Is There Uniformity and Satisfaction Among Clinical Practice Models and Faculty Compensation Plans in US Dental...

There is a lack of information regarding clinical practice models and faculty compensation plans used by dental school-based departments of oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMS) and their effectiveness. The purpose of this study was to examine 1) the level of uniformity in clinical practice models and faculty compensation plans for US dental school-based OMS departments and 2) the level of satisfaction expressed by faculty with their current compensation plan.

A survey was sent to the chairs of the 40 US dental school-based OMS departments asking them specific information regarding their current practice model, the faculty compensation plan, and their satisfaction with their current plan.

Twenty-four of the 40 department chairs returned the survey, for a 60% response rate. The OMS practice was part of the dental school faculty practice in 50% of the departments and a separate entity in 33%. The most common faculty compensation plan consisted of an academic salary plus a faculty practice salary based on a collection-based incentive (38%), but in 25% it was based on production. Fifty-seven percent of the responding chairs stated they were not satisfied with their current practice and compensation plans.

There is considerable variation in the practice models and compensation plans in US dental school-based OMS departments. More than half the department chairs expressed a general dissatisfaction with their current compensation plans. The survey data indicate a need for alternative models, and this report presents one such model.