Staff
| Associate Executive Director and Director |
Jeanne Sinkford, D.D.S., Ph.D. |
| Associate Director |
W. David Brunson, D.D.S. |
| Director of Program Services |
Ms. Sonja Harrison |
| Program Assistant |
Ms. Cassandra Allen |
About the ADEA Center for Equity and Diversity
The ADEA Center for Equity and Diversity (CED) supports the advancement of women and minority initiatives, access, diversity, and related activities of the Association. CED has the following objectives:
promote the advancement of women and minorities in dental education;
endeavor to improve recruitment and retention of underrepresented minorities at academic dental institutions;
promote the value of diversity in health policy development and advocacy; and
foster alliances and leverage resources to promote and sustain diversity initiatives.
Activities
ADEA/W.K. Kellogg Minority Dental Faculty Development Grant
This six-year, $2.4 million grant will allow dental schools to create formal mentoring programs, academic partnerships, and community-based practices and projects to attract, nurture, and support the development of underrepresented minority senior predoctoral dental students, postgraduate dental students, and junior faculty to become dental school faculty members.
ADEA/W.K. Kellogg Access to Dental Careers Grant
This four-year, $1.1 million grant provides direct educational assistance to predoctoral and postdoctoral students. The grant is expected to increase minority student recruitment and retention. It is being administered by ADEA in collaboration with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation grant: Pipeline, Profession, and Practice.
Summer Medical and Dental Education Program (SMDEP)
This Robert Wood Johnson Foundation grant is a joint activity between ADEA and the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). Under this program, ADEA and AAMC will work closely with medical and dental schools to diversify the medical and dental pipelines. Grantees will develop and implement six-week academic enrichment programs for qualified undergraduate college students who are strong advocates for diversity or who come from groups that are underrepresented in dentistry and medicine. Dr. Brunson serves as deputy director for this $18.4 million dollar project that is being implemented over a four-year period, 2005-2009.
William J. Gies Award for Leadership Development Program for Diversity Officers
This $10,000 award will support a Leadership Development Program for Diversity Officers in U.S. Dental Schools. The target audience as originally planned would be two administrators from each dental school, including diversity officers, deans, department chairs and/or program directors. The format and concept are undergoing revision to expand participation and increase funding for this minority leadership development program.
Collaborate with ADA for Minority Student Recruitment and Retention
The American Dental Association (ADA) has established a new Ad Hoc Committee on Diversity to attract qualified underrepresented minorities into dentistry. Dr. Sinkford has been appointed to this committee. The mission of this new committee is to coordinate the efforts of the Hispanic Dental Association, the National Dental Association, the Society of American Indian Dentists, ADEA, and the ADA, to enhance diversity of the dental school applicant pool.
Women Liaison Officers (WLOs)
This program was instituted to improve the academic environment for female faculty, staff, and students. Major activities of WLOs include mentoring, networking, and information exchange. There are now WLOs in 54 of the U.S. dental schools.
Academic Dental Careers Fellowship Program (ADCFP)
This $100,000 program is being implemented with funding from the American Dental Association Foundation to ADEA and the American Association of Dental Research. ADCFP provides a national recruitment effort reaching all U.S. and Canadian dental schools. The program offers students an opportunity to experience the benefits and rewards of teaching through seminars, fellowships, and mentor training. ADCFP identifies dental students interested in pursuing academic careers. Dr. Brunson coordinates this fellowship program.
Women’s Health in the Dental School Curriculum
The Office of Research on Women’s Health (ORWH) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), in cooperation with the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and the USPHS, is fulfilling a congressional mandate related to women’s health in the medical school curricula. The medical school curriculum report was released in 1995. ADEA received funding for this survey from HRSA and NIH/ORWH. The 1998 report produced comparable data for women’s health in dental schools. This landmark report highlighted dental curriculum gaps with regard to women’s health. It continues to serve as the basis for activities such as the Women’s Oral Health Competencies Project (Judith Skelton/University of Kentucky) and Women’s Oral Health, Dental Clinics of North America, July 2001 (Deborah Studen Pavlovich, former Enid A. Neidle Scholar).
Regional Workshops for Predental Advisors at Annual Session
Preprofessional advisors from feeder schools are invited to participate in this unique opportunity to meet with dental school admissions officers to share information of mutual interests and to enhance the knowledge base of advisors with regard to changing trends, opportunities, and challenges affecting dental education. These workshops are held annually and in tandem with the ADEA Annual Session and Exhibition.
Networking Activities
The ADEA Center for Equity and Diversity coordinates networking activities with professional associations focusing on diversity, access, and equity, such as:
AAMC/50 other organizations—Health Professionals for Diversity Coalition
National Association of Medical Minority Educators (NAMME)—enhance membership
National Dental Association—MAS liaison activities/NDA Faculty Symposium and Awards Program
Hispanic Dental Association—resource for student applicant/enrollment data/recruitment
Indian Health Service—Friends and Educational Programming
American Association of Women Dentists—student/WLO groups
American Council on Education—Office of Women in Higher Education (OWHE)
ADEA Resolution Regarding Cultural and Linguistic Competency
In April 2000, the ADEA House of Delegates approved the Cultural and Linguistic Competency Policy Statement submitted by the Minority Affairs Advisory Committee: “All dental education institutions should include cultural and linguistic concepts as an integral component of their curricula to facilitate the provision of oral health care services.” This policy is increasingly important to diverse academic environments and treatment outcomes.
