American Association of Orthodontists Academy for Academic Leadership Fellowships
Four junior or senior faculty member fellowships are offered to attend the Academy, an intensive two-part, two-week program developing the teaching skills of dental educators. Each faculty member attending commits to one year of teaching in return. The first awardees are attending the AAL program starting summer 2010. Application deadline is March 1, 2010.
The orthodontic faculty shortage is an American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) critical issue, and in
response the leadership has focused on key strategies for the ultimate purpose of increasing the pool of
orthodontic educators. AAO has designated the Academy of Academic Leadership (AAL) as the official
orthodontic education program for participant sponsorship. AAL provides professional and
organizational development for institutions, faculty, and administrators for the purpose of improving
institutional success, job performance, and career satisfaction.
BACKGROUND
AAL is a professional development program designed to prepare dental practitioners and educators for
successful academic careers. The overall program goal is to help participants refine teaching skills that
will enhance the quality of their interactions with students and develop other skills that will facilitate
confidence, job satisfaction, and professional growth in the academic environment. AAL is conducted in
collaboration with the American Dental Education Association (ADEA).
Participants receive hands-on experience with key teacher tasks such as evaluating student competence,
presenting lectures, working with difficult students, guiding students with questions, and providing
feedback. Participants also explore cognitive theories, learn strategies to enhance motivation, review
research on educational best practices, explore student learning styles, analyze the characteristics of
today’s Generation Y, and complete teaching self-assessments. Sessions on academic career planning,
quality of faculty work-life, getting started with research, writing manuscripts, strategies for getting
published and issues, controversies, and future directions in dental education are also included.
• Increase the pool of orthodontic educators.
• Help participants refine teaching skills to enhance the quality of their interactions with students
and develop other skills that will facilitate confidence, job satisfaction, and professional growth in
the academic environment.
• The program’s effectiveness will be measured and assessed by data collection to be tracked over
two or more years and will include: 1) number of applicants, 2) number of faculty members who
complete a minimum of two years of orthodontic teaching post-AAL.
• Sponsorship includes a travel stipend and payment of the $4,950 registration fee to a maximum of
$7,500.
CRITERIA
AAO will sponsor junior and senior faculty participation in the Academy of Academic Leadership
selected from those nominated by the orthodontic programs. Each candidate must have a signed contract
for a full-time orthodontic teaching position at an accredited orthodontic graduate program and have
potential as orthodontic educators. Four faculty members will be sponsored.
Criteria to identify the individuals who would have the best chance of becoming educators include:
1. Orthodontic practitioners who have actually signed a contract with a university or program to teach
full-time;
2. Orthodontic educators who have entered full-time orthodontic education.
3. Residents in their last year of residency who are working on a higher degree (MS or PhD) and who,
not only express interest in teaching, but because of working on a higher degree, have the best chance
of going into academia.
ELIGIBILITY
AAL sponsorship is intended for those individuals who are committed to a career in orthodontic
education in the U.S. and Canada. Candidates must meet the following eligibility requirements for
consideration:
• U.S. and Canadian citizens
• Foreign nationals who possess a U.S. “green card” or its Canadian equivalent
• Those foreign nationals not yet in possession of U.S. “green card” or its Canadian equivalent, as long
as the candidate and the institution will stipulate that obtaining such status is the candidate’s intention
and where there is demonstrable evidence of this intent.
• Student/resident and/or junior faculty with good standing at a U.S. or Canadian ADA-accredited
orthodontic graduate program
• Good academic standing as verified by submission of an orthodontic program transcript and a
minimum of three letters of recommendation
• Member of the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO)
• Completion of an annual survey to track their academic career path post-AAL participation.
INSTITUTIONAL REQUIREMENTS
The appropriately authorized individual (Dean, Program Director, Department Chair, etc.) at the
candidate’s program submits each of the following to the chair of the AAL Sponsorship Program Steering
Committee by published deadlines:
• Signed Agreement Form
• Letter of commitment to provide the time and course coverage for the faculty member to
participate in the AAL
American Association of Orthodontists
401 North Lindbergh Boulevard
St. Louis, MO 63141-7816
Phone: (314) 993-1700 or (800) 424-2841
Fax: (314) 997-1745
Email: info@aaortho.org
