Abimbola Adewumi was accepted as a 2013-2014 American Dental Education Association (ADEA) Leadership Institute Fellow, joining a cadre of the nation’s most promising dental educators. After graduation she will become one of only 285 members of the institute.
Adewumi, B.D.S., F.D.S.R.C.S. (Eng), M.Ped., DentRSC (Eng), is a clinical associate professor in the University of Florida Department of Pediatric Dentistry. The leadership institute is a year-long program that develops the nation’s most promising dental educators to become leaders in dental and higher education. Institute fellows hold positions ranging from department chairs to program directors to deans of dental schools.
The institute, unique to dental education, is conducted in four phases during which Fellows undertake a variety of assignments designed to both guide and enhance their professional development. The program includes sessions in leadership theory, team building, communications, managing change, public policy, educational policy, legal issues, research, and budgeting and financial management. They also engage in self- and peer-assessment and gain perspectives about oral health policy and legislation, organization and financing of higher education, budgeting, and other skills associated with effective leadership.