In pursuit of excellence in education, multiple accreditation and quality education bodies have accredited and recognized the Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) Program at Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University including:
Affiliation of the College of Dentistry with the Association of Dental Education in Europe (ADEE)
The BDS is the first program in the region to receive an accreditation from the Association of Dental Education in Europe (ADEE) in 2013. This accreditation exemplifies the excellence in the quality of dental education and services the College provides on an internationally recognized level.
The accreditation was granted after extensive interactions from the delegates of the ADEE and the College of Dentistry. During those interactions, the accreditation team appreciated the high standards of teaching practices and facilities in the College. Students and faculty had an integral role in the progress of the College's development since its establishment. At the time of the actual visits, the faculty and students of the College made quite an impact with the ADEE accreditation panel members with numerous scientific publications that the faculty and students had authored, especially since the College of Dentistry was a relatively young institution.
Accreditation of the Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) Program with the National Center for Academic Accreditation & Evaluation (NCAAA) -Education & Training Evaluation Commission (ETEC)
In May of 2016, the BDS program at Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University became the first among IAU colleges and the second dental college within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to be fully accredited by the NCAAA – ETEC (formerly NCAAA) exemplifying a commitment to achieve the highest standard of education, assessment, and quality improvement. A review panel of experts from institutions around the world made the final site visit from 30th April to 5th May 2016. Annual reports are developed to monitor continuous improvement in assessment methods and the latest educational techniques in the world of dentistry and dental education. The re-accreditation process by the NCAAA- ETEC will take place on May 2023.
Affiliations
Collaboration with Loma Linda University
A collaboration between the Colleges of Dentistry at Loma Linda University in California and Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University has been established since 2011. The goal of this collaboration is to enhance the academic program through participation of faculty members from Loma Linda University in the undergraduate academic curriculum.
Over the past years, an academic delegation from Loma Linda University visited the College of Dentistry and participated in the following:
- Participation in students’ lectures and scientific discussions.
- Participation in practical sessions and lab supervision.
- Participate in clinical supervision including training, discussions and implementation of patient treatment plans.
- Review the contents of the curriculum relevant to their designated specialties.
- Conduct workshops for faculty members.
- Participate in community services activities by providing workshops for dentists in the Eastern Region in particular and the Kingdom in general.
- Joint scientific research collaborations with the faculty members.
Collaboration with the Eastman Institute of Oral Health, University of Rochester
A collaboration between the Eastman Institute of Oral Health at University of Rochester in New York and Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University has been established since 2014. The aim of this collaboration is to allow postgraduate fellows from College of Dentistry at Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University to enhance their educational experience at the University of Rochester.
Collaboration with West Virginia University, School of Dentistry
A collaboration between West Virginia University and Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University has been established since 2019. The aim of this collaboration is to achieve excellence in dental education at the College of Dentistry at Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University by collaborating with leaders in the oral health education.
Academy for Academic Leaders (AAL)
The Academy for Academic Leadership (AAL), an Atlanta–based corporation, is a collaboration of scholars, educational specialists, and academic leaders providing professional development and consulting services to academic healthcare institutions within higher education, accreditation is one of AAL’s main areas of expertise. The AAL collaborative has a record of success, with over 3 decades of cumulative leadership experience, over 1000 peer-reviewed publications, and extensive funded research.
Objectives for College of Dentistry and AAL Collaboration:
- Prepare the BDS program for National and International Accreditation
- Develop a contemporary curriculum in line with the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) standards.
- Provide faculty development work plan to support accreditation and curriculum reform efforts.
- Prepare the College of Dentistry to apply for review by the Joint Advisory Committee on International Accreditation (JACIA).
Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCFHS) / Dental Assistant Program
A program was launched by the Health Academy of the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties in cooperation with the College of Dentistry at Imam Abdul Rahman bin Faisal University, and aims to enhance professional performance, spread skills and sound practical application in the field of various dental disciplines to reach a healthy community with qualified competencies on the best standards for the protection and promotion of health. Trainees acquired skills of empathy and principles of community service to achieve the Kingdom’s 2030 vision, which aims to provide qualified Saudi cadres in a number of health specialties to join the labor market as dental assistants.
The Dental Assistant Program qualifies graduates of the program to work as independent dental assistants in the clinical and administrative aspects of the dental clinic and to manage patient information, prepare, sterilize and care for instruments, as well as assist with dental procedures.
Fifty students were enrolled for training in the program for the academic year 1442-1443 AH, as the first batch. At the end of the year, the applicants passed the commission’s classification test with a score of 100%.
