CSPD Foundation's Fifth Year News and Articles: 2005-2006

Winter 2006

President's Message

Richard Sobel, D.D.S.  

First, let me thank so many of you for upgrading your level of contribution to our Foundation to that of Life Member. Our percentage of Life Members now far exceeds those of most professional Foundations. We have widespread support from the members of CSPD and we are especially pleased to acknowledge many gifts from newer, younger members of our organization and specialty. This percentage and level of participation is critically important, since we are currently defining the parameters of projects which will require financial support from outside of our membership. Among those are substantially larger Research and Dental Educator Fellowship Development Grants.  

Also in the near future our Foundation will be soliciting proposals for a number of smaller grants within our newly structured postdoctoral student and faculty research presentation awards and a mentoring grant that targets pre or postdoctoral students with an interest in pediatric dental education. These will be announced by communications with each pediatric dental department and in highlighted articles on our website and upcoming issues of this Bulletin.  

I am very pleased to report that our collaboration with CSPD and funding for the Online Education Project has resulted in an excellent program with many useful continuing education hours of material presented by fine educators. If you have not yet visited that portion of the CSPD website, I recommend that you make an exploratory journey in that direction. We know that this is the type of project that aids our members and encourages further alliances between CSPD and our Foundation. 

Congratulations to Loma Linda University pediatric dental post-doctoral students for helping to re-initiate their predoctoral student group. We are committed to the continued support of these very active groups in all of our California schools and pleased to see our format imitated by the AAPD throughout the country. The advice and mentorship provided not only stimulate interest in pediatric dentistry, but also encourage students to consider academic involvement following graduation. We are seeing a larger number of dental students entering our important specialty, helping to resolve the access and practice voids within California.  

With the Foundation's development of new projects and the expansion of charges to our Board, I am calling upon more CSPD members to participate in our committees and support groups. We need your expertise and your opinions. Please contact me, or any other Board member, to discuss these opportunities.  

Lastly, I wish to remind you that we have an excellent speaker for the 2006 Foundation Continuing Education Program. Robin Wright is a dynamic communicator who is very knowledgeable about pediatric dentistry. This course will help improve your teaching and communicative skills, be they with students or associates; or with the parents and children within your practice. Don't miss her presentation. Details are in this section of the Bulletin and on our Website.  

Our entire Board looks forward to seeing you in Indian Wells or to speaking with you prior to the CSPD Annual Meeting. Our Foundation is already having an impact and we are gradually seeing an increase in the number of new pediatric dental educators in California. But we still have a long way to go. Thank you again for your current and continuing support.  

Fall 2005

President's Message

Richard Sobel, D.D.S.  

At about the time that you are reading this Bulletin, you will be receiving a request for support of our Foundation through its Annual Giving Campaign. Your contributions are directly related to our ability to promote and support academically oriented projects at all of our dental schools. In addition, by demonstrating a broad-based and generous, support from CSPD, we are able to go beyond our membership to seek outside funding for more substantial and very appropriate projects.  

All of us understand the importance of our specialty and its place both in caring for children and training dental students. However this is often minimized, or even ignored, by government agencies and universities who do not see us as a specialty solving access issues for children, nor bringing in the extra funds needed by our dental schools. We need to be a strong force behind our university and hospital pediatric dental departments, through direct involvement in a faculty position and/or financial support for our educational projects  

All of us understand the importance of our specialty and its place both in caring for children and training dental students. However this is often minimized, or even ignored, by government agencies and universities who do not see us as a specialty solving access issues for children, nor bringing in the extra funds needed by our dental schools. We need to be a strong force behind our university and hospital pediatric dental departments, through direct involvement in a faculty position and/or financial support for our educational projects  

I have been asked to clarify the roles of our Foundation and its relationship to CSPD, our professional society. The CSPD Foundation is a non-profit organization structured to accept tax-deductible contributions from donors. These funds are to be used for charitable purposes to support programs in pursuit of an organization’s mission.  

