Update on scholarship among dental faculty.

A study was conducted to gather data from dental deans regarding the publication rates of faculty in dental schools. An analysis of the findings suggests that when compared with a previous study the rate of publication has increased. For tenure awardees, the number of publications has increased when the findings of the current study are compared with the original study. At all academic ranks, the publication rate has increased. The increase is more pronounced at the ranks of associate and full professor. The effect on the publication rate is the same for those schools with small numbers of advanced education programs when compared with schools that have larger numbers of advanced programs. The changing nature of dental education has resulted in an increased emphasis on scholarly activity involving a shift away from teaching and toward scholarship. This shift is evident in faculty publication rates when the findings of the two studies conducted by the authors are compared. In the future, it may be expected that dental faculty may be required to contribute to the professional literature at a rate equivalent to or greater than is required at the present time.