WDJ Editor Dr. Sheri Doniger interviews three BIG NAMES in dental education:
Teresa A. Dolan, DDS, MPH
Professor and Dean, University of Florida School of Dentistry
Catherine M. Flaitz, DDS, MS
Dean, The University of Texas Dental Branch at Houston
As editor of WDJ, I get to meet the biggest names in dentistry. You might never meet these women ordinarily, but part of my duties as editor includes making what I feel are necessary introductions. Please meet three women who are making a difference in education, and let them inspire you, too.
Where did you begin your dental career?
Zarkowski: My career path is an interesting one, but no more unique than those of others I have met in dental education. I received a Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene from the University of Michigan, which was followed by a Master of Public Health and Teaching Certificate in Dental Public Health from the same institution.
The MPH allowed me to acquire a position at the University of Detroit teaching, among many things, community dentistry. I then pursued a law degree because legal, ethical, and public health principals should be integral parts of dental education and the professional development of dentists and dental hygienists.
My background provided me with that teaching niche. In addition, it enhanced my administrative and decision-making skills. I also used my education and experience to conduct continuing education and publish, assisting practitioners to better understand their obligations to their communities, as well as ethical and legal principles that should guide them in their day-to-day activities.
Dolan: Growing up in Jersey City, I never imagined that I would attend dental school or join the faculty of a college of dentistry. I was fortunate to attend Rutgers University and belonged to the Career of the Month Club. I always enjoyed math, science, and working with people. I wanted to be part of a health profession but wasn’t sure which one. I discovered dentistry during the fall semester of my senior year while having some dental treatment and thinking, “This could be a great career for me!” I am a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Rutgers and received a DDS degree from The University of Texas and an MPH degree from the University of California, Los Angeles. I was a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Dental Health Services Research Scholar, and I completed a Veterans Administration Fellowship in Geriatric Dentistry. I joined the faculty of the University of Florida in 1989 as the director of geriatric dentistry. I was awarded the Geriatric Dental Care Award from the American Dental Association in 1991. In 1995, the American Board of Dental Public Health awarded me Diplomate status. I previously served on the Executive Council of the American Association of Public Health Dentistry, and I received the President’s Award for service to this organization in 1999.
My research has focused on access-to-care issues, oral health promotion, and appropriate oral health outcomes for older populations. I have received numerous grants and awards, and have published extensively in geriatric dentistry and dental education. I served as associate dean for education from 1996 through 2003. I served as interim dean beginning in June 2002 and as dean in May 2003.
Flaitz: It was my grandfather, a small-town general dentist, who first teased me into thinking about a career in oral health. Some of my fondest moments were with my grandfather chasing me - a preschooler - around the room with a new pair of dentures that had to be discarded. As a young child, I was impressed how much he enjoyed his work and how the community respected his contributions to their health.
The teaching interest was sparked by my mother, a beautiful widow with four children who suddenly had to support a young family as a substitute elementary teacher because the hours were more flexible than those of a permanent teacher. She placed education and oral health as high priorities for the family, regardless of the expense. I am still reminded of her advice, “You never know what life has in store for you, so make sure that you enjoy what you are doing. Give it your best, keep as many doors open as possible, and make sure that you are able to support a family the way I would have wanted to support all of you.” This message made a lasting impression on a school-age child, and the words still resonate with me today. Not surprising, both nurture and nature seemed to shape my future professional goals.
How did you attain your current position?
Zarkowski: I was fortunate to work with various dental school administrators who recognized the value of my education and administrative talents. As time progressed, I was promoted to department chairwoman and various administrative roles, including director of community and outreach activities and associate dean for admissions and academic administration. I am currently the executive associate dean for the University of Detroit Mercy. I would suggest that I attained my current position because of a combination of my skills and abilities and the foresight of those whom I worked with at the school of dentistry.
Dolan: I’ve been a faculty member at the University of Florida since 1989. I’ve served as the associate dean for education from 1996 through 2003. I was invited to serve as interim dean beginning in June 2002, and with the endorsement of the faculty and the university administration, I was appointed dean in May 2003.
Flaitz: I did not aspire to be dean of a dental school, but, then again, I did not set out to be a dual-trained specialist in both pediatric dentistry and oral and maxillofacial pathology. It is all about being flexible and open to a realm of possibilities and trusting your instincts. It is important to expose yourself to experiences and push yourself out of your comfort zone. It is also important to establish a reputation for consistently producing a quality product on time while being inclusive and working well with others. Having an optimistic outlook on life and thoroughly enjoying many facets of your profession make it easier to succeed in leadership roles.
