Strategic Planning: Listening, Learning, and Looking Ahead
The voices of our Diplomates continue to guide our evolution.
As part of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry’s (ABPD) ongoing commitment to serve Diplomates and strengthen our specialty, ABPD recently completed a comprehensive review to inform our next four-year strategic plan. Our aim was simple: listen carefully, understand the evolving needs of pediatric dentists, and ensure that ABPD continues to reflect the values and realities of the profession we serve.
We partnered with a consulting firm to conduct in-depth interviews with key stakeholders and focus groups representing recent Diplomates and members of the ABPD Examination Committees. Participants came from a range of practice settings—private practice, academia, hospitals, and from leadership roles within ABPD, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD), and the College of Diplomates. Their insights were candid, thoughtful, and deeply appreciated. This process provided us with a clearer view of how pediatric dentists experience board certification and how ABPD can better support them.
Several themes emerged through this process. Diplomates overwhelmingly see board certification as a meaningful marker of excellence, yet many voiced concerns about barriers such as cost, travel, variable residency preparation, and limited mentorship for new graduates. Others expressed a desire for greater connection with ABPD after certification and more opportunities to engage, contribute, and build community. We also heard strong interest in modernizing our systems, particularly around software, technology, and responsible integration of AI to support efficiency while preserving the integrity of our assessments.
This feedback is shaping our strategic direction.
In the months ahead, we will share our plan, with focus on improving communication, enhancing support for Candidates and Diplomates, strengthening partnerships with AAPD, and investing in tools and processes that reflect the way pediatric dentists learn and practice today. Above all, we remain committed to ensuring that our initial and continuing certification processes are fair, relevant, and reflective of the highest standards of pediatric oral health.
The voices of our Diplomates continue to guide our evolution. We are grateful for the insight you provide and the trust you place in ABPD as we move our organization forward.