Academic Dentistry as a Career Choice

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Academic Dentistry as a Career Choice

• Nicole Kimmes B.S., D.D.S.
• Assistant Professor of General Dentistry
• Creighton University Medical Center

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How did I get here?
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HOSMER
1997-2001
POPULATION 287
1993 - 1997 B.S.
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• Prior to graduation I began exploring dental
  career options.
• Education was the most appealing to me.
• Approaching faculty for advice helped me decide.
• I was offered a part-time position prior to
  graduation.

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• July 2001 July 2002
• Full-time private practice.
• Part-time Adjunct Instructor.
• Freshman and Sophomore laboratories, clinic.

My Path as an Educator
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• July 2002 July 2004
• Part-time private practice.
• Full-time Clinical Educator.
• More clinical contact time with students.
• July 2004 Present
• Part-time private practice.
• Full-time Assistant Professor.
• Added time for research and student mentoring.
• Director of Freshman Dental Materials lecture and
  laboratory course.

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My Weekly Schedule
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
AM
PM
Clinical faculty are expected to provide direct
patient care through a private practice setting.
This enables one to maintain and sharpen clinical
and communicative skills, refine new treatment
techniques, and test new materials which
subsequently, may be introduced into the teaching
program.
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Why Choose Education?

• Teaching is a way to give back to the profession.
• Opportunity to train future colleagues.
• Constant exposure to new knowledge, new
  scientific discoveries and new clinical
  techniques.
• Challenged every day by students who are very
  bright and very motivated.
• Encourages self-improvement.

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RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES

• It is the obligation of a university faculty
  person to advance the science in his/her field.
• Laboratory and clinical projects.
• Publication and presentation of research.
• Honolulu, Baltimore, Orlando
• Funding via grants.
• Judge at local forums.
• Dental supply companies.

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• Direct student contact
• Clinical contact time while students undergo
  direct patient care.
• Pre-clinical laboratories.
• Mentorship and advising students.
• Research mentorship.

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• Community service
• ILAC, Kids Explore, Special Olympics,
• Give Kids a Smile, One World Clinic
• Continuing Education
• On-site courses (often free of charge).
• Course instruction.
• Employee Benefits
• Position is salaried.
• Matching funds for retirement, paid vacation and
  paid sick time, health insurance, life insurance,
  malpractice insurance, tuition remission, and
  disability insurance.
• Additional income through lecturing,
  administering continuing education courses,
  writing educational materials.
• Peer contact.
• Consultation, discussion, decision making.
• Professional working environment.

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NATIONAL CRISIS

• There is currently a crisis in dental
  education/research related to faculty shortages.
• Currently 400 open dental faculty positions
  across the nation.
• Lack of young/new investigators to maintain the
  critical mass necessary to continue progress in
  the profession.
• More than 90 percent of vacancies are for
  full-time instructors.
• The largest number of vacancies is in
  general/restorative dentistry.

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PROBLEM WILL GET WORSE

• More than half of dental faculty members will
  reach retirement age in the next decade.
• 50 percent of all faculty are at least 50 years
  old.
• 20 percent are aged 60 and older.
• Estimate 1,300 open positions by the year 2010
  based on retirement projections.

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STUDENT DEBT

• Less than 1 dental students plan to immediately
  teach or conduct dental research.
• Debt affects student decisions to enroll in
  advanced dental education programswhich are
  likely sources of young faculty.
• In addition, the large debt from dental school is
  a leading reason for many students entering
  private practice instead of becoming educators.

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U.S. dental school seniors immediate practice
plans, 19802004
Annual ADEA Survey of Dental School Seniors 2004
Graduating Class Richard G. Weaver, D.D.S.
Jacqueline E. Chmar, B.A. N. Karl Haden, Ph.D.
Richard W. Valachovic, D.M.D., M.P.H. J Dent
Educ. 69(5) 595-619 2005
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Faculty Loan Repayment Program

• Financial incentive for degree-trained health
  professionals from disadvantaged backgrounds to
  pursue academic careers.
• Individuals selected agree to serve on the
  faculty of an accredited health professions
  college or university for a minimum of two years.
  
• In return, the Federal government agrees to pay,
  for each year of faculty service, up to 20,000
  of the outstanding principal and interest on the
  participant's educational loans.
• FLRP awards are electronic payments directly to
  the individual and are considered taxable income
  by the Internal Revenue Service. To offset this
  tax liability, FLRP makes additional payments
  equaling 39 percent of the Federal loan repayment
  award.
• http//bhpr.hrsa.gov/dsa/flrp/

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Extramural Loan Repayment Program for Clinical
Researchers

• The purpose of the Loan Repayment Program for
  Clinical Researchers is the recruitment and
  retention of highly qualified health
  professionals as clinical investigators.
• Provides for the repayment of up to 35,000 of
  the principal and interest of the educational
  loans for each year of obligated service.
• Payments equal to 39 percent of total loan
  repayments are issued to offset Federal tax
  liabilities incurred.
• Applicants must contractually agree to engage in
  clinical research for at least two years, and for
  at least 50 percent of their work schedule (not
  less than 20 hours per week based on a 40-hour
  work week).

http//www.nidcr.nih.gov
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CONCLUSION

• Academic dentistry entails a vast array of job
  excitement and variety.
• I encourage everyone to consider academic
  dentistry on either a full-time or part-time
  basis.
• I am available at the dental school to meet with
  anyone interested in discussing a career in
  academic dentistry.
• I can be reached at
• nsk_at_creighton.edu
• 280-5643
• General Dentistry Office 210