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Continuing education extension programs
Continuing education extension programs
W. Arthur George,* D D S , Pittsburgh
T h e University of Pittsburgh is sponsor ing postgraduate courses for dentists and bringing the courses to the dentist in his community. Faculty members travel to communities where the short courses are to be held. T h e participating dentists use facilities of local Veterans Administration hospitals or community junior colleges or branch campuses of the University. D en tists are able to continue their professional education without leaving their homes, practices and community activities.
In October, 1962, the division of post graduate education o f the School of Den tistry, University of Pittsburgh, started a program o f courses in continuing dental education at off-campus sites. The pur pose o f these programs was to bring con tinuing education to the dentist rather than have him come to the central uni versity campus. Courses have been sched uled on a once-a-week basis, the day cor responding to the day dentists in the community usually consider their day or half day off. The minimum time for each course was one day, with most extending for two or three days and the length of one series being 15 weeks. The first series was held in a biology laboratory at Gannon College in Erie,
Pa, where 30 dentists atended a 15-week series for a total o f 98 hours of instruction. Members of the faculty and clinicians from the Pittsburgh area who have ap pointments on the postgraduate faculty conducted these programs. Each clinician presented two days of didactic material and one day of clinical applications over closed-circuit television. A portable tele vision set, owned by the postgraduate division, was transported to each course as needed. A local dental supply company made a temporary installation of a dental chair, rotary air instruments and evacu ating equipment. This operatory was in stalled in the same room as the students and afforded them the opportunity to view the total operation or the closeup on two 24-inch receivers. In February, 1963, the regional campus of the University cosponsored a six-week program at the Cambria County M em o rial Hospital in Johnstown, Pa. Twentyfive dentists participated. The T V camera was placed in dental operatories located on the second floor of the hospital. The students watched in a seminar room on the eighth floor. The group thought that a television installation either in the same room or nearby maintains more interest than one in a remote area. Early in 1964, cooperative arrange ments were made with the Veterans A d ministration to use hospital facilities in
GEORG E . . . VO LUM E 69, DECEMBER 1964 • 59/731
Fig. I • A t the Veterans A dm inistration H osp ital at Erie, Pa, are, left to right, W . A rth u r G eorge, director o f postgrad uate education, University of Pittsburgh, and C h e ste r W . Bixby, postgraduate coordinator in Erie; Lawrence C . Davis, director of V A Hospital, and Van T. M cK e e , chief of dental services, V A H ospital, Erie, Pa
Johnstown, Butler, Erie and Altoona for these programs. Twenty Erie dentists again led the way by participating in a six-weeks series at the Veterans Adminis tration Hospital there. With the fall, 1963, opening of branch campuses o f the University of Pittsburgh in Titusville and Bradford, Pa, the post graduate division launched courses for groups o f dentists in those cities. At the same time, a second course was developed for Johnstown. Interestingly, the Erie pro gram attracted dentists from Ohio and western New York, whereas the Bradford program drew dentists from Olean and Salamanca, NY. These first 18 months have provided much information for program directors of continuing education courses. The den tal profession makes rapid use of both basic and new technical knowledge, and it is now possible to transmit this infor mation on a student-teacher relationship to practitioners. A chief advantage of the programs is that they afford many dentists
Fig. 2 • A t the Veterans Adm inistration Hospital, Erie, Pa, program is filmed for closed-circuit television. C linician is Edm und A . Travaglini, chief of dental services, Leech Farm V A Hospital, Pittsburgh. R obert W . W ash ab a u gh , assistant pro fessor of prosthodontics, University o f Pittsburgh, operates TV cam era
the first real opportunity for continuous learning throughout their careers. A l though learning can be acquired through dental and other scientific journals, postgraduate and continuing education courses have these important advantages: 1. Dentists set aside a specific time for courses. 2. Travel to distant locations is un necessary. 3. Hotel expenses are eliminated. 4. Dentists enjoy taking the courses with their colleagues who live in the same community or within commuting dis tance. 5. Overall costs to the dentist are re duced. Unlike journals which contain diverse, subject matter, these courses treat a spe cific subject. The clinicians must keep abreast of the latest developments if the program is to be both attractive and bene ficial to the practicing dentists. This also increases the responsibilities of a dental school faculty who now teach undergrad uates, recent graduates and those who were graduated ten years ago or more. For the recent graduate, the course provides an excellent and timely opportunity to reinforce his undergraduate education. The range of subjects varies from “ bread and butter” courses to those cov ering a broad scope of material. A course offered by pharmacologists from the School of Pharmacy is an example. It covered the systems involved in drug ther
