Leadership education in prosthodontics: Development and impact of the Future Leaders in Prosthodontics (FLIP) workshops

Statement of problem: The effectiveness of leadership education for prosthodontists is unknown.

Purpose: The purpose of this survey study was to evaluate the self-perceived impact a 2- to 2.5-day leadership education workshop in prosthodontics had on participants' professional, leadership, and management development.

Material and methods: Participants who attended a leadership workshop for future leaders in prosthodontics (FLIP) were surveyed to assess their self-reported improvements in different leadership domains. The survey was administered to 89 participants using an online survey tool, and demographic data about participants were also collected. Results were tabulated for descriptive presentation. Where applicable, the Spearman correlation coefficients were calculated.

Results: Seventy-two individuals responded to the invitation for a response rate of 80.9%. Improvement in all 11 leadership capabilities assessed in the survey was noted by over 75% of respondents. Over 90% of respondents reported improvement in overall leadership, career management, team management, self-awareness, problem-solving, and conflict resolution. No significant (P>.13) relationships were found among demographic data such as age, sex, home continent, or primary career focus (academics or private practice).

Conclusions: Within the limitations of this survey study, participants in a leadership workshop noted improvement in a variety of leadership capabilities.