Abstract
Introduction
Through various conversations and observation, I have learnt that some members of the profession, with particular reference to those early on in their careers, find it challenging to become involved in or take up leadership positions within dental organisations. Often they have developed an appetite to do so, for example at dental schools, however, not everybody will have had prior experience and thus might find it much harder to access such opportunities.
Within this article I discuss my personal experience in a leadership role, provide commentary on certain barriers that may exist and potential solutions to engage this very critical group of our profession. I am hopeful that this will inspire many more individuals to consider leadership roles.
A desire to get involved
My involvement with the FGDP(UK) really started within my first year of qualification, where my principal and the three associates who worked at the practice were significantly involved with their local division and study groups and had taken a number of Faculty examinations. In fact, at the time, this culminated in two of them becoming Fellows, whilst the others were on the pathway to achieve this accolade. To be honest, I didn’t know much about the Faculty prior to this, but when I learnt about the type of examinations my colleagues had to take and observed the type of practitioners they had become, I felt that this really was an organisation committed to raising standards. I felt proud to be amongst their company and knew I had much work to do! At the time, the MJDF examination was the next stepping-stone amongst my peers, and I was highly encouraged to prepare for it. Becoming a member of the Faculty helped me gain access to this organisation and the standards it sets, regular updates on how it was progressing as well as various opportunities to become a part of it.
I knew many of my peers, apart from sitting the examination, were not very familiar with the organisation, nor aware of some of the pathways it offered. I knew then that I had a desire not just to raise awareness but also to add to the existing hard work the organisation was already doing for the ‘Early Careers’ segment. I had initiated such conversations, but transition of various officers meant that these conversations stalled. Some years had passed before I had noticed an advert for an Early Careers Representative as a Board observer at the Faculty. In January 2015, following a written application and interview process, I learnt that I had been successful in my application as one of the two Early Careers Representative ‘observer’ posts on the National Board.
Learning by observation
What followed was a steep learning curve and insight into the Board meetings of an organisation which in the past I felt would be a challenge to participate in. In February 2015, I attended my first National Board Meeting. I was nervous as I could see the level of experience and seniority that surrounded me and wondered whether I ought to be there. Suddenly, thoughts of doubt crept into my mind; what did I have I to give to this very astute and learned group of practitioners around me? I mustered the courage to get a cup of coffee, though nerves overcame me and I could feel myself shaking as I poured the milk which initially missed the cup and spilt into my saucer. Embarrassed, I hurried away with my ‘stronger than normal’ cup of coffee, hoping nobody would notice my clumsiness. I took a seat behind my name at the far end of the room and hid myself in the papers in front of me. The meeting started promptly by the Dean after they had ushered all the Board members and observers to their chairs. I quickly took in the unfamiliar faces and familiar names around me; names I had only read in the dental press, and that conjured words of ‘importance and meaning’ in my mind.
Various matters on the agenda were discussed long before we reached a point where I could not resist the urge to speak. After all, deep down I knew there was a purpose for me being in the room. I debated internally for a moment or two and then shyly raised my hand before being invited to stand up, as was the etiquette in the room. I stuttered at first before I drew a string of words together that stunned the room into silence and surprise. In fact, I had surprised myself. It was difficult to judge everybody’s reaction at first, but soon came words of agreement and acknowledgement for the very desperate situation early careers dentists found themselves in, namely in seeking a career structure and support.
Quickly, I realised that the group of people who sat in this historic room in the Royal College of Surgeons were desperate to listen to myself and my colleague and to discuss our recent experiences and thoughts around the landscape of dentistry in the Early Careers world. It felt like sharing a secret that no one else in the room was aware of, and from then on, the urgency and necessity of change began.
What followed initially were rounds of meetings where there had been a lot of talking and change was slow. But before I became despondent, I sought to learn why progress was so slow. Until I experienced and learnt the workings of such an organisation, I did not fully appreciate that things take time. Certainly, that time can be prolonged by unnecessary bureaucracy, but in order to enact change and approval, a discussion must be sought with various stakeholders in order for it to be a fair representation of the profession and their combined thoughts. Frustrating though it was, I could slowly sense that people were changing their opinion and became open to moving in a new direction. That was an important moment - the mindset shift in the room was tangible.