60/732 • THE JO U R N A L OF THE A M E R IC A N DENTAL A SSO C IA T IO N
Fig. 3 • J. C lifton Eselman, professor of radiology, lectures to postgraduate class at Bradford, Pa
apy and drug actions and reactions relat ing to local anesthetics and preoperative and postoperative therapy. Another course dealt with lesions of the face and oral cavity, their symptoms, causes and treat ment. Such courses are only a beginning because we have found that the dentists have asked for courses by the faculty of the departments of psychology, psychia try, English and statistics. This last de partment will teach “How To Read a Scientific Article.” In extension courses in off-campus pro grams, only the clinician must travel any great distance. The number of dentists, which varies from 15 to 25, are enrolled in the entire series and are known well in advance of the starting dates. The den tists are willing to attend these sessions as a part of their unscheduled office time and still have time to treat emergencies after course hours and to live at home and participate in community activities. Many dentists who never before attended courses in continuing education are en rolling and are enthusiastic about being back in school. It is not unusual for these
dentists to form small study clubs and ex change ideas at regular meetings during the rest of the year. Although most of the off-campus courses include illustrated lectures and T V demonstrations, some dentists find it advantageous to return to the University for participation courses. These courses at Pitt now are limited by lack of facilities but, when the building program at the School of Dentistry is completed, there will be a postgraduate area of 16 operatories, dental laboratories and seminar areas. After each series of programs, dentists receive a letter of recognition which indi cates the courses taken, the clinicians and the number of hours attended. These are usually given at a special seminar at tended by all the clinicians. The University believes that dentists who enroll on a continuing basis should receive recognition. It has formed the Postgraduate Scholars Association of the School of Dentistry. On completion of 100 hours, a dentist is considered a mem ber and is entitled to a 20 per cent reduc
G EORGE . . . VOLUME 69, DECEMBER 1964 • 61/733
tion in tuition; after 300 hours, he be comes a scholar, entitled to a 30 per cent reduction in tuition; after 500 hours, he becomes a fellow, entitled to 50 per cent reduction in tuition. These courses may also be applied for credit in the Academy of General Dentistry. So that continuing education programs may be encouraged at other universities, up to 30 per cent of these hours may be earned at universities other than Pitts burgh. All of this will be climaxed by the First Annual Scholars Day on September 23, 1964. Dentists will be invited to this oneday program to honor those who have achieved the title of member in a twoyear period. At the scientific program Bertram Kraus will speak on “ Growth and Development.” Later Edward J. For rest, dean of the School of Dentistry, will recognize the new members. What is the future for such programs? A 15-week program is too long because
the participants do not have the oppor tunity for a break in their busy schedules. Enrollment is higher if programs are not scheduled during the hunting season and good golfing weather. Programs have been conducted for two consecutive years at Erie and Johnstown, and the enthusiasm continues to be strong for a program for next year. The same is true at Titusville and Bradford. Other communities, such as Butler and Altoona, where Veterans Administration hospitals are located, are anxious to start, as is the University Regional Campus at Greensburg. Special arrangements can also be made for small groups of dentists who are organized as study groups. The scope of such a program is unlimited and, with the quick dissemination of current infor mation, the health of the entire popula tion of these areas will benefit. *Director, division of postgraduate education, Univer sity of Pittsburgh.
Change • T h e rapidity o f change in the past 50 years and its increasing rate literally suggests that w e are m oving toward an explosive clim ax where our ingenuity will outrun our wisdom. For a second time man may have partaken o f the apple o f the tree of knowledge before G od had prepared him for it. D evereu x Josephs, in T he High School in a N ew Era, Francis S. Chase and Harold A . Anderson, editors, 1958.