Support of Legislative Agenda and Advocacy
The Minority Affairs Advisory Committee (MAAC) will contribute to the ADEA Legislative Agenda with regard to federal minority program initiatives. The ADEA Legislative Agenda is crucial to minority student recruitment and retention, student assistance, Disadvantaged Faculty Loan Repayment, NIH Supplements, and other federal initiatives.
Women’s Leadership Program Networking
In addition to programs sponsored by ADEA, members are encouraged to participate in highly competitive programs that present leadership training options:
Executive Leadership for Academic Medicine (ELAM)
HERS Summer Institute
American Council on Education Fellow Programs
SELAM Continuing Education Program
AXXS (Advancement of Women in Science) Program
WHIN (Women’s Health Information Network)
The WHIN is the outgrowth of the First International Women’s Leadership Conference in 1998. WHIN is expected to provide women’s health/oral health information using computing technologies that link with other women’s health data resources such as the National Women’s Health Resource Center. The funding for program planning is from The Procter & Gamble Company.
Opportunities for Minority Students in U.S. Dental Schools (OMSUSDS)
CED assists in preparation of this companion to the ADEA Official Guide to Dental Schools. OMSUSDS is the only publication designed to attract minority students to careers in dentistry. This unique resource guide contains information of interest to minority students for all dental schools, as well as a listing of additional information sources and profiles of minority dentists.
ADEA/Pfizer Inc./Enid A. Neidle Scholar-in-Residence Program for Women
This fellowship provides the opportunity for a female faculty member to spend a cumulative three-month period in the ADEA Office working on gender-related issues that have personal and professional benefits. CED coordinates the selection of scholars and plans and implements the residency experience. The program was established in 1994 and is now funded by Pfizer Consumer Healthcare, Pfizer Inc.
ADEA/ADEA Council of Students/VitalSource Technologies, Inc. Junior Faculty Award
This award recognizes outstanding junior faculty who demonstrate excellence in teaching, research, and service, and a commitment to dental education. The $2,500 award is used to enhance the recipient’s teaching and research and service efforts. CED coordinates the process for implementation and selection of the faculty award. The award was established in 2004 by the ADEA Council of Students and is funded by VitalSource Technologies, Inc.
Programs and Conferences
Women Administrators’ Breakfast
This annual event provides a networking opportunity for women administrators who are attending the ADEA Deans’ Conference. Gender-related issues continue to be the basis for these informal sessions that began in 1991 from a recommendation made by the Women’s Affairs Advisory Committee (WAAC).
ADEA Diversity and Access to Dental Careers Conference
These conferences provide a forum for the exchange of ideas, recommendations, and actions that will support the efforts of dental schools to attract qualified underrepresented minority students and faculty. These conferences are held every other year and are sponsored by The Procter & Gamble Company.
ADEA International Women’s Leadership Conference
This is a global professional experience for all dental educators, practitioners, and researchers who educate, mentor, and work with women. The conference includes nationally and internationally renowned speakers, informative workshops, and interactive sessions and is designed to foster global alliances and deliver leadership strategies that women can use to improve oral health and overall health in their communities throughout the world. The conferences are sponsored by ADEA with cosponsors from major dental associations and major financial support from The Procter & Gamble Company.
The first International Women’s Leadership Conference (IWLC) was held in Cannes, France, June 1998, and the Second IWLC was held in Göteborg, Sweden, June 2003. The third IWLC was held in Montreal, Canada, in August 2005.
Support Services
ADEA Member Institution Support
Supports Member Institutions in their programs relating to women, minorities, access, and diversity by assisting in planning and identifying available resources.
ADEA Section on Minority Affairs
Provides support for the group’s program planning, research, and other interests.
ADEA Council of Students
Provides staff liaison for this group’s program and other activities.
ADEA Council of Deans
Provides staff liaison for this group’s program and other activities.
Resources/Services
CED provides information concerning minority grants, such as Health Careers Opportunity Program (HCOP), Centers of Excellence (COEs), and minority faculty fellowship program; data for legislative support and ADEA testimony; and women and minority resource information concerning health and education.
Administrator Rosters
CED maintains, updates annually, and distributes the following rosters to U.S. dental school deans and individual members for networking purposes:
Women Dental Department Chairs
Minority Affairs Directors at U.S. Dental Schools
Dental Hygiene Department Chairs/Directors in U.S. Dental Schools
Women Deans/Associate and Assistant Deans
Advisory Committees
Two advisory committees appointed by the ADEA Board of Directors oversee the programs, progress, and resources of CED: Women’s Affairs Advisory Committee (WAAC) and Minority Affairs Advisory Committee (MAAC). These committees report to the ADEA Board of Directors.
Inquiries
| Academic Dental Careers Fellowship Program |
Dr. Brunson |
| CED policies and programs |
Dr. Sinkford
|
| ADEA Council of Deans |
Dr. Sinkford |
| Conferences and meetings |
Ms. Harrison
|
| ADEA Council of Students — Pfizer Inc./Enid A. Neidle Program for Women |
Dr. Sinkford |
| Summer Medical and Dental Education Program |
Dr. Brunson |