Defining the multifaceted roles of dental academics: A consensus approach using the Fuzzy Delphi Method

Area of Science:

• Dental Education
• Academic Medicine
• Faculty Development

Background:

• Dental academics are crucial for training future dentists but often lack formal educator training.
• They perform diverse roles (educator, researcher, administrator, clinician), risking identity conflict and burnout.
• Limited literature exists on defining faculty competencies and roles in dental education, impacting retention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically define the specific roles of dental academics.
• To utilize the Fuzzy Delphi Method (FDM) for expert consensus on these roles.
• To aid dental academics in establishing identity and planning careers.

Main Methods:

• Employed the Fuzzy Delphi Method (FDM) with 27 experts in round one and 23 in round two.
• Reached consensus on role definitions derived from evidence-based literature.
• Analyzed data to identify and categorize key academic responsibilities.

Main Results:

• Achieved consensus on 17 items representing four main roles of dental academics.
• Identified that each primary role includes diverse job descriptions, resisting a singular definition.
• Confirmed the multifaceted nature of dental academic positions.

Conclusions:

• The Fuzzy Delphi Method (FDM) effectively refines the understanding of dental academic roles.
• Clearly delineating these roles supports academic identity formation and adaptation.
• This definition aids career advancement and addresses faculty retention issues in dental institutions.