The Mission of our Foundation is to support and promote education, research, service and policy development that advances the oral health of infants, children, adolescents and those with special health care needs.  

The Mission of our Foundation is to support and promote education, research, service and policy development that advances the oral health of infants, children, adolescents and those with special health care needs.  

The Foundation’s Board of Trustees is selected by the Board of CSPD and includes the CSPD President and President elect, as well as an ex officio position for an Executive Director. A number of past CSPD presidents have served on this Board, however Board and Committee positions are open to anyone. We currently have one non-dentist on our Board of Trustees. The Foundation acts independently of CSPD, however because of our parallel missions, many of our goals and projects are mutually supportive.  

The Foundation continues to collaborate with other groups and institutions in support of worthwhile projects. In July, we provided partial funding for the USC pediatric dentistry restorative retreat, in which all levels of faculty and postdoctoral students participated in an evidence and experienced-based evaluation of restorative techniques. This two-day program was the initial step in developing standardized procedures to be taught by the faculty at the school and at all affiliated community and hospital clinics. This clarity and consistency should definitely enhance the pediatric dental education of the students of USC. Please see the detailed report by Rick Udin in this Bulletin.  

Finally, thank you all for your past and future contributions. We are committed to the enhancement of pediatric dental academic experiences in California.  

Our goals for this year include: Presenting a continuing education program to further stimulate academic involvement through the use of communication skills appropriate both in teaching and within our practices. Proposing and funding enhanced categories of projects that will lead to closer mentoring experiences and greater educational preparation for those considering or participating in academic positions. Increasing the detail of information conveyed to CSPD members about our activities by providing more complete listing of our projects, their participants and funding. This information is presented on the Foundation pages of the CSPD Bulletin and CSPD website. Increasing the percentage of CSPD members who contribute to our foundation, so as to support our application for financing outside of our membership base. Improving the structure and functioning of our Board of Trustees and Committees so as to work more efficiently and thoroughly thereby preparing ourselves for the more complex projects which we are currently considering. Preparing for a Strategic Planning Meeting in mid 2006 to review our accomplishments and plan our direction and activities for the next few years.

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CSPD Foundation's Fourth Continuing Education Course

Powerful Communication for the Pediatric Dental Educator and Clinician

Featured Speaker: Robin Wright
Thursday, April 6, 2006, 1-5 PM
Renaissance Esmeralda Hotel & Spa
Indian Wells, CA

To be an excellent teacher in pediatric dentistry, you need powerful communication skills. This workshop will focus on how pediatric dental faculty members can enhance their abilities to give great lectures, present compelling continuing education seminars and serve as inspirational mentors. There will also be an emphasis on how mature clinicians can use these same skills to educate and support practice associates and less experienced colleagues. This new program will prepare both academicians and clinicians by enhancing their patient care delivery skills.

Featured skills to be included:

• Organize memorable seminars and educational sessions
• Develop content to capture the student or associate's interest
• Improve your delivery style with students and parents
• Manage tough questions with great answers
• Overcome the most common communication crises
• Discover the crucial skills of mentoring
• Design a mentoring program for postdoctoral students and your associates

With an international reputation as a dental communication specialist, Robin Wright has a proven track record with 400 audiences since 1985 and is a featured speaker in the ADA Seminar Series. She has consulted with such clients as IBM, Xerox and Century 21 and has spoken at the Yankee, the Thomas P. Hinman and ADA annual meetings. Her combination of humor, enthusiasm and expertise make her a powerful speaker. Ms. Wright is the author of 50 dental publications including the 1997 book, Tough Questions, Great Answers. She is president of Wright Communications and is currently pursuing her doctorate in healthcare communication at Northwestern University.

