b'varying formats depending on the topic. ForPerspectives from co-chairs of the In- journals as the AAPs Journal of Periodontology example, some modules will take the form ofService Committee and Clinical Advances in Periodontics. Thats a lecture, some will follow a seminar formatPeriospectives spoke to the co-chairs of thewhy our preliminary planning calls, where each featuring a series of interviews with thoughtAAP In-Service CommitteeDr. Kerri Font,committee member is assigned responsibility leaders, and some will take the form of aInterim Director of the Graduate Periodonticsto prepare recommendations for about 30 presentation in which students lead themselvesProgram at the University of Colorado Schoolquestions, are so important, said Dr. Chan. on explorations based on their interests ratherof Dental Medicine and Dr. Hsun-Liang Chan,According to Dr. Font, the January session than following a guided path. Importantly,Assistant Program Director of the Graduatefeatures a good deal of very healthy debate, none of the modules will be static; rather, theyPeriodontics Program at the University ofas some members come from programs giving will be reviewed on an annual basis. OverMichigan School of Dentistryabout themore emphasis to scientific study while others time, well learn which of these modules andlatest developments with their very importantcome from programs giving more emphasis to formats are effective and which ones will needcommittee. clinical study. modification, said Dr. Geurs.The Academy offers the In-ServiceAccording to the committee co-chairs, the In-We will be delivering three predoctoral modulesexamination to postdoctoral periodontalService Committee is working on three important and three postdoctoral modules to the Boardprograms across North America so thatinitiatives. The first is to have the examination of Trustees by September 2021 in order thatprogram directors and residents alike canbe online rather than written. The tentative plan they can be utilized for the curriculum of theevaluate not only the residents overall learningis to have residents take the exam in-person upcoming 2021-2022 school year. acquisition but their programs content-basedwith a proctor at their respective schools but use strengths and developmental areas. Since thetheir own laptops. The main benefit will be to When asked about other challenges facinggreatly ease the administrative burden of grading the periodontal profession, both Dr. Abou- same examination is given to first, second, and third-year residents, the degree to whichthe exam, said Dr. Font, but we think another Arraj and Dr. Geurs cited the concern thatbenefit might be that residents will feel more general dentists are not referring patientseach students scores show improvement throughout their residency provides ancomfortable with an online format. The online to periodontists as often as they perhapsformat is likely to begin with the February 2023 should. While acknowledging that there mayimportant measure of the students progress.examination, but it is possible that it could begin be financial and other pressures temptingThe In-Service examination comprises 374this coming February. general dentists to handle periodontal casesmultiple-choice questions. Each year, the themselves rather than referring them toAcademy relies on a 12-member committee ofThe committees second initiative is to have the specialists, both feel that education can playhighly qualified academicians and researchersexamination feature more case-based questions, an important role in helping address thisto review each of the 374 questions andas there has been a growing consensus that a situation. We need to make sure generaldetermine whether it should be retained,greater clinical orientation reflecting a whole-dentists are being trained to be perio-minded,modified, or replaced by a new question. Thepatient view is needed. Dr. Geurs said. If our predoctoral programscommittee includes both program directors can help future general dentists appreciate theThe third initiative is to reduce the number of and faculty members and represents a goodquestions in the examination. We feel that some truly advanced skills of the periodontist, theyllmix of ages. Each committee member serves be more inclined to want to collaborate rathersections of the exam have redundant questions, a two-year term and can serve up to threeand that we too often find ourselves creating than do it all themselves.terms.a question for the sake of hitting a certain In Dr. Abou-Arrajs view, perhaps the mostThe committee typically holds two preliminarynumber, said Dr. Font. We think a smarter effective way to persuade new general dentistsconference calls in July and August to start theapproach is to have fewer questions and have to refer patients to periodontists is to havereview process, and then holds a three-daythem all be excellent ones. more periodontists volunteer to spend timein-person meeting in AAPs Chicago offices in in the dental school clinics, particularly thoseQuality periodontal educationat both the January to finalize the next years questions.pre- and postdoctoral levels is the foundation of where general dentists are teaching the clinicalThe January meeting is fairly intense, as aspects of periodontics. Any predoctoralthe future success of the specialty. Awareness, working three nine-hour days means we canexploration and open debate of current issues student who sees a private periodontistonly devote an average of under 5 minutes volunteering personal time to share clinicaland opportunities are essential to help ensure to each question, said Dr. Chan. Adding tothat periodontal education will continue to evolve insights about periodontics has to bethe intensity is the fact that about 70 percent impressed by that periodontists commitmentin order to enhance our professions ability to of the questions each year are new onesdeliver the best possible patient care and enjoy to our profession, he said.based on the most current literature in such the greatest possible practice success. AAP Periospectives| 9'