Mission
The mission of the Lincoln Memorial University College of Dental Medicine is to develop competent oral health care providers who are committed to the premise that the cornerstone of meaningful existence is service to humanity.
The Mission of LMU-CDM is achieved by:
- Graduating competent Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry.
- Providing a values-based learning community as the context for teaching, research, patient care, and service.
- Improving the oral and general health of the people within the Appalachian region and beyond.
- Focusing on enhanced access to comprehensive oral health care for underserved communities.
- Investing in quality academic programs supported by superior faculty and technology.
- Embracing compassionate, patient-centered, and person-centered oral health care that values diversity, public service, and leadership as an enduring commitment to professionalism and the highest ethical standards.
- Facilitating the growth, development, and maintenance of graduate dental education.
By 2030, Lincoln Memorial University-College of Dental Medicine be recognized as national and international leaders in
- Providing dental education for the 21st Century students through curriculum innovation and advanced technology.
- Providing seamless, integrated, clinically based, patient-centered, and person-centered education founded in preventive health and evidence-based science.
The Mission of the College of Dental Medicine is fulfilled through the achievement of four general goals supported by specific objectives for measuring achievement, which are addressed annually. These goals are supported by strategies and assessments and serve as a priority for the College of Dental Medicine's long-range strategic planning.
To achieve the Mission of the Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry and Dental Hygiene programs, the faculty and students engage in an active educational process with a variety of learning experiences. They collaborate in scholarly and service activities within a curriculum designed so that upon completion of the program, the following Goals will be achieved:
Domains:
- Teaching Excellence
- Research
- Patient-Centered Care
- Service
1. Teaching Excellence: Provide predoctoral and postdoctoral students with a quality education that integrates evidence-based knowledge and skills in the oral health and clinical sciences, biomedical, and behavioral sciences necessary to become competent practitioners.
- Provide a humanistic and character-developing environment for students.
- Foster a holistic and compassionate approach to patient-centered care.
- Provide interdisciplinary education that teaches dental hygiene and dental students how to use and interact with other health science professionals and teaches other health science students about dental hygiene and dental education and oral health.
- Graduate competent dentists who possess clinical judgment, understanding, empathy, technical skills, and independence to begin professional practice.
- Develop and implement a curriculum that leads to competency.
- Aggressively recruit the highest quality faculty and staff available according to Federal, state, and Lincoln Memorial University's requirements.
- Ensure the respectful treatment of students as professionals and future colleagues in the profession.
- Promote faculty and staff recruitment, development, and retention to ensure the continued excellence and success of the College of Dental Medicine.
- Foster mutual respect among faculty, staff, and students and recognize the diverse roles these individuals play in the educational process.
- Promote ongoing programs for faculty to improve teaching effectiveness and student learning.
- Recognize the achievements of members of the faculty and staff to elevate morale, improve effectiveness, and enhance job satisfaction.
- Instill a sense of community in graduating dentists by providing community-based opportunities to enrich predoctoral education.
- Improve access to dental care for Tennessee's disadvantaged and underserved populations through community action.
- Continually develop and evaluate materials, programs, and dissemination methods that promote learning using technology.
- Develop interprofessional education with medicine, pharmacy, optometry, and other health science programs.
- Encourage a lifelong learning philosophy of dental and dental hygiene education.
2. Research: Provide an environment that promotes and supports research and scholarly activity in education and oral health care.
- Promote collaborative research and scholarly activity among College and University Colleagues.
- Promote student research and scholarly activity among faculty and integrate research with teaching and clinical care activities.
- Allocate appropriate resources, support, time, and reward to faculty and staff for research and scholarship.
- Lead in the development and application of new technologies for education, research, and oral health care.
3. Patient-Centered Care: Provide high-quality, comprehensive, evidence-based, patient-centered care for our patients while improving access to oral health care in the region through the practice of our graduates.
- Provide comprehensive patient care that is safe, effective, respectful, responsive, efficient, and equitable to diverse patient populations.
- Develop and maintain a high-quality, innovative, evidence-based, patient-centered, faculty-led oral health delivery system.
- Promote the idea of patient or customer satisfaction with the College of Dental Medicine personnel and students in all levels of interaction and communication.
- Establish patient-friendly clinics that strengthen the clinical learning environment and demonstrate respect for patients as a valuable resource and an essential component of the teaching program.
- Support and encourage both individual and collective efforts to meet the oral health needs of populations with special health care requirements.
4. Service: Address the oral health needs and improve access to oral healthcare in the region through continuing dental education and community service efforts.
- Educate and inform members of the Lincoln Memorial University's academic community and the dental practice community of the educational, research, service/mission, and achievements of the College of Dental Medicine.
- Establish partnerships with dentists and oral health professionals to promote oral health through education, research, and service.
- Provide leadership and service through faculty, staff, and student participation in University and community activities.
- Be a leader in the provision of oral health care to the rural and underserved communities of Eastern Tennessee.