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Foundation Board Approves New Faculty Development Grant Programs

The CSPD Foundation recently approved guidelines for a new program of Faculty Development Grant Opportunities, Fellowships and Awards as proposed and developed by its Allocation Committee chaired by Gila Dorostkar. Steve Blain conducted a needs assessment from discussions with the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, the American Dental Association and the American Dental Education Association. In addition, interviews were conducted with the program chairs and heads of pediatric dental departments throughout the state of California. Several themes emerged from the interviews that are consistent with a national trend:  

• The large indebtedness either after dental school or after the training program contributes to graduates wanting to go into private practice to repay the loans.
• The greatest need at this time is pediatric dental educators versus practitioners, but the latter need being important as well.
• Private practice is very lucrative, especially compared to an academic career.
• Dental schools do not or cannot pay competitive salaries.
• There are few formal programs to encourage and cultivate pediatric dental educators even if candidates are identified.
• All the schools are depending on part time, with or without salary faculty to teach didactic and clinical pediatric dentistry. In some cases, generalists are teaching the students.  

Each pediatric dental department had their particular problems with fulfilling the manpower needs. The lack of sufficient funding was the major reason and secondly, the lack of personnel to fill a funded position. Four major recommendations emerged from the conversations that are representative of all five schools in varying degrees:

1. The need for loan forgiveness
2. Monies to augment pediatric dental faculty salaries to enhance recruitment
3. Increasing the number and quality of part time with and without salary instructors 
4. Develop fellowships to cultivate pediatric dental educators  

The Board determined that the primary focus should be on recommendations #3 and #4 at this time, fostering faculty recruitment and retention at each of the California dental schools and thus approved goals, objectives and outcome assessments to realize this mission.  

Funding levels are to be determined by the number and quality of proposals submitted and by the funds available for awards in any given year as determined by the Board of Trustees. Recipients of these grants, fellowships and awards will be required to complete reports, present their research or complete projects as part of the grant process. Dates and details for submission of applications will be announced at a later date.  

In summary, the Pediatric Faculty Development grant for Part-time Dental Educators is meant to address the immediate needs for faculty recruitment and retention. The Investigator-initiated Research grant is offered to meet the interim needs. The Program Development grant for the Fellowship is an effort to meet a longer-range goal. The Mentorship and Internship grants are offered to sensitize pre and post doctorates to the issues and lastly, the research awards are designed to give ongoing support to pediatric dental post-doctorates and faculty in the development of their careers.  

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List of CSPD Foundation Grants 

Pediatric Faculty Development Grant for Part-time Pediatric Dental Educators
This program is designed to recruit into and retain in the educational system, without salary, midcareer or late career clinicians. It will be organized and led by the pediatric dental chairperson at any of the five California dental schools. Although the format is not restricted, continuing education eligibility must be included and interschool participation is highly encouraged.
GRANT: Maximum of $10,000 to a school in any one year. May be a one-time grant.  

Investigator-Initiated Research Grant
This is a two-year investigator-initiated research project conducted by a pediatric dental postdoctoral student/resident overseen by a senior investigator. CSPD membership is required and this grant is not intended to fund the research requirement of the pediatric dental residency. It may be used to augment an existing grant.
GRANT: $20,000 ($10,000/year for each of two years)  

Pediatric Dental Educator Fellowship – Program Development Grant
This grant will provide seed money to a pediatric dental educator at any of the five California dental schools in order to develop a proposal for submission to create a funded 1-3 year fellowship. The fellowship should be designed to encourage and foster the development of a full time academician/researcher in pediatric dentistry. Candidates must have completed an accredited pediatric dental program. Pursuit of an MS or PhD degree and a line of research concomitant with the fellowship are highly recommended.
GRANT: $15,000  

California Pediatric Dental Mentorship Program Grant
This is a one-year program to target pre-doctoral and pediatric dental residents interested in pediatric dental education. The program will be organized and led by pediatric dental residents/pediatric dental faculty.
GRANT: $1,000/year, paid in $500 installments and renewable annually  

CSPD Policy and Management Internship Grant
This one-year internship program is designed to expose individuals to governance and advocacy activities and prepare young members to assume leadership roles within the CSPD governance structure. Pediatric postdoctoral students/residents and CSPD members may apply. A small stipend and cost for travel to the CSPD Board meetings will be provided. Proposals must include a resume or curriculum vitae, 200-300 word essay outlining their interest in the program and how they may be able to contribute to the organization.
GRANT: To Be Determined  

