lower cost and faster turnaround time for patients, as well as the ability to implement a teledentistry program to expand the pro- gram’s reach even further.
There is a wide range of opinions shared by doctors outside of academia as to the qual- ity of education students are receiving today. How competent are new grads from UMKC SOD, and what are you doing to assure you’re graduating professionals who can fill the dental needs of Missouri and elsewhere? And are they taught the latest techniques and provided with the best materials and tools?
Our accreditation body sets standards that we are to comply with to determine whether a student is competent to treat the public. This means having the knowledge, skills and values for independent work. UMKC SOD prides itself on training superior clinicians who are ready to start delivering and improv- ing dental healthcare. Students are taught old and new techniques. There is a time and place for each of these, and no dentist should be so limited in their skill sets that they can only perform dentistry one way, with the lat- est techniques and materials. Of course, they are taught these but, as in any profession that requires a skill set, versatility is key to solving problems and that is what we teach our students.
UMKC SOD, like most dental schools, provides a viable safety net for individuals who may be unable to access the private sector for care. Is that beneficial to our readers who work in the private sector or are dental schools really their competitors?
I practiced dentistry long before I went into academia, and one true statement is that there is always room for another dentist. The public has so many needs and they vary from the very basic to complex, high-end prosthet- ic, restorative and esthetic cases. This means dental schools and private practitioners are really “partners” in providing a needed ser- vice to the public.
As you know, the word “doctor” is derived from the Latin verb “docere,” meaning to teach. Many of the dentists I know are natural teach- ers and assume that role with patients, staff and others. My current position at the dental school allows me to share my passion for teach-
DR. STEVEN HAAS Dean, UMKC School of Dentistry
DR. LINDA NIESSEN Dean, KCU College of Dental Medicine
DR. DWIGHT McLEOD Dean, ATSU Missouri School of Dentistry & Oral Health
ISSUE 2 | SUMMER 2023 | focus 27
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