Evaluating institutional climate: Welcomeness, belonging, and well-being in dental education

As part of the American Dental Education Association's (ADEA) comprehensive climate assessment initiative, this study examines institutional climate in dental education programs, focusing specifically on welcomeness, sense of belonging, and well-being among faculty, staff, students, and administrators.

Drawing from ADEA's 2022 Climate Study dataset, this analysis focused on 25 selected items from responses of 8485 students, 1994 staff, 3393 faculty, 293 administrators, and 395 individuals with both administrative and faculty roles. Perceptions across three domains: welcomeness, belonging, and well-being were assessed using a five-point Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree to 5 = strongly agree).

On the five-point scale, faculty and administrators reported higher welcomeness (mean = 4.19/5.0, standard deviation [SD] = 0.970) compared to students (mean = 4.06/5.0, SD = 0.924) and staff (mean = 3.99/5.0, SD = 0.930). Sense of belonging varied, with administrators holding faculty roles reporting the highest levels (mean = 4.10/5.0, SD = 0.787), while staff reported the lowest (mean = 3.58/5.0, SD = 0.939). Well-being measures followed similar patterns, with administrators holding faculty roles reporting the highest personal well-being (mean = 4.01/5.0, SD = 0.778), social well-being (mean = 4.11/5.0, SD = 0.638), and climate-related well-being (mean = 4.17/5.0, SD = 0.777).

Findings suggest that administrators feel the most comfortable, respected, and supported in the academic environment. Age and experience have minimal impact on feelings of welcome and well-being. The study reveals significant disparities in perceptions of welcomeness, belonging, and well-being across different roles in dental education programs. These results highlight the need for targeted initiatives and supportive practices to foster a more inclusive and supportive educational environment for all community members.