Student/Postdoctoral Research Award
This award provides travel expense reimbursement to a student/postdoctoral for the presentation of their research at a relevant, recognized meeting venue, i.e. the IADR. ADR or AAPD annual sessions.
GRANT: $1,000 for 2 awards  

Pediatric Dental Faculty Research Award
This award provides travel expense reimbursement to a California Pediatric Dental faculty member for the presentation of their research at a relevant, recognized meeting venue, i.e. the IADR. ADR or AAPD annual sessions.
GRANT: $1,000 for 2 awards  

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Summer 2005

President's Message

 - Richard Sobel, D.D.S.

I thank all of you who have supported our Foundation as it develops its role and response to the crisis in pediatric dental education. We are continuing to develop programs and support projects to promote the academic participation of our colleagues. We are refining our shortterm grants to support projects predominantly done by pediatric dental postdoctoral students to encourage their interest in pursuing full or part-time academic careers. At the same time, we are evaluating criteria for programs that would recruit and support mid-career and late-career clinicians in educational positions.

Under the direction of Dr. Steve Blain we are formulating new guidelines for grants in oral research to support projects for residents and part-time dental faculty members. In addition, he is beginning to draft the parameters of a dental educator fellowship program with the goal of providing money to help support a pediatric dentist pursuing an academic research / educator career.

I am happy to report that we have just awarded our first grant for the mentorship of an individual in the governance and advocacy activities of our society, as preparation for a leadership position in pediatric dentistry. We hope to expand this type of grant to a full year Policy and Management internship for a young pediatric dentist who is planning an academic career. Please see more details about our current grant in the report by Dr. Gila Dorostkar in this issue of the Bulletin.

Our recently funded online educational program had a great beginning at this year’s Annual CSPD Meeting in Monterey. Two major educational sessions, those of Tom Lenhart and Bill Waggoner, were recorded and are now being edited for use by our members. A current report on this program, which is under the direction of Roland Hansen and produced by Vodium Corporation, can be found in the last issue of the CSPD Bulletin in an article by Dr. Roland Hansen.

By the time this message is in your hands, the USC pediatric dental restorative retreat, directed by Dr. Richard Udin and facilitated by Dr. Dave Good, will have occurred. This project, jointly funded by this Foundation and the USC Pediatric Alumni Group, was designed to review evidence-based information and standardize restorative teaching techniques and procedures at USC. The results will benefit all neophyte and experienced instructors within that department and should result in a definite enhancement of the teaching program for both undergraduate and postdoctoral students. Look for a full report by Dr. Richard Udin in our fall Bulletin.

In this coming year we expect to share with you detailed information on each of our funded projects, a discussion of their outcomes and the presentation of their results at our Annual Meetings. This information will also be posted on the Foundation’s section of the CSPD website, as it becomes available.

With the retirement of Lynne Marian, as our Executive Secretary, we are losing a very valuable and committed member of our Board team. I am sure that her continued participation in the preparation of the Bulletin will benefit CSPD and our Foundation into the future.

Again, thank you all for your support. Your continued input and recommendations will be valuable as we strive to improve academic participation by the pediatric dentists in California and fulfill the overall mission of our Foundation.

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Foundation Approves Leadership/Education Internship

The CSPD Foundation recently approved funding for a proposal submitted by Dr. Jeff Wood at the University of the Pacific School of Dentistry to support and foster a mentor/protégé relationship in the form of a one-year internship with the CSPD Board of Directors. The protégé will be an individual who was an educator before starting dental school, has consistently expressed interest in continuing as an educator after completion of specialty training, and has also expressed significant interest in participating in organized pediatric dentistry (Dr. Ann Tornabene). The mentor will be Dr. Jeff Wood, a member of the CSPD Board of Directors and a career educator.

This pilot project is designed to encourage participation in education and organized dentistry by providing a young pediatric dentist with the opportunity to develop the concrete leadership skills essential to both. A solidly structured internship may become an important resource for the Society as we continue to address the educational crisis in the specialty.

