by Susan Griffith

Case Western Reserve University's School of Dentistry received the accreditation status of approval without recommendations-the highest accreditation status from the American Dental Association's Commission of Dental Accreditation in its seven-year review process.

The high approval came with 16 commendations where the dental school exceeded the commission's basic standards in both its undergraduate and postgraduate programs.

A team from the accreditation commission composed of outstanding educators from around the country, making a site visit last November, examined standards in the area of institutional effectiveness, education programs, educational support services, faculty and staff, quality of faculty and staff, patient care services and research programs.

A school can receive one of three standings-the approval without recommendations, the approval with recommendations or no accreditation status.

The report generated excitement around the dental school that was bouncing back from a problematic review in 1995.

Through a strategic plan developed in 1996 and refined in 2000, the dental school faculty rallied and moved forward over the past seven years to establish 43 action steps to improve the school.

Jerold Goldberg, dean of the dental school, said the school implemented all but three steps in their plan.

Some of those actions included:

• Reinstating a research program that will benefit the dental profession and society
• Increasing faculty from 27 full-time faculty members to 42 and 16 half-time members to 32
• Instituting a sound financial plan
• Upgrading public waiting areas and the endodontics, periodontics, orthodontics, oral surgery and admitting clinical areas as well as opening a new pediatric dental clinic within a hospital setting
• Continued improvements to its preceptor program that brings in community dentists as mentors for the third- and fourth-year dental students in the clinics
• Curriculum changes that included increased practice management courses on the business aspects of dentistry and new simulator dental education technology that refines the skills of students while increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of teaching
• Expanding community outreach programs

"What I find exciting about the review is that the faculty, instead of taking a breather, has the energy and commitment to use the accreditation as a springboard to take the next step in becoming one of the most elite dental schools in the country," says Goldberg.

Marsha Pyle, associate dean of academic affairs at the dental school, oversaw the review and compiled "box loads" of necessary documents and reports needed by the accreditation team during its visit.

She credits Goldberg's leadership and the vision of the faculty that resulted in "significant improvements that strengthened our program."

Pyle adds that part of that plan was to look at how the mission of the dental school fits into the overall mission of the University, which has a goal to become the most powerful learning environment with experiential learning components.

Service to the community also is part of that mission. The dental school has incorporated learning with service through its ground-floor dental clinics that offer access to discounted dental care. It also has a school-based dental sealant program where first-year students have the opportunity to work with second and sixth grade students in the Cleveland Public Schools.

"Clearly it's premature to say that we are the most powerful learning environment, but we have powerful elements in our learning environment," states Goldberg.

 

Return to the online edition of the 7-24-03 Campus News.

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