S P E A

THE STUDENT PROFESSIONALISM & ETHICS

ASSOCIATION IN DENTISTRY

START-UP KIT

Table of Contents

Welcome Letter 3

Benefits of SPEA 4

History of SPEA 5

How to Get Started 6 – 8

List of Meeting Ideas 9

Important Documents:

Sample Constitution 10 - 11

Sample By-laws 12 - 14

SPEA Mission Statement 15

SPEA Local Chapter Officers/Advisors 16 - 17

Association Recognition 18

List of Regencies 19 - 22

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Dear Student Representative,

Thank you for your interest in starting a chapter of the Student Professionalism and Ethics Association (SPEA) at your University. On behalf of the SPEA National Organization, I would like to express our delight in welcoming you to a nationwide community promoting ethics and professionalism in the field of dentistry.

The interest of students like you is imperative, as this signifies future dental professionals deeply care about the ethics and professional standards that can and must be applied in our field. By joining SPEA, you are becoming part of a widespread network of individuals influencing the culture of our profession. SPEA has the fortunate opportunity to work closely with the American College of Dentists and the American Student Dental Association. As SPEA expands, the goal is to unite this community, share perspectives in an open and unbiased forum, and appreciate the diversity of experiences present in the arena of dental ethics.

SPEA is a student-driven organization composed of dental, post-doctoral, dental hygiene, dental assisting, and international students. While SPEA welcomes current professionals to become involved in our organization, I would like to highlight that it is student-initiated and student-run.

As your enthusiasm for SPEA grows, it will become contagious and will spread at your school. I would like to underline that your chapter should cater to the needs and interests of the students, faculty, staff, and administration at your school. In addition, I suggest the formation of open lines of communication between the student body and faculty, staff, and administration.

I applaud your efforts in building your local chapter. As leaders of professionalism and ethics at your school, I encourage your participation at the national level of SPEA. This will create great opportunities for networking and building lifelong friendships.

This start-up kit should provide ideas, advice, and suggestions to facilitate the formation of your chapter. Keep in mind that your Regent and the national Executive Board will be happy to help you along your way, as many of us have been in your shoes.

Your recognition of the significance of dental ethics and professional standards is admirable! I look forward to welcoming you to the Student Professionalism and Ethics Association.

Sincerely,

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Sean Gardener

2011-2012 SPEA Executive Chair

Benefits of establishing a SPEA local chapter

Participate in a student-driven national organization dedicated to increasing

professional and ethical behavior among students within the field of dentistry

Play a part in the creation of a unified voice of students regarding ethics and

professional issues

Gain access to a collective body of students that can give you guidance and

mentorship regarding ethics issues specific to your school

Aid in the development of ethical and professional behavior Promote dental ethics and professionalism through:

o Informative Lectures

o Informal discourse

o Guest speakers

o Special events and projects

o Local, regional, and national meetings

Participate in a national symposium on dental ethics where you will meet other

students and faculty from across the nation and have the opportunity to listen to

distinguished speakers on dental ethics.

Promote lifelong thought and action in the arena of dental ethics that will

accompany students throughout their professional careers.

Increase pride and professionalism among students of dentistry and dental hygiene.

Foster an environment where ethics and professionalism can be openly addressed

without bias or judgment

Increase awareness of ethical dilemmas facing other chapters and get a chance to

support fellow dental professionals beyond your own school

Make ethics fun and interesting!

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History of SPEA

In March 2007, a small group of students at the Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC met with Dr. Alvin Rosenblum, professor of dental ethics, to discuss how they could become more proactive in promoting ethics at their school. What ensued was the first of several brainstorming sessions on what would eventually become the Student Professionalism and Ethics Club, (SPEC). The first SPEC event open to students, faculty and staff was held in October, with an attendance of over 100.

Shortly after SPEC began work on a start-up kit, with the goal of aiding other schools in establishing local SPEC chapters. The group was recognized nationally and has received support from the American Student Dental Association (ASDA), American College of Dentists (ACD) and American Society of Dental Ethics. ASDA passed a resolution encouraging the establishment of organizations like SPEC at every dental school.

In May 2010, a steering committee of ten dental students from across the country, with the guidance of faculty, met at the Ostrow School of Dentistry to layout the strategic plan for forming a new national organization. SPEC was renamed as the Student Professionalism and Ethics Association in Dentistry (SPEA).

SPEA, with the support of the ACD, embarked on expanding its reach and invited student representatives from dental schools across the nation to meet at the ACD Annual Session. In October 2011, representatives from various dental schools collaborated and discussed the future path of the organization. The by-laws were ratified, and SPEA became a new national organization.

This truly has been an exciting time in the development of dental ethics at the level of education. SPEA believes the momentum we now see taking place will help to lay a foundation of ethics that will build the framework for integrity among dental professionals.

As one of our local chapters, we welcome you into our organization and look forward to your contributions!

