Eastman Institute for Oral Health Awarded $5.1 Million to Elevate Dental Faculty Training Nationwide
Building on the success of a pioneering national faculty development initiative, the University of Rochester Medicine Eastman Institute for Oral Health (EIOH) has received a new $5.1 million grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to strengthen the nation's dental education workforce.
Project ELEVATE (Enhancing Leadership, Expertise, Vision, and Teaching Excellence) will provide advanced training, mentorship and professional development to 40 early-career dental and dental hygiene faculty members from institutions across the United States, preparing them to become more effective educators and advance their academic careers.
The new award builds on EIOH's Primary Care Dental Faculty Development Center, established in 2021 through a five-year, $3.5 million HRSA award. One of the first initiatives of its kind, the Center has become a national resource for preparing dental educators to advance clinical training, integrate oral health into primary care and address health disparities.
The program's first 13 fellows have achieved significant professional milestones, including promotions to senior faculty and key administrative positions. All have earned advanced credentials in health professions education and now serve as course directors.
"The program has demonstrated remarkable success in advancing faculty careers and strengthening teaching excellence," said Linda Rasubala, DDS, PhD, MS-HPEd, EIOH professor and principal investigator. "Project ELEVATE allows us to expand that impact, giving more educators the knowledge, skills and confidence to excel in teaching and inspire the next generation of dental professionals."
For participants, the program's impact has extended far beyond professional development, fostering personal growth, and meaningful career advancement.
"I started the program as a dentist who teaches, and left an educator," said Christina A. Van Dam, DDS, program director of Advanced Education in General Dentistry at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry. "The program had a significant impact on my knowledge, skills and confidence. I will be forever grateful for the relationships and opportunities it provided."
The investment comes at a critical time for dental education. Schools and residency programs nationwide face persistent challenges recruiting, developing and retaining qualified faculty. As demand for oral health care grows, strengthening the educator workforce is essential to preparing future practitioners and improving access to care.
Project ELEVATE will address these challenges through a comprehensive, two-year training experience combining graduate-level coursework, individualized mentorship, virtual instruction and in-person training at EIOH in Rochester.
Two cohorts of 20 faculty members will participate, with training leading to an Advanced Certificate in Health Professions Education. The curriculum will emphasize innovative teaching methods, interprofessional collaboration, academic leadership, research, emerging technologies and strategies to improve oral health in underserved communities.
Beyond advancing individual careers, Project ELEVATE is designed to create lasting change at participating institutions. Working with mentors at EIOH and their home institutions, fellows will develop curricula, strengthen educational practices and implement initiatives that benefit future faculty, students, residents and patients.
The program will also emphasize the connection between oral and overall health, preparing educators to teach collaborative, patient-centered care and address complex health needs.
"This continued investment recognizes Eastman's expertise and national leadership in dental education," said Eli Eliav, DMD, PhD, MBA, EIOH director. "By investing in the educators who train future dentists, we are extending our impact far beyond Rochester. We are helping strengthen dental education across the country and, ultimately, improving the care patients receive."
The application process for Project ELEVATE will open in early November.
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