Faculty Bibliography

Research on human learning has shown that repeated retrieval practice or self-testing maximizes learning. However, recent studies have found undergraduate students to be largely unaware of the benefits of self-testing. The aim of this study was to examine dental students' study strategies and utilization of retrieval techniques for learning. All second-year dental students at New York University College of Dentistry were invited to participate. Of the total 360 students, 66 completed the two-question survey, for a response rate of 18.3%. The first question asked students to choose from a list of twelve study strategies the ones they used and to rank their top five in order of personal preference. Repeated reading was the most frequently used strategy with 83.3% of students reporting that they used it and 43.9% naming it as their top strategy. Of these students, 45.5% indicated that they self-tested while studying, but none indicated it was their number one strategy. The second question asked students how they would study after reading a textbook chapter for the first time. They were asked to choose one option from three possibilities: going back and restudying, self-testing (with the possibility of restudying afterward), or some other strategy. On this question, 25.8% chose restudying, 45.5% chose self-testing, and 28.8% indicated they would use another study strategy. Thus, 54.6% of the students reported they would not test themselves after reading a textbook chapter. Of those who chose self-testing, only seven students indicated they would do so to improve learning. The results of this study suggest that the students lacked sufficient awareness of the superiority of self-testing for learning.

This pilot study sought to determine whether New York University College of Dentistry's online tutorial on domestic violence is effective for dental students poised to embark on their professional careers. The modular program is based on the RADAR model developed by the Massachusetts Medical Society. RADAR stands for Routinely screen, Ask direct questions, Document findings, Assess patient safety, and Review options and refer as indicated. An objective and validated measure, the Physician Readiness to Manage Intimate Partner Violence Survey (PREMIS), was given pre- and post-tutorial to determine whether it impacted senior dental students' knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors about intimate partner violence. Study participants were twenty-five senior dental students (7 percent of a class of 358) who had not received didactic instruction in domestic violence for over two years. A quasi-experimental research design was utilized. Data analysis indicated statistically significant improvements in composite scale scores on the PREMIS Perceived Preparation, Perceived Knowledge, and Actual Knowledge sections. There was a statistically significant improvement on the self-efficacy and constraint opinion scales. The other six opinion scale scores showed improved but not statistically significant scores. This online tutorial was found to be effective in increasing the participants' perceived preparation, knowledge, and self-efficacy and decreasing perceptions of provider constraints in managing victims of intimate partner violence.

Many, if not most, dental faculty members have not received formal training to be educators. However, the importance of faculty development programs in improving teaching skills, fostering career development, and reinforcing relationships with colleagues and mentors has increasingly been acknowledged. In 2005, the Excellence in Clinical Teaching Program at New York University College of Dentistry (NYUCD) was created to enhance the clinical teaching skills of NYUCD faculty members. As of spring 2009, fifty-nine faculty members had participated in eight separate cohorts. The program consists of five formal group sessions supplemented by readings, reflection papers, and a final project. This study examined the short- and long-term effectiveness of the program. Participants were asked to complete a short pre-program survey to self-assess their teaching abilities and, at the last session, a satisfaction survey. In fall 2011, forty-eight faculty members who completed the program from spring 2005 to fall 2009 and were actively teaching at least one session a week at NYUCD were asked to complete a follow-up survey asking about the long-term value of the program and their academic career progression since program completion. Thirty-three faculty members responded for a response rate of 69 percent. Ninety-seven percent of the respondents indicated they would recommend the program to their colleagues, 94 percent said program participation led to a greater likelihood of conferring with peers about teaching issues,79 percent had increased their teaching responsibilities, and 62 percent said that presenting the final project improved their presentation skills. In addition, the retention rate of those still teaching at the school (81 percent) exceeds national retention rate averages for dental faculty. This follow-up study suggests that participation in the Excellence in Clinical Teaching Program is associated with meaningful professional growth.

INTRODUCTION: The formal preparation of dental professionals for teaching is increasingly seen as essential to enhance teacher effectiveness and student learning and to promote curricular initiatives. As a result, many dental schools have implemented a variety of faculty development programming. There is a body of literature that describes these programmes, but there is limited rigorous evaluation of them. The use of multiple measures of evaluation helps to compensate for potential inadequacies of individual methods. Analyses with multiple measures provide a more comprehensive view of whether a programme is achieving its learning outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A dental faculty development programme, Class Advanced Clinical Teaching Scholars (ACTS), at New York University College of Dentistry (NYUCD) was evaluated with four different measures: pre- and post-programme tests of participants' level of relevant pedagogical knowledge, pre- and post-programme objective structured teaching examinations (OSTEs), pre- and post-programme self-assessments of teaching abilities and post-programme participant satisfaction surveys. Two of the measures used a comparison group of faculty. RESULTS: Results revealed that the Class ACTS participants significantly improved their knowledge; observed teaching performance in most teaching domains tested showed significant improvement; there was no significant change in self-assessed teaching abilities after participation; and the course was viewed positively by the participants. CONCLUSION: Class ACTS, an advanced dental faculty development course, has been successfully implemented and evaluated with the use of multiple measures.

This qualitative research study identified criteria for clinical teacher quality preferences as perceived by dental students. Third and fourth year dental students at New York University College of Dentistry were given a two question, open-ended survey asking what qualities they liked most and least in a clinical teacher. Responses were collected until data saturation was achieved. A total of 157 respondents provided a total of 995 written comments. Descriptive words within the responses were coded and grouped into key words, according to similar relationships, and further refined into 17 defined categories. Three core themes, Character, Competence and Communication, emerged from these 17 categories, which were validated according to specific references found in the existing educational literature. 'Character' comprised nine of the 17 defined categories: (caring, motivation, empathy, patience, professionalism, available, fairness, happiness, patient-centred) and yielded 59.1% of total student responses; 'Competence' consisted of five categories: knowledgeable, expertise, efficient, skilful, effective (29.2%); and 'Communication' represented the remaining three categories: feedback, approachable and interpersonal communication (11.7%). Positive and negative responses related to the defined category of caring were cited by 59.2% of all students. Motivation was the next highest category, cited by 45.9% of students. Non-cognitive attributes, especially those in the Character theme, comprised the majority of student comments. Because students' perceptions are so critical to understanding clinical teaching effectiveness in dental education, these findings can be used to develop assessments to measure clinical teaching effectiveness, to create criteria for the hiring and promotion of clinical faculty and to plan faculty development programming.