Academic Dentistry as a Career Choice

Nicole Kimmes B.S., D.D.S.Assistant Professor of General DentistryCreighton University Medical Center

How did I get here?

1997-2001

1993 - 1997

B.S.

POPULATION: 287

HOSMER

• 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.

• July 2001 – July 2002:– Full-time private practice.– Part-time Adjunct Instructor.

• Freshman and Sophomore laboratories, clinic.

My Path as an Educator

• 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.

My Weekly Schedule

ClinicPrivate Practice

ClinicFreshman Course

Clinic

ResearchResearchPrivate Practice

Course Preparation

ClinicMonday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

PM

AM

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.

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.

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.

• Direct student contact:– Clinical contact time while students undergo

direct patient care.– Pre-clinical laboratories.– Mentorship and advising students.– Research mentorship.

• Community service:– ILAC, Kid’s Explore, Special Olympics,

Give Kid’s 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.

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.

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.

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 programs—which 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.

U.S. dental school seniors’ immediate practice plans, 1980–2004

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

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/

Faculty Loan Repayment Program

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

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@creighton.edu• 280-5643• General Dentistry Office 210