Should dental school faculty be measured and compensated using academic productivity models? Two viewpoints

Area of Science:

• Academic Medicine
• Dental Education
• Faculty Development

Background:

• Operationalizing faculty contributions to align with institutional missions, especially for compensation, is challenging.
• Conventional methods can lead to subjective recognition, inequity, faculty marginalization, and attrition.
• Increasing dental faculty retirements necessitate innovative approaches to faculty management and retention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present opposing perspectives on the utility of Educational Value Units (EVUs) in academic dentistry.
• To explore how EVUs impact faculty performance measurement, productivity, and compensation.
• To examine the potential benefits and drawbacks of EVUs for faculty recruitment and retention.

Main Methods:

• Debate and analysis of two opposing viewpoints on Educational Value Units (EVUs).
• Examination of arguments for EVUs improving objective performance measurement and compensation.
• Critique of EVUs regarding challenges in quantifying performance, potential gender bias, and undervaluing teaching.

Main Results:

• Proponents argue EVUs objectify faculty performance, enhance productivity, and aid compensation determination, potentially improving recruitment and retention.
• Opponents contend that EVUs present challenges in objective quantification, may introduce gender bias, and risk undervaluing teaching quality and collaboration, acting as deterrents to retention.

Conclusions:

• The implementation of Educational Value Units (EVUs) in academic dentistry presents a complex debate with potential benefits for objective evaluation and drawbacks related to measurement accuracy and equity.
• Careful consideration of EVU design and implementation is crucial to ensure fair and effective faculty management, recruitment, and retention in academic dental institutions.