The Alumni President's Message
In Support of LLUSD and the Dental Profession
A New Paradigm
The problem of financing dental education has been with us since the
days of G.V. Black. It remains a problem today even in those schools primarily
supported by taxpayers. In recent years the cost of tuition (adjusted
for inflation) at LLU has increased dramatically in spite of sincere and
conscious efforts to limit these increases.
This apparently unavoidable trend has several unfortunate effects on the
School of Dentistry and on new graduates. Dental students find themselves
under great financial pressure, which affects learning and attitudes.
In addition, the School finds itself unable to recruit some highly attractive,
and deserving students. Likewise, new graduates find that they often must
accept the first“job” available regardless of what private practice goals
they may have. These dental “jobs” often pose a serious challenge to idealism
and even professionalism. Those new graduates who would like to serve
others in mission service find that the church is unable to amortize their
sizable debt. New dentists interested in teaching and research are often
disappointed because their dreams are precluded by the need to repay large
debts.
The financial dilemma of our new graduates and enrolled students contrasts
with the overall status of dentistry today. Patient acceptance and appreciation
for quality dentistry is an an all-time high and dentists find that their
schedules are nicely filled. (See the alumni survey on page 14.) Dental
specialties are sharing in this satisfactory environment, with most specialty
practices successful and growing.
How can we deal with the dilemma of being able to provide an education
that can lead to a great profession but which at the same time is so financially
burdensome? How should we face this impediment to the mission of the School
of Dentistry and the service of our new graduates?
It seems clear that new sources of funding are needed. Successful older
schools owe much of their success to large endowments. Younger schools
also realize that endowment funds are vital to the future.
So how can the alumni be instrumental in addressing this concern, when
so few of us can write out the big checks that get buildings named after
donors? An endowment fund would need to contain several millions of dollars
to be effective. This seems like an incredibly large job. As large in
fact as did the effort to raise $4 million for a student loan fund some
10 years ago. With God's help, generous giving on the part of the alumni
and accumulation of funds from foundations and other appropriate sources
this amount and even more will be a reality sooner rather than later.
How would this endowment be used? First it would be conserved, the capital
never used but the interest generated would be used to cover operating
expenses of the School. How could we be sure that the money would actually
be used to decrease the real cost of education rather than just providing
a ready source of money for expansion or convenience? How can this money
be used to make dental school more readily available to worthy students?
How do we insure that it is used to create better dentists with better
attitudes? And how do we insure that it decreases the incredible financial
pressure for new graduates, pressures so great that they threaten professionalism?
One answer to these questions is to apply income from an endowment to
students' tuition. This will sound, to some, not only revolutionary but
also misguided. I can already hear echoes of, “I paid my own way...!”
But wait just a minute. Did you really pay your own way or did many church
members, family members, and taxpayers subsidize your education and loans?
Students could be granted part of their tuition, decreasing their overall
debt, creating good will (and supportive alumni). This system would not
artificially distort the cost of dental education and tempt the school
to expand more than necessary. It maintains the focus of dental education
on the predoctoral student and is consistent with a Christian approach
to education. This system would allow recruitment of those who will be
the best dentists rather than just those who can afford it.
This concept is important to the potential of Christian dental education
at Loma Linda University. I invite you to think about and discuss this
concept and eventually join those of the alumni who have already supported
this idea in a tangible way.
Doyle Nick, SD'78
President, Dental Alumni Association
All contents copyright © 2001 Loma Linda University.
All rights reserved. Revised
March 1, 2001
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