Retention and recruitment of general dentists in an adjunct teaching model—A pilot study

Abstract

Purpose/ObjectivesRetention and recruitment of part time clinical adjunct faculty members in dental education is becoming increasingly difficult as dental schools come to rely on this workforce for their increased involvement in clinical education. Contributing factors include full time faculty shortage, aging workforce, practice and student debt, practice and family commitments, and financial compensation. This study attempts to ascertain barriers to teaching so appropriate strategies can be formulated to address this issue.MethodsIn the spring of 2016 an email survey was sent to current and former adjunct faculty members to ascertain demographics and retention and recruitment strategies. Descriptive analyses were completed for all variables in the sample.ResultsTwenty nine of forty six subjects responded to the survey with a response rate of 63%. Subjects over the age of sixty comprised 55% with only 17% being under the age of forty five. Overall family and practice commitments along with compensation were the primary barriers to teaching part time. For new dentists, student loan debt was the primary barrier to teaching. Travel to teach was also a barrier as 70% of respondents drove 200 miles or less to the dental school.ConclusionThe study demonstrated that the aging part time work force is a great concern and new part time clinical adjunct faculty members must be recruited. Barriers to recruitment and retention of faculty must be considered and addressed to sustain this teaching model.

Challenges in clinical teaching investigated: Towards sustainable staff recruitment and retention in dentistry

“…In the current study, 56% of the participants indicated that they received remuneration of more than $400 per day which is similar to the 54% reported by Howe et al . Only 26% of dentist PPFs, compared to all dental therapist and dental hygienist PPFs, indicated that they were paid less than $400 per day.…”

“…The main reason given for reduced interest in clinical teaching in the current study was lack of support and encouragement from the The school could provide more support to increase the opportunities for PPFs to study postgraduation or to involve them in academic In the current study, 56% of the participants indicated that they received remuneration of more than $400 per day which is similar to the 54% reported by Howe et al 9 Only 26% of dentist…”

“…The hard copy questionnaire distributed individually and explaining the objectives of the survey resulted in a 95% response rate which was relatively high compared to similar surveys conducted amongst healthcare professionals . A great effort was made to maintain the anonymity of survey participants, which may have helped most participants to comment in‐depth regarding the motivations and barriers to clinical teaching.…”

“…Concerns regarding pay scale were extensively mentioned in the current study, most frequently by dentist and dental specialist PPFs. Remuneration is also a common concern for clinical teaching staff in the literature . One of the main barriers reported for recent graduates to take up their role was student debt, as they perceived their earning potential was lower at the School.…”

“…Remuneration is also a common concern for clinical teaching staff in the literature. 9,13,14 One of the main barriers reported for recent graduates to take up their role was student debt, as they perceived their earning potential was lower at the School. The NZ student loan scheme annual report (2014) indicated that the median repay- In addition to practice and family commitments, increased workload due to a shortage of staff was reported as a main barrier to continue clinical teaching.…”