ACADEMIC DENTAL PUBLIC-HEALTH DIPLOMATES - THEIR DISTRIBUTION AND RECOMMENDATIONS CONCERNING THE PREDOCTORAL DENTAL PUBLIC-HEALTH FACULTY

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to assess the representation of academically based diplomates of the American Board of Dental Publ ic Health (ABDPH) and to identify their perceptions on the training of dental public health predoctoral faculty. Methods: Data were collecte d by a mailed, self-administered, 13-item questionnaire. The populatio n was the 48 diplomates of the ABDPH as of March 1997 associated with academic institutions. Results: Twenty of the 55 US dental schools had a diplomate of the ABDPH with a mean of 1.8 diplomates per school wit h a diplomate. An average of 4.5 full-time faculty members per school were associated with teaching dental public health. A master's degree in public health (MPH) was the most frequently suggested educational r equirement for dental public health faculty. Continuing education cour ses were training needs perceived for dental public health faculty. Th e lack of time, money, and incentives, along with perceived rigidity o f requirements for board certification, were reported as major barrier s for faculty becoming dental public health board certified. Conclusio ns: Numerous challenges confront the development of a strong dental pu blic health presence in US dental schools. These challenges include, a mong others, insufficient numbers of academic dental public health spe cialists and insufficient motivations to encourage promising candidate s to pursue specialty status.