Volume 71, Issue 12 pp. 1513-1533
Perspective

Does Faculty Development Enhance Teaching Effectiveness?

William D. Hendricson M.A., M.S.

Corresponding Author

William D. Hendricson M.A., M.S.

members of the ADEA Commission on Change and Innovation in Dental Education, Assistant Dean

Educational and Faculty Development, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio Dental School

Direct correspondence to Mr. William Hendricson, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, Dental School, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229; 210-567-0436; [email protected].

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Eugene Anderson Ph.D.

Eugene Anderson Ph.D.

members of the ADEA Commission on Change and Innovation in Dental Education, Director

Center for Educational Policy and Research, American Dental Education Association

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Sandra C. Andrieu Ph.D.

Sandra C. Andrieu Ph.D.

members of the ADEA Commission on Change and Innovation in Dental Education, Associate Dean

Academic Affairs, Louisiana State University School of Dentistry

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D. Gregory Chadwick D.D.S.

D. Gregory Chadwick D.D.S.

members of the ADEA Commission on Change and Innovation in Dental Education, Associate Vice Chancellor

Oral Health, East Carolina University

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James R. Cole D.D.S.

James R. Cole D.D.S.

members of the ADEA Commission on Change and Innovation in Dental Education, member of the Commission

Dental Accreditation

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Mary C. George R.D.H., M.Ed.

Mary C. George R.D.H., M.Ed.

members of the ADEA Commission on Change and Innovation in Dental Education, Associate Professor

Department of Dental Ecology, University of North Carolina School of Dentistry

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Gerald N. Glickman D.D.S., J.D.

Gerald N. Glickman D.D.S., J.D.

members of the ADEA Commission on Change and Innovation in Dental Education, Chair

Endodontics, Baylor College of Dentistry

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Joel F. Glover D.D.S.

Joel F. Glover D.D.S.

members of the ADEA Commission on Change and Innovation in Dental Education, member of the Board of Trustees

American Dental Association

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Jerold S. Goldberg D.D.S.

Jerold S. Goldberg D.D.S.

members of the ADEA Commission on Change and Innovation in Dental Education, Dean

Case School of Dental Medicine

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N. Karl Haden Ph.D.

N. Karl Haden Ph.D.

members of the ADEA Commission on Change and Innovation in Dental Education, President

Academy for Academic Leadership

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Kenneth L. Kalkwarf D.D.S., M.S.

Kenneth L. Kalkwarf D.D.S., M.S.

members of the ADEA Commission on Change and Innovation in Dental Education, Chair and Dean

Commission on Change and Innovation in Dental Education, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio Dental School

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Cyril Meyerowitz B.D.S., M.S.

Cyril Meyerowitz B.D.S., M.S.

members of the ADEA Commission on Change and Innovation in Dental Education, Director

Eastman Dental Center, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry

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Laura M. Neumann D.D.S.

Laura M. Neumann D.D.S.

members of the ADEA Commission on Change and Innovation in Dental Education, Associate Executive Director for Education

American Dental Association

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Marsha Pyle D.D.S., M.Ed.

Marsha Pyle D.D.S., M.Ed.

members of the ADEA Commission on Change and Innovation in Dental Education, Associate Dean for Education

Case School of Dental Medicine

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Lisa A. Tedesco Ph.D.

Lisa A. Tedesco Ph.D.

members of the ADEA Commission on Change and Innovation in Dental Education, Vice Provost for Academic Affairs in Graduate Studies and Dean

Graduate School, Emory University

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Richard W. Valachovic D.M.D., M.P.H.

Richard W. Valachovic D.M.D., M.P.H.

members of the ADEA Commission on Change and Innovation in Dental Education, Executive Director

American Dental Education Association

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Richard G. Weaver D.D.S.

Richard G. Weaver D.D.S.

members of the ADEA Commission on Change and Innovation in Dental Education, Associate Director

Center for Educational Policy and Research, American Dental Education Association

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Ronald L. Winder D.D.S.

Ronald L. Winder D.D.S.

members of the ADEA Commission on Change and Innovation in Dental Education, private practice

Tulsa, Oklahoma

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Stephen K. Young D.D.S.

Stephen K. Young D.D.S.

members of the ADEA Commission on Change and Innovation in Dental Education, Dean

College of Dentistry, University of Oklahoma

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First published: 01 December 2007
Citations: 74

This article is one in a series of invited contributions by members of the dental and dental education community that have been commissioned by the ADEA Commission on Change and Innovation in Dental Education (CCI) to address the environment surrounding dental education and affecting the need for, or process of, curricular change. This article is authored by the ADEA CCI but does not necessarily reflect the views of ADEA or individual members of the ADEA CCI.

Abstract

Academic dentists and members of the practice community have been hearing, for more than a decade, that our educational system is in trouble and that the profession has lost its vision and may be wavering in the achievement of its goals. A core of consistently recommended reforms has framed the discussion of future directions for dental education, but as yet, most schools report little movement toward implementation of these reforms in spite of persistent advocacy. Provision of faculty development related to teaching and assessment strategies is widely perceived to be the essential ingredient in efforts to introduce new curricular approaches and modify the educational environment in academic dentistry. Analyses of the outcomes of efforts to revise health professions curricula have identified the availability and effectiveness of faculty development as a predictor of the success or failure of reform initiatives. This article will address faculty development for purposes of enhancing teaching effectiveness and preparing instructors for potential new roles associated with curriculum changes. Its overall purpose is to provide information and insights about faculty development that may be useful to dental schools in designing professional growth opportunities for their faculty. Seven questions are addressed: 1) What is faculty development? 2) How is faculty development accomplished? 3) Why is faculty development particularly important in dental education? 4) What happens when faculty development does not accompany educational reform? 5) Why are teaching attitudes and behaviors so difficult to change? 6) What outcomes can be expected from faculty development? and 7) What does the available evidence tell us about the design of faculty development programs? Evidence from systematic reviews pertaining to the teaching of evidence-based dentistry, strategies for continuing professional education, and the Best Evidence in Medical Education review of faculty development outcomes are presented to answer this question: does faculty development enhance teaching effectiveness? Characteristics consistently associated with effective faculty development are described.

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