W. Arthur George,* D D S , Pittsburgh
T h e University of Pittsburgh is sponsor ing postgraduate courses for dentists and bringing the courses to the dentist in his community. Faculty members travel to communities where the short courses are to be held. T h e participating dentists use facilities of local Veterans Administration hospitals or community junior colleges or branch campuses of the University. D en tists are able to continue their professional education without leaving their homes, practices and community activities.
In October, 1962, the division of post graduate education o f the School of Den tistry, University of Pittsburgh, started a program o f courses in continuing dental education at off-campus sites. The pur pose o f these programs was to bring con tinuing education to the dentist rather than have him come to the central uni versity campus. Courses have been sched uled on a once-a-week basis, the day cor responding to the day dentists in the community usually consider their day or half day off. The minimum time for each course was one day, with most extending for two or three days and the length of one series being 15 weeks. The first series was held in a biology laboratory at Gannon College in Erie,
Pa, where 30 dentists atended a 15-week series for a total o f 98 hours of instruction. Members of the faculty and clinicians from the Pittsburgh area who have ap pointments on the postgraduate faculty conducted these programs. Each clinician presented two days of didactic material and one day of clinical applications over closed-circuit television. A portable tele vision set, owned by the postgraduate division, was transported to each course as needed. A local dental supply company made a temporary installation of a dental chair, rotary air instruments and evacu ating equipment. This operatory was in stalled in the same room as the students and afforded them the opportunity to view the total operation or the closeup on two 24-inch receivers. In February, 1963, the regional campus of the University cosponsored a six-week program at the Cambria County M em o rial Hospital in Johnstown, Pa. Twentyfive dentists participated. The T V camera was placed in dental operatories located on the second floor of the hospital. The students watched in a seminar room on the eighth floor. The group thought that a television installation either in the same room or nearby maintains more interest than one in a remote area. Early in 1964, cooperative arrange ments were made with the Veterans A d ministration to use hospital facilities in
GEORG E . . . VO LUM E 69, DECEMBER 1964 • 59/731
Fig. I • A t the Veterans A dm inistration H osp ital at Erie, Pa, are, left to right, W . A rth u r G eorge, director o f postgrad uate education, University of Pittsburgh, and C h e ste r W . Bixby, postgraduate coordinator in Erie; Lawrence C . Davis, director of V A Hospital, and Van T. M cK e e , chief of dental services, V A H ospital, Erie, Pa
Johnstown, Butler, Erie and Altoona for these programs. Twenty Erie dentists again led the way by participating in a six-weeks series at the Veterans Adminis tration Hospital there. With the fall, 1963, opening of branch campuses o f the University of Pittsburgh in Titusville and Bradford, Pa, the post graduate division launched courses for groups o f dentists in those cities. At the same time, a second course was developed for Johnstown. Interestingly, the Erie pro gram attracted dentists from Ohio and western New York, whereas the Bradford program drew dentists from Olean and Salamanca, NY. These first 18 months have provided much information for program directors of continuing education courses. The den tal profession makes rapid use of both basic and new technical knowledge, and it is now possible to transmit this infor mation on a student-teacher relationship to practitioners. A chief advantage of the programs is that they afford many dentists
Fig. 2 • A t the Veterans Adm inistration Hospital, Erie, Pa, program is filmed for closed-circuit television. C linician is Edm und A . Travaglini, chief of dental services, Leech Farm V A Hospital, Pittsburgh. R obert W . W ash ab a u gh , assistant pro fessor of prosthodontics, University o f Pittsburgh, operates TV cam era
the first real opportunity for continuous learning throughout their careers. A l though learning can be acquired through dental and other scientific journals, postgraduate and continuing education courses have these important advantages: 1. Dentists set aside a specific time for courses. 2. Travel to distant locations is un necessary. 3. Hotel expenses are eliminated. 4. Dentists enjoy taking the courses with their colleagues who live in the same community or within commuting dis tance. 5. Overall costs to the dentist are re duced. Unlike journals which contain diverse, subject matter, these courses treat a spe cific subject. The clinicians must keep abreast of the latest developments if the program is to be both attractive and bene ficial to the practicing dentists. This also increases the responsibilities of a dental school faculty who now teach undergrad uates, recent graduates and those who were graduated ten years ago or more. For the recent graduate, the course provides an excellent and timely opportunity to reinforce his undergraduate education. The range of subjects varies from “ bread and butter” courses to those cov ering a broad scope of material. A course offered by pharmacologists from the School of Pharmacy is an example. It covered the systems involved in drug ther