There is a lot to be said about being at the right place at the right time. I will never forget the day that the president of the health science center asked me to be the interim dean. Instantly, I could think of a million reasons why I should not assume this role. But if the president believed in me, then why shouldn’t I? After all, it was an interim position for a finite period of time. You quickly learn in an interim position that you can be a place holder or you can rise and move forward. Once you begin to see your vision become a reality, it is natural to want to follow it through in the permanent leadership role.
In reflection, my two dental specialties have been useful to me in my administrative position. My background in pediatric dentistry helps me quickly size up situations, listen to people, and motivate them. My background in oral and maxillofacial pathology trained me to problem solve efficiently and decisively. In oral pathology, it is all about developing a list of reasonable options and then predicting the best approach based on facts, consultation with others, and your experiential interpretation of the problem. These specialties have been valuable professional opportunities and priceless gifts as a dean.
Did you encounter any obstacles?
Zarkowski: My major obstacle was my roots as a dental hygienist. Although I have both a Master’s and Juris Doctor, there are moments when I am reminded I am a dental hygienist. For the most part, my gender has not been an issue, although on occasion, certain faculty and students are not receptive to a message from a female administrator. I have been called an alpha female, which I view as a compliment. It has also been suggested that I identify too many females for leadership roles in the school, but my response is that I select the best person for the job. I am respected, but as with any administrator in a dental school, there are critics. I think they would criticize anyone in my role, female or male.
Dolan: Dentistry is a male-dominated health profession, but I have always found professional opportunities for growth and advancement within dentistry and dental academics. I attribute that success to hard work and good mentoring by people who believed in me and supported me.
Flaitz: Life is full of obstacles. It is just part of being human. I have never been one to focus on my gender for having stumbled or hit a wall. Every successful person makes poor decisions, experiences lapses in judgment, and listens to the wrong advice. What is important is moving past a bruised ego and learning. When I was the interim dean, a well-meaning alum visited the president of the health science center. Although he was complimentary of my leadership when we were experiencing severe budget constraints, he informed the president that I was too nice and not strong enough for the permanent position. At times, being optimistic, soft-spoken, and gracious are misinterpreted as being naïve, weak, and powerless, but nothing could be further from the truth. Leadership is as much about projecting an exciting vision as it is about forming strategic relationships and motivating others to help you make the vision a reality.
Are you excited about the number of women entering dental school?
Zarkowski: I am pleased with the trends. Our incoming class this year is 50 percent female. We have consistently kept our percentage of women at 33 percent and higher. The female dental students are excellent leaders and followers. The UDM is also a diverse student population with women representing Asian, Muslim, Hispanic, and Caucasian backgrounds, adding to a wonderful tapestry.
Dolan: Yes, very much so!
Flaitz: I applaud diversity in dentistry, and women are an important part of changing the profession and allowing the public to have more options in oral health care. Besides being about talented clinicians and diagnosticians, dentistry is also about developing trusting and respectful relationships with patients from diverse backgrounds. It is this nurturing, intuitive, and creative side, along with good communication skills, that gives many intelligent women an advantage in health professions.
Who is your educational mentor?
Zarkowski: I learn from everyone I work with - faculty, staff, and students. Two primary mentors I had were Drs. Dolores Malvitz, formerly of the CDC, and Bruce Graham, dean at UIC. I also have many role models to whom I attribute my success.
Dolan: I’ve had several wonderful mentors during the years, and I almost hate to name one person at the risk of overlooking someone. I enjoyed many of my dental school professors, and I especially appreciated the faculty who support the American Association of Women Dentists student chapters. These faculty always seemed to go the extra mile for women students.
After graduation from the University of Texas, I completed a general practice residency program at Long Island Jewish Hospital, and I especially appreciate the friendship and mentoring by Drs. Eisenbud and Sciubba and the many attending faculty who taught me so much about hospital dentistry. Dr. Sciubba also nominated me for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Dental Health Services Research Scholars program, and that allowed me to continue my studies in dental public health and health services research at UCLA.
I had wonderful mentors and colleagues at UCLA and later at the VA hospitals in Los Angeles. After I became a faculty at the University of Florida, many senior faculty were helpful to me and my career development. And of course, I can’t forget to mention my family, friends, and husband who have provided support and encouragement throughout my career.
Flaitz: My high school math teacher, Sister Marian Alice at Our Lady of Lourdes Academy in Miami, Fla., was a petite, brilliant woman in a flowing navy blue habit. She was white with chalk dust by the end of the day and made mathematical theories dance across a room. She had one rule - if you wanted to receive an A, you had to tutor a classmate. You really do not know something unless you can successfully teach another person.
And then there was Dr. Francis Klein, the make-it-or-break-it organic chemistry professor at Creighton University in Omaha, Neb., who taught me that you could be demanding in a respectful and encouraging way. He also was generously flexible with his grading and seemed to know positive things about his students that were not part of any classroom assignment.