A brief conversation with some of the Board Members that had almost fully served their full terms led to suggestions that I stand for a divisional seat on the National Board. By this time, I had about two years’ experience working alongside people much more senior to me in the profession. I had learnt how a Board operates, the various sub committees, their associated papers, its constitution, their Terms of Reference as well as having had the opportunity to meet a variety of people within the profession from several organisations, and importantly, how to communicate. This ‘preview’ gave me the confidence that I may not have otherwise developed to stand for a Divisional Seat. In June 2017, I was elected to represent the South East and South West Thames Division of the FGDP(UK) and once again, I continued to learn and contribute.
Seeing the change
Joining the Board was daunting at first, but it was made much easier by the others in the room whose attitude and warmth made me feel comfortable. I quickly learnt that what you stood for and said was important, but what you did or were able to do was even more so. My vision has always been to work with a group to create a home for the general practice community, and to bring together like-minded people, clinical excellence and the support and mentorship of peers.
During my first term as a Board member, I managed to organise various focus groups to help learn about what the division wanted from us as an organisation. Following this, I organised various study days around several different dental disciplines. Later, I was appointed Chair of the Membership Affairs Committee and together with our newly appointed Head of Membership, I was able to help contribute, refocus and work towards re-strategising our membership offer. This began initially with visits to dental schools and their dental society lectures, which allowed me to understand the thoughts of numerous dental students. Subsequently, this helped me become instrumental in opening membership recruitment to the whole dental student population, where previously this only captured those in the senior year groups.
Through our active membership team, this group of students have managed to gain access to our wide range of publications and standards and now have their own student newsletter and blog pages. Annually, we celebrate the achievements of our dental student community with our Nik Pandya Student of the Year Award which recognises the exceptional achievements of BDS students.
I believe that our future practitioners, leaders and carers are essential. Just like our finances, we cannot expect returns if we do not make any sound investment. The same must go for our dental student and early careers population, who at the time of writing (January 2021) find themselves at an alarmingly difficult time. Now more than ever, this group of individuals require support, mentorship and a voice. Though we should be proud of our emerging talent, we must remain mindful that without sufficient support, they will quickly become alienated from the prospects that await them.
Now, I want to see students and professionals at the start of their career participate fully at Board level. These roles may be as observers initially whilst the participants learn the working of a Board. Without this observation, insight and experience, one cannot expect to launch these individuals into positions of higher responsibility. With this experience comes a shift in mindset to one of responsibility, support and empowerment.
My experience during my first term as Junior Vice Dean confirmed that there are sufficient people who wish to see a change but insufficient numbers to enact this vital need in our Profession. Various barriers face our early careers colleagues who by nature of their positions have had insufficient time to build CVs that are tailored to leadership roles. Most leadership roles are taken up by our experienced, senior colleagues who are quite rightfully still needed due to their insight, and knowledge.
Changing the landscape
It is encouraging to see that there is increasing awareness of the need for leadership education within dentistry and that various programs are being offered to meet this need.1, 2 However, we must also give practical opportunities to exercise new leadership skills.
Such opportunities may present themselves as the Board observer posts discussed, or as apprenticeships and elective placements. Speaking from experience, this will help individuals obtain a much more authentic learning experience and help existing board members to stay in touch with the grass roots of the profession. It will also enable junior colleagues to communicate with members of the profession who occupy senior positions and to learn how decisions are made. Additionally, this type of communication between groups in the profession will highlight the various challenges we are experiencing. As a result of this discussion, we will all benefit from innovative solutions and new ideas.
To really benefit from ‘joined up thinking’, we must break down the barriers to leadership opportunities. There should be opportunities for all members of the profession to be represented at Board level. To achieve this, we must raise awareness of such prospects.