60/732 • THE JO U R N A L OF THE A M E R IC A N DENTAL A SSO C IA T IO N
Fig. 3 • J. C lifton Eselman, professor of radiology, lectures to postgraduate class at Bradford, Pa
apy and drug actions and reactions relat ing to local anesthetics and preoperative and postoperative therapy. Another course dealt with lesions of the face and oral cavity, their symptoms, causes and treat ment. Such courses are only a beginning because we have found that the dentists have asked for courses by the faculty of the departments of psychology, psychia try, English and statistics. This last de partment will teach “How To Read a Scientific Article.” In extension courses in off-campus pro grams, only the clinician must travel any great distance. The number of dentists, which varies from 15 to 25, are enrolled in the entire series and are known well in advance of the starting dates. The den tists are willing to attend these sessions as a part of their unscheduled office time and still have time to treat emergencies after course hours and to live at home and participate in community activities. Many dentists who never before attended courses in continuing education are en rolling and are enthusiastic about being back in school. It is not unusual for these
dentists to form small study clubs and ex change ideas at regular meetings during the rest of the year. Although most of the off-campus courses include illustrated lectures and T V demonstrations, some dentists find it advantageous to return to the University for participation courses. These courses at Pitt now are limited by lack of facilities but, when the building program at the School of Dentistry is completed, there will be a postgraduate area of 16 operatories, dental laboratories and seminar areas. After each series of programs, dentists receive a letter of recognition which indi cates the courses taken, the clinicians and the number of hours attended. These are usually given at a special seminar at tended by all the clinicians. The University believes that dentists who enroll on a continuing basis should receive recognition. It has formed the Postgraduate Scholars Association of the School of Dentistry. On completion of 100 hours, a dentist is considered a mem ber and is entitled to a 20 per cent reduc
G EORGE . . . VOLUME 69, DECEMBER 1964 • 61/733
tion in tuition; after 300 hours, he be comes a scholar, entitled to a 30 per cent reduction in tuition; after 500 hours, he becomes a fellow, entitled to 50 per cent reduction in tuition. These courses may also be applied for credit in the Academy of General Dentistry. So that continuing education programs may be encouraged at other universities, up to 30 per cent of these hours may be earned at universities other than Pitts burgh. All of this will be climaxed by the First Annual Scholars Day on September 23, 1964. Dentists will be invited to this oneday program to honor those who have achieved the title of member in a twoyear period. At the scientific program Bertram Kraus will speak on “ Growth and Development.” Later Edward J. For rest, dean of the School of Dentistry, will recognize the new members. What is the future for such programs? A 15-week program is too long because
the participants do not have the oppor tunity for a break in their busy schedules. Enrollment is higher if programs are not scheduled during the hunting season and good golfing weather. Programs have been conducted for two consecutive years at Erie and Johnstown, and the enthusiasm continues to be strong for a program for next year. The same is true at Titusville and Bradford. Other communities, such as Butler and Altoona, where Veterans Administration hospitals are located, are anxious to start, as is the University Regional Campus at Greensburg. Special arrangements can also be made for small groups of dentists who are organized as study groups. The scope of such a program is unlimited and, with the quick dissemination of current infor mation, the health of the entire popula tion of these areas will benefit. *Director, division of postgraduate education, Univer sity of Pittsburgh.
Change • T h e rapidity o f change in the past 50 years and its increasing rate literally suggests that w e are m oving toward an explosive clim ax where our ingenuity will outrun our wisdom. For a second time man may have partaken o f the apple o f the tree of knowledge before G od had prepared him for it. D evereu x Josephs, in T he High School in a N ew Era, Francis S. Chase and Harold A . Anderson, editors, 1958.