ADEE Communities of Practice – notice to members to join

The aim of ADEE COPs is to facilitate opportunities for the wider ADEE membership to share with, and learn from peers in advancing individual, collective and organizational knowledge and in meeting the challenges that are currently faced in Oral Health Professionals’ Education.

It is envisaged that these COPs will operate around the year and have the opportunity to build on and enhance existing collaborative working of ADEE. It is anticipated that some SIGs will have the opportunity to develop into COPs given sufficient numbers/interest. The key difference between SIGs and COPs is that COPs are focused on individual learning and sharing of expertise whilst SIGS are focused on creating consensus output that may be adopted at institutional, regional and European level. A document that explains the key differences between COPs and SIGs can be downloaded from the documents section below.

The objectives of COPS are to:

• Provide a broad-based grass roots network of support and ongoing professional development for individuals and organizations in dental education practice, research or policy
• Identify potential support areas for personal and organizational development, outcomes, research and dissemination
• Provide opportunities to share experience, knowledge or best practice and encourage the support, development and dissemination of expertise among the ADEE membership and wider community
• Provide a facilitated communication channel that enables mentoring to build capability and capacity of less experienced practitioners and to produce targeted

COP themes will be identified or invited from the ADEE membership or executive committee. Each COP will be and facilitated by a small working group of like-minded, experienced members of approximately 3-5 persons, the COP steering group. These groups will be lead by a Chair who will make the application and co-convene the steering group. A call to join the COP steering group will be disseminated and applicants can submit their intent. This will go through a selection process facilitated by the COP chair and the COP guidance group - 3-5 members of the ADEE ExCo or invited members. The COP guidance committee will support, guide and monitor the different COPs and receive information from the COPs about its work and progress during the year and in turn feedback to the ADEE Executive.

Ideally members of the steering group will be from different regions. The opportunity for country/regional development will be possible within the COP and may be performed in the local language to facilitate broader engagement. If required, focused sub-goals may be included within the larger COP framework to suit local or regional needs.

After establishing the COP steering group, the core members will re-draft the aim and objectives, which will be submitted to the COP guidance committee for agreement. It is expected that COPs will be able to deliver tangible outcomes for dissemination and possible publication through ADEE website/conferences and the European Journal of Dental Education. After approval of the aims and objectives, they will be circulated through ADEE communications to the wider membership to join and participate. Through this process, potential members of the COP will contact the steering group directly to join and permit feedback to facilitate more inclusive aims and objectives.

After this, an initiating online meeting will be called to discuss and agree on the aims and objectives of the COP with feedback and consensus with the wider COP membership for possible revision of the aims and objectives and discussion on how to advance the COP goals and outcomes.

Communications will be through Zoom or similar, E mail/discussion board or document sharing platforms. COPs will of course be able to hold face to face meetings at the annual meeting, space/time permitting etc. An overarching term of reference will be given to guide each COP with regards to their process, expectations and outcomes.

If you are interested in leading a COP Steering Group on a particular topic for consideration, please email administrator@adee.org with the following information:

1. Name of the COP lead
2. Area or topic for COP
3. Outline of potential benefits and why this is important to local or regional ADEE members
4. Proposed aims and objectives
5. Experience and expertise of the COP lead and a short CV
6. Potential need for language specific COP

Applications for the COP will be received and brought to the COP guidance committee for consideration. If you have any specific requests or need any clarification, feel free to email these to administrator@adee.org who will forward them to Prof Michael Botelho chair of the ADEE COP Guidance Committee who will revert to you in due course. You can also access our COP Frequently Asked Questions here. Initially the numbers of COPs will be focused based on needs and anticipated engagement from the ADEE memberships.