Whilst this inclusive approach to decision making and change is not new (we are all familiar with working within a team), the benefits of such a mechanism within our profession are currently underutilised. As a new College, we will work towards improving this.
Responsible and supportive involvement
Responsible and supportive leadership must be met with responsible and supportive involvement. However, many early career dental professionals feel that they lack the qualifications needed for leadership roles.
To address this, we must improve our communication to clarify that not all such roles beg for leadership qualifications. To be involved in dental leadership, you need a desire to enact change for the benefit of others and the profession. If met with appropriate guidance and support, colleagues who have such a desire will find themselves in positions that help them develop the confidence to offer and implement credible solutions. Therefore, I would urge change-makers to seek out opportunities, firstly by becoming involved with societies or organisations that genuinely appeal to them. This way, you will also be kept informed of vacant roles within the organisation.
By getting involved, you become familiar with the culture of the organisation and the people that are part of it. This way, you gain confidence to apply for leadership positions or stand for election. As a contrast, applying for such roles without prior involvement can feel intimidating. Support from peers, guidance and encouragement is essential in helping us to overcome these thoughts.
Another barrier to leadership is the feeling that even if you occupy the desired role, change occurs at a more senior level where the thoughts of junior colleagues are not taken into consideration. I am proud to say that at FGDP(UK) and CGDent, I have found that this has not been the case. Yes, things take time, but the progression in thought and acknowledgment of opinion I have experienced from many of my peers cannot be contested. The attention to early career professionals and new ideas is evident in the creation of the new College and the development of its brand-new career pathway.
Joining the dots
Apart from contributing to the organisation, as Board members, we have a duty to represent the organisation and general practice community at other stakeholder meetings and events. For me, this helped me to understand how to ‘join the dots’ which often troubled me early on within my experience. Spending time to read papers, consult other colleagues within the organisation, give constructive feedback and learn how to frame solutions is all part of the package that has come with this role.
Some of these opportunities have included regularly representing the Faculty on the Child Oral Health Improvement Board at Public Health England as well as attending a roundtable meeting with Ministers on improving Oral health at the Department of Health and Social Care. I also had the privilege to attend the Houses of Parliament to discuss matters that raise awareness on sugar consumption and other critical oral health matters such as oral cancer. Most recently I have had the chance to consult on matters concerning adult oral health as well as postgraduate education.
Whilst fulfilling and exciting at times, this has been balanced with hard work, dedication and determination at all levels. I continue to learn about the power of excellent communication, support, empathy, respect and patience. I have learnt3,4 how these features, alongside a wealth of experience, including from members outside of our profession, contributes to our overall knowledge and ability to lead, and to understand others as well as provide viable solutions.
True “leaders don’t create followers, they create more leaders” 5
I remain eternally grateful for the opportunities I have had in this role and for having been able to learn from some extremely impressive colleagues. I have made some life-long friends along the way and although much work has been involved, I have equally had an enormous amount of fun in meeting new people, building new networks and visiting extraordinary places.
From my experiences, I have concluded that the leadership voyage never really ends, no matter how high one may perceive a hierarchy to be. Even those that appear to be at the top are still learning and still face challenges that require the confidence to consult others, be aware of the skills and attributes of those around them and know how to help promote the leadership qualities in their future successors.
Although pursuing such roles have gained traction in furthering career prospects, we must also recognise that the best leaders and the ones we most respect have or have had a sense of purpose. This usually includes having an innate passion about certain issues or subjects and are thereby resolute in creating change and involving others.
Thomas J. Peters said “[true] leaders don’t create followers; they create more leaders. . .” 5 . In my opinion, we need to identify with this sentiment in order to develop within our dental community. It would certainly be futile for leaders on dental boards to simply have a raft of followers without helping to build the leaders that succeed them. If we each held this thought, we would recognise that we all have a responsibility, no matter how junior or senior our positions may be, to help not just ourselves but those that surround us.
With that in mind, I look forward to building on the great successes of FGDP(UK) in the new College by embracing the evolution it will bring and by working together with everyone in the profession.