Long-term follow-up of a dental faculty development program

Many, if not most, dental faculty members have not received formal training to be educators. However, the importance of faculty development programs in improving teaching skills, fostering career development, and reinforcing relationships with colleagues and mentors has increasingly been acknowledged. In 2005, the Excellence in Clinical Teaching Program at New York University College of Dentistry (NYUCD) was created to enhance the clinical teaching skills of NYUCD faculty members. As of spring 2009, fifty-nine faculty members had participated in eight separate cohorts. The program consists of five formal group sessions supplemented by readings, reflection papers, and a final project. This study examined the short- and long-term effectiveness of the program. Participants were asked to complete a short pre-program survey to self-assess their teaching abilities and, at the last session, a satisfaction survey. In fall 2011, forty-eight faculty members who completed the program from spring 2005 to fall 2009 and were actively teaching at least one session a week at NYUCD were asked to complete a follow-up survey asking about the long-term value of the program and their academic career progression since program completion. Thirty-three faculty members responded for a response rate of 69 percent. Ninety-seven percent of the respondents indicated they would recommend the program to their colleagues, 94 percent said program participation led to a greater likelihood of conferring with peers about teaching issues,79 percent had increased their teaching responsibilities, and 62 percent said that presenting the final project improved their presentation skills. In addition, the retention rate of those still teaching at the school (81 percent) exceeds national retention rate averages for dental faculty. This follow-up study suggests that participation in the Excellence in Clinical Teaching Program is associated with meaningful professional growth.