Change and Challenges: An Interview with
the Dean
Christy K. Robinson
It's been four years since Charles J. Goodacre, SD'71, MSD, returned
"home" as Dean of Loma Linda University School of Dentistry.
Recently, he reflected upon his duties and accomplishments.
With two of his pet projects coming to fruition, the opening of the Center
for Dental Research and the construction of the first major expansion
of the School of Dentistry in 24 years, Dr. Goodacre reflected on his
part in the tapestry.
|
"...we care in a compassionate, competent, comprehensive fashion." |
"I made out a fairly long list of things I've been trying to do since I accepted this responsibility," says Dr. Goodacre, "and I'm working my way through that list. Having a building expansion was not on the original list, but it became apparent that the only way we were going to meet multiple needs was to build."
 |
|
| Charles J. Goodacre, SD'71, MSD, consults with Matthew Welebir, SD'00, on a patient chart. |
"The new Pediatric Dentistry Clinic is needed because of the very large demand for children's dental services. We really have a difficult time meeting the needs of all the patients who come here. The current facility is very small. The new clinic will provide for both predoctoral and graduate student needs."
In addition to the new clinics, there will be a new student laboratory. The old, original laboratory will be demolished and renovated. The main clinic will gain 35 to 40 new clinic chairs.
In addition to the building program, some of the areas Dr. Goodacre feels strongly about emphasizing are accreditation, the School's research program, admissions, spiritual life and well-being of students, alumni relations, recruitment and retention of faculty, and continued advancement of the dental implant activities.
"We wanted first of all to work with the accreditation process," he says. "That relates to curriculum, outcomes assessment, quality assurance -- those types of things. That was part of the original process that I recognized had a whole series of ramifications that basically had to do with curriculum."
Dr. Goodacre has been working to enhance the number of students applying to the school from a broad base of Adventist colleges. "When I first came here, there weren't as many applicants coming here from the Midwest and Eastern Adventist colleges. I wanted to enhance the student body here. We're trying to develop a strong pre-dental program at our other colleges. Fred Kasischke [DMin, assistant dean] and Sylvia Davis [MA, director of admissions] are responsible for that group effort, but it is also important for me to visit. We don't need more applicants in terms of numbers, but we need more applicants in terms of geographic diversity and ethnic diversity."
The spiritual life of the School is a unique aspect of dental education. Says the Dean, "We're figuring ways to keep that strong and make it even stronger. We've added a person to be in charge of spiritual nurture." Fred Kasischke, former associate pastor of the University Church of Seventh-day Adventists, was named Assistant Dean for admissions, service learning, and spiritual nurture.
Dr. Goodacre says that faculty are doing a wonderful job promoting a Christ-like attitude of caring for students and patients. "That's one of the things I've tried to contribute. I've tried by example to show this type of thing. I like to walk through the clinic as if I were a patient. I want to be more aware of situations that need adjustment."
Another focus of Dr. Goodacre's attention is to develop a strategy to enhance the well-being of the students, faculty and support staff. "That's part of the pastoral ministry. We try to help people with various problems and their family relationships," says Dr. Goodacre. "We're working to improve the attitude of graduating students, so that they feel they're satisfied with their education, and not leave here with a feeling of hostility. Dr. Hooker [William Hooker, PhD, MFCC, associate dean for student affairs] has been very effective in getting that accomplished. There seems to be a turnaround in terms of our relationships with the students."
Improving the relationship between the alumni and the school comes from that angle. The Alumni Association is based in the School of Dentistry now instead of externally, which is an important presence in the School, says the Dean. In addition, the General Conference dental mission program is now managed in the School. The Board of Directors of NASDAD, the National Association of Seventh-day Adventist Dentists, is composed entirely of Loma Linda University alumni this year.
"We've added substantial breadth and scope to our faculty through recruitment and retention," says Dr. Goodacre. "We're adding to the expertise that was already here. There have been several retirements and department chair changes. We've worked to enhance the salary levels to be closer to national norms."
Dr. Goodacre says that the function of research in the dental school is to impact the clinical practice of dentistry. It enhances what the students learn so that they leave knowing the most current methods, materials, and procedures, by which they can provide dental care for patients or prevent dental disease. "All research has to have clinical impact," he says. "Therefore, we have focused our energies in the area of establishing corporate/educational liaisons, joint efforts which largely involve testing products and procedures that affect dental health, as opposed to more extensive basic science-type of research. The School has always emphasized preparing competent dentists who can provide a wide range of services at a high level."
Why is it important for the School of Dentistry to invest so many resources in this? Dr. Goodacre answers, "If we don't do research, we don't advance in our curriculum. We cannot change and advance, and meet the needs of the changing environment."
As a dental specialist, Dr. Goodacre has a vision of the role of advanced dental education in the School of Dentistry. "The function of all postdoctoral programs," he says, "is to strengthen the predoctoral program. Our principal mission is to graduate general dentists who can go out and meet the needs of the public. Postdoctoral programs enhance the dental curriculum by making other types of treatment available to patients. This gives dental students a chance to learn and observe diverse treatments. It helps them to draw a line on their competence. Some of our faculty are here because they can teach at multiple levels. Through the postdoctoral programs come the greatest amount of research, which keeps dental students on the cutting edge. We have to have postdoctoral programs, if we're going to maximize the strengths of the School."
Because of its unique religious affiliation, Loma Linda University is
looking to provide things above and beyond high quality dental care. "We're
known for our clinical activity, but also the care that's provided, through
service opportunities, ethics in dentistry, and spiritual life and wholeness.
"The mission statement of the University covers the area of dental
care," he continues. "It indicates we are committed to providing
dental care in a compassionate, competent, comprehensive fashion. We teach
students to be competent in what they do, and they learn how to do a wide
range of procedures. They also learn that when they've exceeded their
competence, they call on someone with more experience and expertise. One
might say that is one of the essences of compassion."
Dr. Goodacre believes that students should be taught to treat patients
with respect, and that students themselves should be treated with respect.
"Do everything in a positive manner," he says. "Challenge
them to do the very best that they can do. When a teacher is assessed
as being hard but fair, it means you challenged them, but they felt they
were treated fairly. Therefore, certain discussions should be in private
between the teacher and the student. Even though they may not have done
something as ideal as possible, that should not be pointed out in front
of the patient."
To implement programs and concepts of management and education in the
School of Dentistry, Dr. Goodacre must balance personalities and people.
"That's what makes it great," he says. "I'd like to see
everyone in the School of Dentistry become enthusiastic about change.
Change can be one of most exciting things that can happen to you, or the
most devastating. And the difference between them is attitude. Change
is going to happen, so you might as well join in and enjoy it and be part
of it. If you have that right attitude, you find yourself coming up with
new ideas and ways to participate that are exciting, instead of sitting
on the sidelines while everyone else is making these changes without you."
"The times change and we change with them." Lothair I (798 -
855 AD)
All contents copyright © 2001 Loma Linda University.
All rights reserved. Revised
March 1, 2001
Send comments and questions to webmaster@univ.llu.edu
URL: http://www.llu.edu