the first question relates to being able to be the best person you can be and always put- ting your best effort forward. That requires passion and is why you need to know what is important. Passion is a requirement for any person’s or organization’s success.
Dr. Brunker: You now have more than a year of experience as the Dean of the UMKC School of Dentistry. What has been the most surprising aspect of your first year? Any disappointments?
Dean Pyle: I am deeply gratified by the wel- come extended to me by so many people. I knew coming to UMKC that relationships are critical to being a partner in the community, in the profession and at the University, itself. I have worked very hard on that during the last year because that is what I am about. UMKC is a great school, with great faculty, staff and students. I had the pleasure of working with some of the UMKC faculty leaders over the last 15 years. So, I knew quite a bit about the School. Coming to UMKC was about finding the right fit. The philosophy of education and the organiza- tion of the program are aligned with my perceptions of solid dental educational programming. It was a comfortable decision from that perspective. I cannot say that I found any disappointments. Each institu- tion has its strengths, niches and challenges. UMKC is no different than any institution in that respect. When I look back on the last 14 months, I see incredible progress! That is thanks to the partnerships and assistance of many people inside and external to the Den- tal School. I am grateful to them for their help to me on behalf of the School.
Dr. Brunker: All good educators, in my opinion, will at times go into parental mode and have deeper, philosophical exchanges with students. If you could take a senior dental student and tell him/her to look you in the eyes and listen to you and not to for- get this lesson, what would that advice be?
Dean Pyle: As an educator, I prefer to work with self-actualized students who love to learn for the sake of learning. I strongly believe that students need a new level of responsibility for their own learning if they are to become the type of critical-thinking, life-long learners that are required in society today. Patients are different and are more complex than when we were in dental school. I would hope that my passion for what I do as a dentist speaks volumes to our students. I guess if I were giving advice, it
would be: Be the best dentist that you can be; know the right thing to do (be ethical!) and be passionate.
Dr. Brunker: With the current economy forecasted to be rather bleak for awhile, what do you foresee as your greatest chal- lenge for leading the school in this climate?
Dean Pyle: The biggest challenge will likely be dealing with the potential ongoing bud- get challenges in the state. Our faculty and staff are dedicated, and they have not had a raise in two years. That is regrettable. Higher education, service to the community and excellence in our programs has to become important to the state. Education is the way out of the economic crisis. It would be great to improve the State’s understanding of the value of (dental) education and all that we already do for the community, region and state.
Dr. Brunker: If by miracle a super-wealthy dentist, lucky in investments, left the school $20 million for your sole discretion in spending, how would you spend it?
Dean Pyle: I would commit the gift toward remodeling the School. Our facilities are 40 plus years old and could be improved greatly by renovation. It is important to keep our facilities current in order to provide a contemporary state-of-the-art learning environment and a welcoming, professional environment for patient care. Students have opportunities to attend new and contempo- rary dental school facilities. We must con- tinue to upgrade our program and facilities to remain competitive.
Dr. Brunker: What is the question I have failed to ask that you want to answer?
Dean Pyle: “What current challenges does the UMKC School of Dentistry face in the short term?”
We are challenged by the state budget as I indicated. It will likely be years before any significant positive change will be realized in the budget and in funding for higher educa- tion and the dental school, specifically.
We also are challenged to understand, plan and positively impact access to care issues in the state. I am told that there is not the needed data in the state to truly understand what the access needs are. Solving the ac- cess issue is a very complicated problem that dental schools alone cannot be expected to solve by themselves. I believe that UMKC can
continue to make a difference in access in the state, as we have a number of programs that serve the public. We need to do a much better job of telling that story in the com- munity and region. I believe that we can continue to make a difference in new and exciting ways, but that will require many partnerships and inclusion.
We will be challenged by a new dental school in the state. I believe that the current rise in the number of dental schools nation- wide is an unwise endeavor. We have a gray- ing faculty, inability to cultivate interest and dedication to faculty positions and an inabil- ity to pay comparable private sector salaries to our faculty. It is a sad commentary, all the way around, and I worry that these issues together represent the perfect storm. It is why I co-authored an ADA resolution (that passed this year) which asks for study of new and emerging models of dental education so that we can take the best from traditional programs and innovative programs to meet the needs of contemporary society.
I am hoping that our profession recognizes these challenges, as well, and commits to solutions. I believe that if we continue to do what we always have done, we will continue to get what we always have gotten. That won’t work in today’s world!
Dr. Brunker: When you retire, what would you like for your colleagues to say about your tenure as Dean of UMKC School of Dentistry?
Dean Pyle: I would hope that people would want to say that I made a positive difference here; that I am a decent person who cares about the dental profession and demonstrat- ed compassionate leadership while expecting commitment and effort from those around me. UMKC School of Dentistry is a very special institution and I am glad to be a part of its future.
I would like to say thank you for the oppor- tunity to talk with you. As you know, I value my memberships in organized dentistry as an important part of my professional identity.
Dr. Pyle is a graduate of Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine. She completed a General Practice Residency at the Cleveland VA Medical Center and returned to Case to complete a Fellowship in Geriatric Dentistry, where she served as Associate Dean for Academic Affairs before joining UMKC. Dr. Pyle and her husband, Dr. Ron Lemmo, who practices general dentistry in Wickliffe, Ohio, have a daughter, Katie.
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