Program Overview
The goal of the University of Michigan's Program in Dental Leadership (UM-SPDL) is to empower those involved to envision and promote cultural changes in the realm of dentistry. It is our belief that this would be accomplished by bringing together the very best, brightest, and hardest working students with diverse backgrounds. By centering these talents on a shared goal of developing leadership skills, the program will create an environment that will serve all segments of our profession.
Effective leaders require a multitude of skills to successfully lead change in complex and diverse situations in a flexible and accommodating manner. Participants of the UM-SPDL program will develop an understanding of the interplay between leadership and challenges that are faced by leaders as they develop value-creating opportunities through a set of leadership competencies. This program will target pre-doctoral dental and dental hygiene students to facilitate the development of leaders in dentistry. Leadership in dentistry will be defined by the participants themselves, whether it is leading a successful practice, policy changes, dental research, or academic dentistry. The program is intended to capitalize on human potential by developing a leadership mindset through activities such as coaching and counseling for maximal performance, fostering the power of working together, and managing change.
UM-SPDL may serve as a pilot for our curriculum (i) to prepare students to effect positive change through service (ii) to create a dynamic learning environment through the use of guest speakers, experiential activities, reflective assignments, and fieldwork to facilitate the ease of students abilities to finish the program with practical experience, clarified career goals, and heightened self-awareness, (iii) to provide opportunities for students to work independently and in teams to reach the final objectives of building self-reliance and realizing the power of collaborative efforts.
The program begins with a two-day immersion experience in the concepts and practices of leadership. Presentations and experiential activities highlight the meaning of leadership in Dentistry. Weekend workshops will be offered throughout the first three years of the DDS program, and junior/senior dental hygiene students. Workshops will cover leadership skills such as leading change, improving communication skills, writing effectively, and developing creative problem solving skills. Participating students will be encouraged to supplement/substitute leadership training opportunities to tailor their training to achieve their visions. Students who participate in at least six of the workshops are eligible for the Capstone Project - where using leadership skills and dental skills, students will participate in teams to address a problem in research, policy, practice, or education depending on interest. Interested students will be encouraged to participate in coursework outside of their field of study. Possible coursework options will include learning in various fields such as Business Administration, Clinical Research, Economics/Finance, Kinesiology, Psychology, Public Health, and Sociology. The program is flexible and encourages independent thought and projects to achieve student goals.