 - Gila Dorostkar, D.D.S.

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Financial Overview of the CSPD Foundation Fiscal 2004-2005

Presented is the financial summary of the CSPD Foundation for the fiscal year 2004-2005. The report supports the strategy of the Foundation board of directors to continue to develop the corpus of monies as well as fund programs that support its mission.

The membership of CSPD continued to support this mission with increased numbers in both number and size of contributions to the Foundation annual campaign. With this positive participation from the membership, it allows the Foundation to seek out additional corporate donations to expand programs that support the Foundation mission.

 - Kenneth G. Szymanski D.D.S., Treasurer

Income 2004-2005                               Asset Utilization 2004-2005

Member Donations	$114,675	80.62%	Corpus Development
Memorials	$100	0.07%	Program Funding	$43,525	79.08%
Dividends & Interest	$2,997	2.11%	Administrative	$4,966	8.68%
Corporate Donations	$6,075	4.27%	Secretarial	$1,500	2.26%
Grants	$12,000	8.44%	Board Expenses	$1,501	0.63%
Additional Income	$6,400	4.50%	Fund Raising	$361	9.36%
			Donor Recognition**	$5,355	9.36%
Total	$142,247	100%	Total	$57,209	100%
			**Supported by Corporate Donations

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Spring 2005

President's Message

Richard Sobel, DDS

It is a great honor to serve the leadership of our Foundation. As most of you know, when the dreams of our past presidents to form a foundation became a reality, we knew there were great challenges. Dave Good started us crawling in the right direction, helping to formulate an early structure, a direction and goals. Mark Lisagor taught us how to walk, leading us to clarify our role and focusing on the crisis in pediatric dental education. We began funding postdoctoral student projects and stimulating early faculty involvement through programs on mentoring and identifying students for potential academic careers.

Well, it is time again to move ahead, more rapidly, more decisively, and more confidently. As growing children do, it is time to learn how to run, to see our projects begin to fulfill the strategic goals of the Foundation.

Beyond our current projects of funding support for students, we are beginning to examine the role of the pediatric dental educator. What would it take to identify students early in their professional training and to develop a curriculum in which interested students could move beyond their clinical and didactic coursework? The disciplines of education and research are both necessary to insure long-term faculty positions.

Simultaneously, we are developing a prototypical program to aid the experienced practitioner who desires to become a part-time instructor. Consistency of teaching guidelines and materials, coupled with the hands-on guidance of a faculty mentor will help clinicians that make the commitment to teach. We believe that these faculty members will be primary motivators for students, mentoring them through their educational experiences. Pilot projects in this will soon be considered for funding. We are also looking forward to the results of the USC pediatric dental department retreat, predominantly underwritten by our grant. This program is designed to identify evidence- based information to help standardize teaching techniques and procedures.

During the next few issues of this Bulletin we shall be reporting, in greater detail, the activities of the Foundation. You will have more specific information regarding our projects, their funding and progress. We will share with you, and ask for your opinions and aid with new programs. Remember that our major goal is to increase the number of pediatric dentists who see academics as part of their professional careers.

Thank you for your support of our Foundation. As we reach out to corporate, government and other institutions for funds, it is necessary to demonstrate the overwhelming involvement of the members of CSPD. Your direct contributions are indicative of this involvement. Therefore I ask that you participate in our annual fund raising campaign at any level that is possible.

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CSPD Foundation's Third Continuing Education Course

Ron Johnson Highlights Recruitment and Retention of Educators

Madeliene Brandli, Trustee

Former colleagues and residents from pediatric dental programs in Los Angeles remember Ron Johnson as a superb mentor, known for his dedicated hands-on approach to guiding students. In a presentation crackling with humorous anecdotes, he offered serious solutions for problems faced by schools in their efforts to recruit and retain students and faculty.

