- Email: [email protected]
Research and clinical care: Maintaining the balance
Vol. 80 No. 6
December 1995
EDITORIAL
R e s e a r c h and clinical care: M a i n t a i n i n g the b a l a n c e The past decade has been one of increasing emphasis for providing research experiences in the predoctoral dental curriculum. The importance of generating professionals who will become committed to lifetime learning seems crucial in an age of enhanced access to information and advances in technologies that directly impact the dental profession. Certainly, student exposure to basic research methods can contribute to this educational goal. One of the most appealing facets of medical and dental professional education is the opportunity to apply these concepts toward the improvement of public health through a "hands on" relationship with patients. However, many have recently become concerned over the potential inequitable redirection of our limited resources (time, personnel, and funding) away from clinical training. These trends in many institutions have largely occurred as the result of external factors. Compounding this problem has been the haze surrounding health care funding, health maintenance, and preferred provider organizations. As these inevitable changes impact dental education, it will be crucial for clinically oriented faculty to make a significant effort to familiarize their respective administrations with the importance of technical as well as academic excellence. Although most of us recognize the importance of research and development in our profession, we are obligated as dentists to maintain an appropriate balance between each during the. education of our professional descendants. The perception that traditional faculty can somehow be degenerated into two categories, "thinkers and workers," or "researcher/teachers and clinician teacher/service providers," seems shortsighted. Assurances that issues relating to employment security and equitable salaries in nontenure track clinician-service "faculty" will simply fall into place are difficult to accept. In such a climate, the potential for generating a more profound polarization than already exists between some faculties will be difficult to avoid. To hear some go on to speak of eventually relegating the technical aspects of dentistry to some form of
expanded duty technician seems ill-advised and only serves to deepen the wedge forming between science and its necessary relationship with the art of dental practice. It is also a troubling sign that younger promising dental faculty who desire to pursue clinical excellence in service and teaching are finding it increasingly difficult to remain in full-time academic appointments when traditional tenure policies are being replaced by nontenure clinical track positions. Administrators must be encouraged to consider the public's desire to support and to access a population of welltrained professionals who are equipped to provide expert clinical care. This will only be possible if dental programs can continue to attract and retain dentists committed to clinical excellence integrated with their counterparts who possess primary research interest. The goal of predoctoral dental education must continue to be defined by dentists lest our mission insidiously be modified by external special interests. During m y tenure as a section editor for the Oral Diagnosis Section, the JOURNAL at large has undergone some necessary growing pains, all of which have promised to ensure its continued recognition and excellence. As the sponsor of the Oral Diagnosis Section, The Organization of Teachers of Oral Diagnosis plans to integrate this section with the Oral Medicine Section. Within the forum of the new combined section, the readership is encouraged to continue to submit educationally related articles for review. I wish to express a sincere appreciation to the section's editorial board, the other section editors, editors in chief, and Mosby staff for their past support and overall efforts in maintaining ORAL SURGERY, O R A L MEDICINE, O R A L PATHOLOGY, ORAL RADIOLOGY, AND ENDODONTICS as one of
the most widely circulated, comprehensive, and respected international journals of the dental profession.
Pete G. Fotos, DDS, PhD Professor, University of Iowa College of Dentistry 619
December 1995
EDITORIAL
R e s e a r c h and clinical care: M a i n t a i n i n g the b a l a n c e The past decade has been one of increasing emphasis for providing research experiences in the predoctoral dental curriculum. The importance of generating professionals who will become committed to lifetime learning seems crucial in an age of enhanced access to information and advances in technologies that directly impact the dental profession. Certainly, student exposure to basic research methods can contribute to this educational goal. One of the most appealing facets of medical and dental professional education is the opportunity to apply these concepts toward the improvement of public health through a "hands on" relationship with patients. However, many have recently become concerned over the potential inequitable redirection of our limited resources (time, personnel, and funding) away from clinical training. These trends in many institutions have largely occurred as the result of external factors. Compounding this problem has been the haze surrounding health care funding, health maintenance, and preferred provider organizations. As these inevitable changes impact dental education, it will be crucial for clinically oriented faculty to make a significant effort to familiarize their respective administrations with the importance of technical as well as academic excellence. Although most of us recognize the importance of research and development in our profession, we are obligated as dentists to maintain an appropriate balance between each during the. education of our professional descendants. The perception that traditional faculty can somehow be degenerated into two categories, "thinkers and workers," or "researcher/teachers and clinician teacher/service providers," seems shortsighted. Assurances that issues relating to employment security and equitable salaries in nontenure track clinician-service "faculty" will simply fall into place are difficult to accept. In such a climate, the potential for generating a more profound polarization than already exists between some faculties will be difficult to avoid. To hear some go on to speak of eventually relegating the technical aspects of dentistry to some form of
expanded duty technician seems ill-advised and only serves to deepen the wedge forming between science and its necessary relationship with the art of dental practice. It is also a troubling sign that younger promising dental faculty who desire to pursue clinical excellence in service and teaching are finding it increasingly difficult to remain in full-time academic appointments when traditional tenure policies are being replaced by nontenure clinical track positions. Administrators must be encouraged to consider the public's desire to support and to access a population of welltrained professionals who are equipped to provide expert clinical care. This will only be possible if dental programs can continue to attract and retain dentists committed to clinical excellence integrated with their counterparts who possess primary research interest. The goal of predoctoral dental education must continue to be defined by dentists lest our mission insidiously be modified by external special interests. During m y tenure as a section editor for the Oral Diagnosis Section, the JOURNAL at large has undergone some necessary growing pains, all of which have promised to ensure its continued recognition and excellence. As the sponsor of the Oral Diagnosis Section, The Organization of Teachers of Oral Diagnosis plans to integrate this section with the Oral Medicine Section. Within the forum of the new combined section, the readership is encouraged to continue to submit educationally related articles for review. I wish to express a sincere appreciation to the section's editorial board, the other section editors, editors in chief, and Mosby staff for their past support and overall efforts in maintaining ORAL SURGERY, O R A L MEDICINE, O R A L PATHOLOGY, ORAL RADIOLOGY, AND ENDODONTICS as one of
the most widely circulated, comprehensive, and respected international journals of the dental profession.
Pete G. Fotos, DDS, PhD Professor, University of Iowa College of Dentistry 619