Building on our accomplishments

There are at least five forces--knowledge, finances, diversity, faculty and government--that have the potential to change the current model of dental education significantly in the new century. The author explores these forces and attempts to project their future impact on dental education and the profession.

Our understanding of the etiology and pathogenesis of oral diseases will increase, though likely not enough to facilitate the elimination of either dental caries or adult-onset periodontitis. A mandatory year of additional formal education in the form of a postgraduate residency will become necessary. Current trends in the sources of revenue supporting dental education will continue, and dental education will face a financial crisis. The changing ethnic and racial diversity of the United States and the dental work force will require curricular changes to prepare students to meet the oral health needs of diverse populations. The current shortage of full-time dental faculty members will continue, and dental schools will need to redefine what it means to be a faculty member. Finally, the continuing decline in the dentist:population ratio and a peak in the actual number of active dentists will cause government to again question the adequacy of the dental work force.

Academic dentistry faces a new century with new challenges, all of which have implications for current and future dental practitioners. The extent to which these challenges are successfully met will depend on the degree to which those with a vested interest in a thriving profession come together for the mutual benefit of all.