Dr. Johnson observed that recognition of potential faculty could begin as early as the first week of dental school. He presented evaluation mechanisms to be used by students and their counselors to identify areas of strength and weakness in a proactive manner early in their pre-doctoral careers.

Acknowledging the impact of attitude in mentoring, Dr. Johnson cited the need for faculty to emphasize the positive attributes and advantages of teaching, encouraging academics as part of a student’s career plans. For the clinician considering a return to teaching, he recommended the enhancement of the teaching environment and programs to assist clinicians in developing competency as clinical faculty.

Dr. Johnson concluded his remarks by addressing the need for clinical training in pre-doctoral and residency programs to simulate the real world environments they will enter upon graduation.

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Foundation Funds Research and Mentoring Grant

The Foundation recently approved funding for a new project proposed by Drs. José Polido and second-year pediatric resident Andrea Pinnick of USC. Dr. Pinnick will be participating in a year-long seminar series as part of a “Core Curriculum in Scholarly Skills” training program at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.

This seminar series is designed to strengthen the training of pediatric subspecialty fellows at CHLA and provide unique interactions of the pediatric dentistry resident with fellows from other medical specialties. The research study she and Dr. Polido have developed in conjunction with the seminar will evaluate the surface roughness of new composite materials vs. the traditional composites by use of a profilometer and scanning electron microscopy. Funding will not only cover costs for the scanning electron microscopy and the associated equipment and materials but also a poster session presentation at the Saban Research Institute at CHLA, as well as a presentation to pediatric dentistry residents and faculty.

The Foundation felt this proposal was a very relevant submission to the Internal Faculty Development Grant Program mainly because it is tied into an established core curriculum for scholarly skills. This combination of scholarly core programs and research may begin to attract pediatric dental residents into academics. In addition to a mentoring component for this project, the primary focus of funding for this proposal is the potential pediatric dental educator in support of his/her research.

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Spotlighting Dr Ann Tornabene

Dr. Ann Tornabene, a second-year pediatric dental resident at UCSF, gave a short presentation during the Foundation CE Course in Monterey describing a mentorship program that she has organized and implemented at UCSF. As a former teacher, she realized the importance of having a good role model in encouraging students to enter the teaching profession and wanted to design a program at UCSF that would pair residents and students with pediatric dental educators for a one-on-one experience in mentoring. Another key part of the mentoring process includes the opportunity for the professor to help his/her mentee in developing predoctoral lectures and exposing them to daily academia.

Under the guidance of Dr. Kenneth Troutman, Dr. Tornabene’s program has been underway for almost one year. To conclude the project, a dinner is planned for all participants at the CSPD annual session. It will include a presentation as well as a publication of the program’s achievements.

Dr. Tornabene received good feedback regarding her presentation: "I had so many people come up to me and thank me for presenting and were very interested in the program."

This project was funded by the Foundation’s Internal Faculty Development Grant Program which strives to create innovative ways to address the shortage of pediatric dental educators in California. For further information, please contact the Program chair, Gila Dorostkar, at giladorostkar@aol.com.

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AUCTION AT MONTEREY AQUARIUM

Working the crowd with enthusiasm, under the watchful eyes of the inhabitants of Monterey’s large tank, out-going Foundation president Dr. Mark Lisagor auctioned off seven donated items for the Foundation.

Auction items and winning bidders:

AUCTION ITEMS	DONORS	WINNERS
Dogers vs. Padres at Dodgers Stadium	Scott Fishman	Shannon Hanrahan $100
Angels vs. Tigers at Anaheim Stadium	Brian Hong	Nhu Tran $175
Golf for Three Lunch at Rolling Hills Country Club	Mel Rowan	Santos Cortez $450
San Francisco Bay Experience	Randall Wiley	Bob Fisher $300
Hollywood Bowl Box Seats	Mark & Terri Lisagor	Santos Cortez $800
Pageant of the Masters	Ron French	Tom Kelley $450
Telluride, Colorado Vacation Week	Donna & Howard Dixon	Gila Dorostkar $1500

Thanks to all the donors and successful bidders. The Foundation raised $3,775!!