College of Diplomates Celebrates 25 Years
Compiled by Elisabeth Lisican
The AAE wishes to congratulate the College of Diplomates on its 25th anniversary! Don’t miss their inspiring video, marking the milestone.
AAE Integrated Communications Manager Elisabeth Lisican recently caught up with College of Diplomates President Dr. Priya S. Chand to discuss the significance of this milestone and what’s in store for COD as we look ahead to the future.
Elisabeth Lisican: Twenty-five years is quite a milestone! In that time, how has the College of Diplomates evolved? How has its mission evolved? What has stayed the same or stood the test of time?
Dr. Priya S. Chand: The College of Diplomates (COD) has dynamically evolved over 25 years of its remarkable journey. From small beginnings to reaching its silver milestone, this period is historic and ingrained in COD’s core missions. It offers an important mentoring platform to qualified endodontic graduates, seeking to achieve their goal of being a Diplomate of the American Board of Endodontics. From Board Review courses to, Summer Conferences biennially and Annual COD reception at the AAE, the COD offers recertification and continued educational opportunities in pertinent areas in endodontics to its members. Our mentoring journey itself has grown in leaps and bounds from when we started off by mentoring five to six candidates to now where we have established a global presence in our mentoring model.
The COD’s mission has withstood the test of time, nurturing the culture of growth. Our membership has grown significantly and attracted a huge endodontics community within its fold, seeking to benefit from its mentoring model towards Diplomate status. This has been a key factor in globalizing COD’s mission and presence both nationally and internationally. Throughout this journey, the passion and commitment of our directors and past presidents have made this an exciting and rewarding journey.
Lisican: You and I know the College of Diplomates is so important on the journey to Diplomate status. How would you describe the significance of the College to an AAE member considering achieving Diplomate status?
Dr. Chand: The College of Diplomates core mission is unquestionable, and dedicated to serving as a mentoring body for preparing our qualified graduates driven towards their journey for Board certification. Our mentors continuously evolve new approaches in their work practice to simplify scientific complexities and knowledge base for candidates’ better understanding, as for instance the recent innovative practice of incorporating simulation mock orals, exposing candidates to experience the reality of exams in their Board’s journey. Additionally, to further facilitate candidates, we have introduced a resourceful study aids guide as an integral part of board preparation.
The mentoring model itself centers around an evidence-based approach to clinical decision making. Our examiners are dedicated and provide valuable feedback that is critical to a candidate’s preparation.
Our events have grown significantly over the years further reflecting on our dedication to our missions. Our continuing educational courses provide an important opportunity to our AAE members for recertification and really a platform for lifelong learning as we continue to be updated on our knowledgebase, sharing latest scientific developments and innovative technologies in endodontics.
As mentors and part of the parent AAE membership, it is one of the meaningful ways to give back to our community as we work towards a unified goal of our organization and the endodontic community to be Board Certified. We are always looking for mentors, we hope to get more mentors from the west coast as we continue to grow and reach even more candidates in need.
Lisican: How has COD adjusted to the “new normal” in the era of COVID-19?
Dr. Chand: The single most important “new normal” as outcome of the unprecedented era of COVID-19 is the creation and adoption of virtual mode, setting a whole new focus and direction in our learning and sharing of knowledge. The unexpected developments enforced a strategic shift in our response to override the challenging environment and keeping the momentum of COD’s mission, by turning the challenge into opportunities. The goal continued to be centered on fostering an educational environment.
A new framework to support digital transformation in endodontic education is now the starting point for the future. Throughout this challenging times COD has remained focused, and together the COD’s events cycles remained unaffected and their respective schedules maintained. We saw some of our highest attendance yet for our 11th Annual Board Review course, our first virtual event.
The 11th Annual Board Review course merged with our Mock Oral Examinations which was also administered virtually. The purpose was to simulate the real boards and provide vital exposure to the important preparation needed for the American Board of Endodontics examination. The planning phase involved various iterations, but then the final rollout proved rewarding. It has been an invaluable component of the candidate’s board preparation. Our examiners and mentors work with dedication in providing the expertise and guidance needed throughout the candidate’s journey to being a Diplomate.
Lisican: What are some upcoming COD events AAE members should be aware of?
Dr. Chand:
- The upcoming Biannual Summer conference is a highlight event. It is a scientific meeting with a social flair, and is an important event that invites world renowned speakers on cutting edge topics in endodontics. It embraces families that helped the members through their journey of board certification. It offers continuing educational credits that center around cutting-edge topics in new directions in endodontics that are critical to the challenges we face in navigating the triad of endodontics. The speakers are well respected and reputable experts in our field. The event is invariably held in family fun and nice resorts with picturesque backdrops, and families really look forward to such a meet in summers.
The COD has made an important decision to move the summer conference to 2022. The event is now scheduled for August 11-14, 2022 at The Stowe Mountain Resort in Vermont.
- The 12th Annual Board Review course is upcoming, and is to be hosted in 2022 winter and would be held in collaboration with the virtual Mock Orals. This is an important event that is well organized and directed towards providing board review presentations to aid our candidates in board preparation and endodontists with an educational review. The Mock orals simulate the real board experience with experienced mock examiners who provide critical feedback and valuable guidance that aids in the board preparation for the candidate.
- The 2022 College of Diplomates Reception that takes place during the Annual AAE meeting welcomes our new diplomates to the College of Diplomates as they achieve their Board certification milestone. It truly is one of the highlights of the Annual conference to look forward to.
Lisican: Any additional thoughts to share on the anniversary?
Chand: The 25th year is indeed a milestone in COD’s journey. Its growth, expansion and achievements are a testament to the dedication, work and vision of all our Past Presidents and Directors, who invested their wisdom, energy and experience in carrying forward the COD through extensive growth and expansion to reach where we are now in our core missions. We eagerly look forward to the next 25 years as we work towards our golden milestone.
It is also time now to mark your calendars for August 11-14, 2022, for the Summer Conference in Vermont to join us as we celebrate together the COD’s 25th Anniversary. We look forward to welcoming our new diplomates, our endodontic friends and families as we share in the wonderful camaraderie centered around a theme of 3D endodontics of the future!