Last, there was Dr. Gilbert Lilly, a retired colonel and oral and maxillofacial pathologist with his trademark pipe, from the University of Iowa, College of Dentistry, who had a real gift for dealing with the most challenging patients. He taught me the art of listening and asking the right questions. He was the master at differential diagnosis and using three projectors at once when lecturing. I also learned from him that you can overdo the visual stimuli while teaching.
These three came from different backgrounds and had different teaching styles, but they had several common attributes: They were appropriately demanding, could explain complex ideas in understandable ways, and enjoyed what they were doing as experts in their fields. Also, each actively recruited students to consider careers in education. Those are the characteristics of great role models, and they are my inspiration today.
Do you encourage students to enter full-time education as a career?
Zarkowski: Definitely. I have been an educator for more than 28 years. A career in education is challenging, rewarding, and balanced. You can use your dental background, communication skills, and talents to provide educational experiences in preclinic, clinic, or the classroom. You are consistently energized by the work environment. The excitement is fueled by the mission of your institution, colleagues, patient successes, and students. I enjoy administration, but my responsibilities also include teaching dental and dental hygiene students. Most institutions offer an opportunity for private practice, thus you can maintain your clinical expertise. In addition, schools offer opportunities for research or nonresearch tracks. The salaries are not as competitive as private practice, but the lack of significant income is balanced by other benefits on many personal and professional levels.
Dolan: Yes, of course! Dental academics offer wonderful career opportunities for men and women who are interested in working in diverse and exciting environments surrounded by highly skilled clinicians and scientists on great campuses. What more could a person want?
Flaitz: There is nothing more rewarding or fulfilling than a career in dental academics. Although I enjoyed my years as a full-time pediatric dentist in private practice, it is the blend of teaching, research, and patient care that makes every day interesting. Similar to dentistry, teaching is an art and science undergoing changes because of technological advancements including patient care simulation, electronic patient record systems with imaging capabilities, and audiovisual technology that bring lectures, demonstrations, and textbooks to the desktop. But just as important is the art of packaging the information, instilling an enthusiasm for the subject matter, and being a role model and mentor. Collaborating with other clinicians and scientists is another intriguing aspect of dental academics. A synergy comes from working with teams of creative minds in an academic health science center. The realm of possibilities becomes commonplace, and discoveries lead to important cures and novel treatment approaches for diseases of the head, neck, and elsewhere. Not only does a dentist-scientist train the next generation of oral health care professionals, but he or she makes discoveries that enhance the health and quality of life of patients forever. A career in dental academics is perfect for the professional who enjoys what he or she does, wants to share that knowledge, has a thirst for lifelong learning, and has the intellectual curiosity to problem solve for the greater good.
I’ve heard that dentists ask dental school deans why they accept so many women students. Is this true or a concern?
Zarkowski: Rarely, on occasion, I hear a comment from an alum who is not aware of current trends or repeats common misconceptions about women and dental careers. I have seen other issues related to women graduates. In some instances, dentists are not interested in hiring an associate who is diverse. I have had some dentists indicate they would not hire a female dentist whom they suspect is gay. These issues concern me more than that occasional dentist who comments about the number of women in dentistry. These and other issues concerning women in the dental workforce need to be addressed, and we should work to educate those who are in practice and provide the skill set for our graduates to meet these challenges.
Dolan: I’ve had this experience once or twice, but these dentists tend to represent a very small minority of dentists, and naturally, I do not share their opinions and concerns.
Flaitz: I am not aware of this voiced concern about admitting too many women into dental school, but then again, I am hardly the person who would share a sympathetic ear to this topic. Still, I am aware that workforce issues have been evaluated in dentistry to determine the impact of increased numbers of women entering the dental profession. Although there is some data to suggest that women in dentistry tend to work slightly fewer days per year, it is also well-documented that women have a longer life expectancy and, therefore, have the potential to provide care for a longer time. No matter the gender, today’s new dentists value flexibility and a balanced lifestyle along with participating in meaningful and quality-oriented work, caring for others, and the opportunity to be autonomous. These minor differences in direct patient care hours may become blurred with the next generation of dentists.
Also, I have had the privilege of presiding over the white coat ceremonies and graduation ceremonies these past four years and find it gratifying to see the high numbers of women and men following in the dentistry footsteps of their parents. By virtue of their age and the era during which they were educated, most are proud fathers who have been great ambassadors for the profession. It is inspiring to see how delighted and often emotionally moved they are as their daughters and sons walk across the stage to begin this professional journey.
Pamela Zarkowski, JD, MPH: [email protected]
Teresa A. Dolan, DDS, MPH: [email protected]
Catherine M. Flaitz, DDS, MS: [email protected]
