OSU’S DEAN PATRICK LLOYD LOOKS BACK AT HIS TENURE
Dr. Patrick M. Lloyd, dean of The Ohio State University College of Dentistry.
Dr. Patrick M. Lloyd is stepping down as dean of The Ohio State University College of Dentistry when his term ends in August.
“Dean Lloyd has been a great supporter of organized dentistry and an ally of the Ohio Dental Association during his tenure as dean at The Ohio State University. The ODA greatly appreciates our collaborative efforts with the dean and the college of dentistry and want to wish Dean Lloyd well on his next endeavors” said David Owsiany, executive director of the ODA. “On a personal note, I have really enjoyed getting to know Patrick and value his friendship.”
In this Q&A with ODA Today, Lloyd reflects on his time as dean of The Ohio State University College of Dentistry.
What do you consider to be the most significant achievement during your tenure as dean of The Ohio State University College of Dentistry?
Looking back over the past 10 years, the college has achieved so much that we are all so proud of. But for me, the most significant accomplishment has been our success in recruiting faculty. With several new dental schools opening in the past few years, the competition to recruit faculty has been increasingly keen. No matter what the area of study, schools across the country are competing for faculty members with expertise and experience in all the dental disciplines.
During my term as dean, we have hired more than 75 full-time faculty from places all around the country and some from outside the U.S. While the majority of them were recruited from other dental schools, several were among our part-time faculty members who wanted to make a full-time commitment to the college. Some of those whom we hired from other dental schools joined us directly after graduating from residency programs, while others were mid- or senior-level faculty.
Each of our new faculty members brought with them an assortment of skills, experience, knowledge, and personal backgrounds that has enriched the knowledge base and the diversity of our college. More than 70% of our new faculty are female. And a third of them earned their dental degree from a dental school outside the country, before completing their specialty training in the U.S. All of this has helped to make ours a truly world-class faculty.
What has been your favorite part about your time as dean at The Ohio State University College of Dentistry?
Of the many responsibilities I have had as dean, none has been more rewarding and enjoyable than representing our college on Ohio State’s campus. Whether it was with one of the university’s senior leaders or another health science dean, or a faculty member from one of the other colleges, it has always been a great pleasure for me to share information about what our college was doing and to explore the ways we might support each other’s agendas.
Because Ohio State is such a big place – 15 colleges, four branch campuses, and a huge medical center – there were always plenty of opportunities for me to talk about dentistry and our college. People were always genuinely interested in our profession and wanted to learn more about our projects and programs. From these interactions, so many good things happened, for our students, staff, and faculty. Sometimes the result was financial support for a university-wide initiative or a new opportunity for patient care collaboration with the medical center. Other times, these interactions brought about a new research partnership on a grant, or a faculty member who could lecture to our students about a topic we needed for accreditation. Whatever the outcome, these meetings were often the highlight of my day.
How would you describe your relationship with organized dentistry?
The College of Dentistry has long benefited from its strong partnership with organized dentistry. I have felt fortunate to be able to capitalize on this relationship from the first day I arrived in Ohio. I have also been especially grateful for the many and substantive contributions that the ODA has made in support of our students. These have included scholarships; sponsoring student activities; and making presentations to our dental classes. The ODA has always demonstrated tremendous goodwill toward our students.
I have also been deeply appreciative of the many ways that dental organizations have worked with our college to help improve Ohioans’ access to dental care. They have championed state support for our outreach programs, like the OHIO project. They have worked to develop loan forgiveness opportunities that made it possible for some of our graduates to practice in dental workforce shortage areas throughout the state. And the role their members played in encouraging young college students to consider dentistry as a career has helped to give us a strong and accomplished DDS applicant pool.
On a personal note, I have valued highly the interest demonstrated by the ODA’s presidents and their executive director regarding all the activities and initiatives in our college. I have met regularly with the organization’s leaders so I could keep them apprised of our goals and achievements. In turn, they have kept me informed about the ways they are meeting their obligations and accomplishing their mission. Together, we have worked for the benefit of Ohioans and the ODA’s members. I cannot imagine having had a better relationship between our college and organized dentistry. In fact, I have boasted about it to other dental deans all across the country!
What are your plans for the future?
The university’s deans who step down from their leadership positions are given administrative leave so they can prepare to re-enter the faculty ranks. As of now, I am planning to take this opportunity to get caught up on the subjects that I was involved in as a faculty member before becoming dean. I spent many years of my career in geriatric dentistry and that continues to be a particular interest. I also plan to finish a few publications I have been working on for the past several years. They cover a range of topics that I hope will be of interest to the members of our profession and those in my specialty, which is prosthodontics.
Do you have anything else to add?
I would like to express my most sincere gratitude to everyone in the Ohio Dental Association for their warm and gracious welcome when I arrived in 2011, and for all the support you have given the college during my tenure as dean. You opened doors for me and made things possible for our college that might never had happened without your help and leadership. For all this, and the many things I learned from the ODA and its leaders and members, I will always be grateful.
