Dental school vacant budgeted faculty positions, academic year 2002-03

The number of vacant budgeted full-time faculty positions has changed little over the last three years, standing in 2002-03 at 280. The number of part-time vacancies, though, has continued to decline to twenty-seven. The average number of vacancies per school was 5.7, down from 6.4 of the past several years. The average number of vacancies reported to be usual and normal at any one time was 3.6. Forty-three percent of the schools reported four or fewer vacant budgeted faculty positions in 2002-03. Overall, the order of primary disciplines by their number of vacancies varies from year to year; however, with no particular trend by discipline. Also there does not appear to be any significant correlation between discipline and the length of time a position has been vacant. Fifty-five percent of the vacant positions had been vacant less than seven months. Salary/budget limitations and lack of response to position announcements were the most frequently reported factors influencing the ability to fill a position. There were 921 reported faculty separations in 2002-03. Forty-six percent were a result of faculty leaving for private practice. The number of new faculty reported in 2002-03 was 1,231. Fifty-one percent of the new faculty came from private practice. The total number of faculty reported in 2002-03 was 357 more than reported in 2001-02. Rather than a perceived pending shortage of faculty, it may be more of an endemic number of vacancies due to the amount of time needed to fill a position. While there is no indication expressed in the survey that current vacancies are adversely affecting the quality of dental education, foresight, planning, and necessary steps need to continue to ensure the preparation and continuity of a dental workforce sufficient in size and expertise to meet the teaching, research, patient care, and administrative needs of the dental education community.