The University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Dentistry, which
is located in Lincoln, recently earned a seven-year full accreditation
from the American Dental Associations Commission on Dental Accreditation.
The commission sited 22 commendations, or strengths of the college, in
its report.
The commission issued its report findings from a three-day visit last
November. According to the ADA, the commission ensures that quality education
is available for dentists, dental specialists and allied dental personnel,
which ultimately leads to quality dental care for the public. It also demonstrates
that the college achieved or exceeded the basic requirements for accreditation
of its educational programs.
The college offers programs for doctor of dental surgery (D.D.S.) degree,
bachelors degree in dental hygiene, certificate in dental hygiene, post-graduate
specialty programs in endodontics, orthodontics, periodontics, pediatric
dentistry and prosthodontics as well as a general practice residency program.
The commission evaluated curriculum and educational programs, facilities,
students, faculty, staff and research. It toured the college, poured through
stacks of documents, observed clinic procedures, and conducted open meetings
with students, faculty and staff.
Accreditation is a strenuous activity for everyone but provides us
with a valuable assessment of our current status and what we need to do
to become even better, said John Reinhardt, D.D.S., who last year was
named dean of the UNMC College of Dentistry. I am pleased with the performance
of the college.
The faculty are highly commended for the positive outcome, as well
as David Brown who led the accreditation process. This also is a tribute
to the way my predecessor, Stephen Leeper, handed the school to me.
David Brown, Ph.D., associate dean of the college, began preparations
for the commissions site visit two-and-a-half years ago. In the end, 40
pounds of documents piled three feet high were prepared for the visit of
a 19-member team. -over-
Dr. Brown has participated in 10 accreditations and coordinated five
over the years and said the dentistry accreditation process is comprehensive
and thorough, as much or more than other health professions.
The success of the visit was the result of a professional, consistent,
persistent level of keeping our nose to the grindstone. The process also
made the college review policy, procedure and educational theory issues
that needed to be addressed, Dr. Brown said. We are very pleased to have
come through without any deficiencies.
He said the commission was impressed with the quality and maturity of
the students and the efficiency and the high quality of programs carried
out by a relatively small, but committed faculty.
Our philosophy is to maintain the level of quality we have established
which puts us in the top 5 or 10 percent among dental schools in the United
States. It takes a lot of effort to maintain the process of continued accreditation
and the quality we have. Its very resource intensive to continue to perform
like we do. You cannot let down your guard or you will fall behind, Dr.
Brown said.
We were happy to show how good our school is. We have an excellent
college and produce excellent graduates. I dont think the team came here
expecting to find what they found — a jewel in the middle of the heartland.
The next accrediation visit is scheduled for 2007, Dr. Brown said.