Faculty development for underrepresented minority dental faculty and residents

Area of Science:

• Dental Education
• Faculty Development
• Underrepresented Minorities in Medicine

Background:

• The Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center Dental Faculty Development Program (DFDP) was established to support underrepresented minority (URM) dental residents and faculty.
• The program aimed to enhance skills crucial for academic careers and teaching effectiveness within an advanced dental education setting.

Purpose of the Study:

• To implement and evaluate a 100-hour longitudinal immersion faculty development program for dental residents and faculty.
• To assess the impact of the DFDP on participants' knowledge, attitudes, and confidence in academic and teaching skills.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 15 participants (5 faculty, 10 residents) completed a 100-hour, four-phase DFDP in 2010-11.
• Pre- and post-training assessments measured knowledge, attitudes, and confidence; qualitative evaluations gauged program satisfaction.

Main Results:

• Mean knowledge scores increased significantly from 48.3% to 81.1% (p=0.01).
• Confidence scores for 25 skills improved, with total confidence scores rising from 77.5 to 100.2 (p=0.01).
• Participant attitudes showed minimal change, but overall program and session evaluations were uniformly positive.

Conclusions:

• The DFDP successfully enhanced knowledge and confidence among URM dental trainees and faculty.
• The program's structure and content were well-received, providing a foundation for future curricular enhancements.