Regional Collaborative Dental Education Center (RCDEC)

A program to provide veterinary schools in regions with inadequate dental education resources with financial assistance from the FVD to create regional centers of learning.

Purpose:

• Create dental education centers at veterinary schools in underserved regions
• Improve dental education for veterinary students
• Provide continuing education opportunities for regional veterinary clinicians and para-professionals
• Raise standards of dental care in regions with low density of dental specialists

Program Structure:

• FVD provides "bootstrapping" grant funding
• Schools develop metrics to measure impact on student dental clinical competency
• FVD may offer additional funding for up to 3 years
• Program designed to become self-sustaining through continuing education revenue streams

Institutional Obligations:

• Commitment to provide adequate student instruction time, faculty, staff, and space
• Monitor outcome of instruction in terms of student dental clinical competency
• Develop and implement metrics to measure impact
• Required to report to FVD annually for 5 years

Geographic Scope:

• United States, Canada, and Caribbean veterinary schools
• Prioritizes regions with significant population of veterinary students not receiving adequate dental education
• Excludes regions with high density of private dental education providers to avoid conflicts

Pilot Program: Tuskegee University College of Veterinary Medicine (established June 2019)

Background: Evolved from 2017 Nashville Veterinary Dental Forum discussion addressing inadequate dental education in many US, Canadian, and Caribbean veterinary schools

Application Process

Eligibility Criteria:

• Veterinary schools in regions with inadequate dental education resources
• Schools in US, Canada, or Caribbean
• Regions with low density of dental specialists providing private education
• Commitment from institutional administration

Required Application Components:

1. Institutional commitment letter from administration
2. Description of current dental education capacity and deficiencies
3. Proposal for regional collaborative dental education center
4. Plan for adequate student instruction time, faculty, staff, and space
5. Metrics to measure student dental clinical competency improvement
6. Plan for continuing education programs to create revenue stream
7. Strategy for program sustainability beyond initial FVD funding

Review and Selection:

• FVD evaluates regional needs
• Assessment of school's capability and commitment
• Consideration of regional demand for dental education

Ongoing Requirements:

• Annual reporting to FVD on student progress for 5 years
• Monitoring of dental clinical competency outcomes
• Participation in regional veterinary association activities (encouraged)
• Engagement with industry partners (encouraged)

Funding Model:

• Initial FVD grant for equipment and program establishment
• Optional additional FVD funding for up to 3 years
• Revenue from continuing education programs supports long-term sustainability

Contact for Inquiries: Michael Overend, Outreach Committee, admin@VeterinaryDentistry.org