Academy Hosts 2005 Predoctoral Periodontal
Education Congress
On July 21 and 22, the Academy
hosted its first-ever Predoctoral
Periodontal Education Congress in
Chicago, Illinois. This landmark event
convened the predoctoral periodontal
program directors from
This ambitious initiative began in 2004
with a directive from the Education
Committee and the Board of Trustees.
As a first step, a survey was commissioned
earlier this year to uncover the
attitudes, impressions, spirit, and
opinions of predoctoral periodontal
directors regarding the state of predoctoral
periodontal education. “The final
report contained a great deal of interesting
findings,” said Dr. Paul Robertson,
chair of the Organizing Committee for
the Congress. “Although we have heard
a great deal of anecdotal information
over the years about the challenges in
predoc perio education, it was imperative
that the Academy hear from the
predoctoral educators themselves before
determining the topics to discuss during
the Congress,” he explained.
The final question in the predoctoral survey was: If you could change one thing about predoctoral periodontal education, what would it be? The responses primarily fell into three general categories: provide more resources; encourage interest in and create excitement for periodontics; and teach comprehensive dentistry. As a result, three topics were selected for discussion during the Congress. They included:
- Motivation and resources: Attracting faculty, students, and support
- The predoctoral clinic
- Curriculum content and delivery
A unique aspect of the Congress was that all participants had the opportunity to discuss all topics. During small group sessions, action items for the Academy and the educational system were identified for each discussion topic. During the closing plenary session, predoctoral periodontal directors prioritized the action items using an automated audience response system.
“We are very excited at the outcome of the Congress,” said Dr. Vincent J. Iacono, AAP president and chair of the periodontal department at SUNY Stony Brook. “The feedback we received is invaluable because the predoctoral periodontal directors—the people in the trenches every day—have identified the programs and services that will be most helpful to them. Everyone who participated came away with some great ideas to help them be even more successful.”
Dr. Regan Moore, predoctoral periodontal program director at the University of Louisville School of Dentistry (ULSD), agrees. “It was a great meeting,” he says. “I am currently reassessing the way we do things here at ULSD, but we’ll need to hurry in order to institute new things before the fall semester starts in mid-August.”
Several participants stated their appreciation for the Academy and the AAP Foundation’s support of this event. “We predoc directors sometimes feel that we are the forgotten soldiers in dental school politics,” stated Dr. David Weiner, predoctoral periodontal director at the University of Oklahoma College of Dentistry. “I am hopeful that many good things will evolve as a result of this Congress and look forward to similar productive gatherings in the future.” The proceedings of the Congress will be provided to dental school deans, Congress participants, and Academy leaders. The Academy’s Education Committee will evaluate the findings and develop an action plan for providing the priority resources identified during the Congress. A similar event focusing on the needs of postdoctoral periodontal education is planned for 2007.
For more information on the Predoctoral Periodontal
Education Congress, contact Carol Dingeldey,
Education and Liaison Director (telephone
Student/Educator Links
- Student Membership
- Careers in Periodontics
- In-Service Exam
- Periodontal Programs
- Dental Externships
- Scholarships/Grants
- Student Web Links
- Educator Web Links
- Perio Educators Portal
