Recommendations for remaining agile in the face of a dental faculty workforce shortage

Abstract

Purpose: Dental education is facing a faculty workforce shortage. Lack of preparation risks faculty, student, and staff morale and is an impediment to institutional growth and innovation. Administrators and faculty must consider strategies to better prepare for, and be successful within, a faculty shortage environment. Methods: We review strategies utilized by health professional institutions that have confronted faculty workforce shortages. Results: These strategies were grouped into four domains reflecting the organizational units that typically direct and initiate change within dental education institutions: budget and finance, human resources, organizational structure, and curricular structure. Recommendations using a four-pronged approach based on these domains have been developed for remaining agile in the face of a faculty workforce shortage. Conclusions: Local needs assessments and strategic planning are the first steps in highlighting institutional strengths and identifying gaps within each of the domains. Faculty development and retention efforts, as well as increasing curricular efficiencies, are essential for success across all domains.