Editorial - Saudi Dental Journal

ISSN (Print) 1013-9052
EISSN 1658-3558

The Saudi Dental Journal,
P.O. Box 52500,
Riyadh 11563,
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Tel.	966-1-467-7328
Fax.	933-1-467-7308 / 966-1-467-7534
Email	saudidj@ksu.edu.sa

Editorial

The Qualities Of An Exemplary Dental Educator

The unprecedented closing of six dental schools in the United States during the past several years has resulted in an over-supply of experienced dental academicians. Committees on faculty rank and appointments find themselves sifting through stacks of resumes to fill new positions or determine academic promotion and tenure, and the difficult search for the exemplary educator continues.
While there are many attributes that will be found in a good teacher, there are three fundamental qualities that must be present. The "exemplary teacher" must have an in-depth knowledge of the material to be taught, a sincere interest in teaching and a talent for teaching.
An in-depth knowledge assumes profound learning that is well beyond what is studied in a basic dental curriculum. The good educator has advanced training in the discipline taught. Teachers in a recognized specialty should have formal, advanced education in that specialty as well as extensive clinical experience. "Knowledge" combines textbook information with practical experience. The proficient educator must also be a continuous student himself who regularly updates knowledge and clinical skills. Textbook information alone is deficient and cannot provide in-depth knowledge; the educator can not teach what he does not know.
An interest in teaching is another indispensable quality. Knowledge alone is useless if the educator has little interest in sharing it with friends. The involved teacher will have patience and empathy for the student balanced with an appreciation for the health and well- being of the patient. Neither student nor patient should be abused to satisfy anyone's ego. The teacher's primary focus must be on imparting knowledge and skills to the student while ensuring quality treatment for the patient.
The final fundamental quality is a talent for teaching. The educator's goal is NOT to make the information as complicated as possible to impress students or colleagues. On the contrary, the talented teacher has the ability to structure lectures and demonstrations to simplify complex topics. The talented teacher will develop a concise, organized teaching style that will encourage students to understand and retain important information, without burdening them with unimportant subject matter.
The topic of publications is often mentioned when discussing the good teacher, and one can assume that any good educator will have some scholarly activities. However, the most prolific publisher or perceptive researcher is NOT necessarily a good educator. The role of research and publications in dental education is important albeit unrelated to actual teaching, and the number of publications alone is a poor determinant of a teacher's quality.
Currently, dental schools have an over abundance of teachers and teacher candidates. Unfortunately, exemplary educators are in short supply.

Steven M. Morgano, DMD
Diplomate, American Board of Prosthodontics
Advisory Board Member