A program to recruit and mentor future academic dentists: successes and challenges

There is a continuing shortage of academic dentists due to myriad factors. However, each graduating class of dental students includes a select group who choose to explore academic positions. It is this group of potential academic dentists that a four-year R25 initiative, funded by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, has targeted with the intent of increasing their numbers and mentoring them for success in a future faculty position. The aims of the program at the School of Dentistry, University of California, Los Angeles, are to target and recruit potential clinician-scientists and to design and implement an Academic Track (AT) that complements existing clinical and research training with the comprehensive skill set of pedagogical, organizational, and personal strategies necessary to be successful in an academic career. Recruitment to the AT targeted candidates from a variety of sources including those enrolled in the dual D.D.S./M.S. and D.D.S./Ph.D. programs, dental residents, Ph.D. candidates in other disciplines, and predental students. Through a variety of professional development activities in the AT, selected students receive teaching, leadership, and mentoring experiences. Outcomes and lessons learned related to specific activities and lessons learned are presented in this article, and a model that recognizes the diverse paths to an academic career in dentistry is recommended.