration opportunities that come with attending the conference. The importance of those personal connections and hallway conversations that take place between presentations and at receptions can’t be overestimated. In the survey, our members told us that networking opportunities were the primary reason they joined ADEA.
In reviewing the responses to our membership survey, one of the nicest things to see was the overall assessment that our members gave ADEA. The vast majority of members say they are likely to recommend ADEA membership. Your faith in what we do means a lot to me, the Board of Directors and the entire ADEA staff.
I’m committed to ensuring that your faith in us endures. We are constantly evaluating our programming and resourcing. The input we have collected provides a new lens through which we can assess the resources and services we provide.
As we enter our Centennial, I thank you for being a part of the ADEA family and ask you to join me as we recommit together to the future of dental education. Rest assured, I’ll be listening to what you have to say.
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