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How to Get Started

Starting a SPEA local chapter is a very rewarding experience. However, there is a great deal of work involved. The National leadership is here to offer you guidance, support and advice. This kit includes a number of documents that will be helpful in starting a local chapter. (Pages 10-18)

Gathering Information:A SPEA local chapter is required to agree to uphold the SPEA Mission and Objectives. It is encouraged to tailor your chapter to address the specific needs of your school.

What is your school already doing in the realm of ethics and professionalism? Does your school hold ethics classes? Is there an ethics committee/board that hears claims of violations and administers

consequences? Does your school have a code of ethics? Do students take an oath? Which faculty are members of or hold offices in ethics organizations, teach ethics, or

have a background in ethics? What is the ethics atmosphere of your school and what are the ethics needs? What is the general level of knowledge in your school of dental ethics? What is the general attitude of students and faculty about ethics and

professionalism? Are there specific ethics violations that are more common and why might these

violations be taking place? Are there clear guidelines in your school outlining what ethical and professional

behavior is expected?

Drafting of Documents:Constitution and by-laws are essential for any organization. A sample can be found on page 10. Your school may have specific requirements that your chapter’s constitution and by-laws must follow. You may use the provided sample as a guide to help draft your chapter’s constitution and by-laws.

Registration of Your New Organization with Your University:Inquire what it takes to become a recognized organization at your school. Gather the necessary documents to register your organization with your university. Your university should provide that information, usually in a manual. Likely, you will be required to draft a constitution and by-laws. As mentioned before, a sample is found on page 10. Be prepared

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to attend meetings, revise documents as needed, and remember that SPEA National will support and guide you through the process.

Finding an Advisor:Find a faculty member, such an ethics professor, who would like to be an advisor to your organization.

Recognition of Your Chapter by SPEA National:While each SPEA chapter is independent and autonomous with a common goal, becoming a recognized SPEA local chapter allows you to take full advantage of our resources, such as the use of SPEA logos and identity, speakers, activity ideas, SPEA events, and other membership benefits.

To receive recognition, submit the following documents to your Regent (Regent contact info found on page 18)

1) The SPEA Mission and Objectives statement signed by club officers and faculty advisor. (page 15)

2) SPEA Local Chapter Officers and Faculty Advisors (form provided, page 16.)3) Association Recognition Form (page 18)4) Copy of constitution and by-laws that was/will be submitted to your school.5) Confirmation of organization registration at your university

Invitation to Membership:Once a recognized local SPEA Chapter is formed, a call-out or invitation to potential future members should follow. As a nonexclusive, student-run organization, SPEA membership is open to all students, faculty, staff and alumnae, but only dental students may become voting members and hold leadership positions at the national level.

Planning Events:You may pick a regular day and time to hold meetings and if possible set up a schedule ahead for the term/semester. Monthly general meetings work well. A second monthly ‘planner’s meeting’ or ‘board meeting’ held the week before will be beneficial.

Compile a list of meeting themes/topics of interest to your members and relevant to your school. A good list of ideas will help you plan future meetings and enable you to give notice to speakers you would like to invite.

Publicize the meeting with plenty of notice via email and flyers around school. Invite faculty and administration, as generally they love to see what you are doing and can provide a knowledgeable voice when questions arise.

If you need help planning or promoting your first event, please contact your Regent (page 18). We can help you with designing flyers, event planning and finding funding.

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We would love to see what your organization is up to, so make sure to take pictures at your meetings and send them in to speadental@gmail.com

A Word on Affiliation:By working together with similar organizations, your chapter may find help in locating speakers and furthering the SPEA mission. These organizations can also provide resources that you may find helpful.

As an independent SPEA chapter you are not required to affiliate with other organizations. Your chapter should decide whether or not to affiliate. Should you choose to do so, you may choose to affiliate with organizations at your school, such as an ethics and conduct committee. You may also choose to invest in institutional/group or student membership with a national ethics organization, such as the American Society of Dental Ethics.

If you do choose to affiliate, first check with your school to see if you can be included in their membership to one of these organizations. If your school does not have membership, you may request that they become members or you may initiate the membership process on your own.

Consider contacting the local Section of the American College of Dentists. Visit http://www.acd.org/contact.htm#Sections for contact information.

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Meeting Ideas

Introductory or Call-Out Meeting o Information on how SPEA started and what it is now (A sample

PowerPoint presentation will soon be available through our website, www.speadental.org).

o Outline of planned events for the semester.

Guest Speakers - leaders from the school, community, or the local ACD sectiono Invite an ACD Fellow to present on his/her involvement with organized

dentistry and what the ACD iso Have a speaker come and talk about psychology and the decision making

process that our minds go through.  Incorporate this into a class on how to make a good decision

o Invite faculty to join your meetings. Encourage them to share certain situations they've come across that relate to the particular topic of discussion

Create a panel of students and/or dentists to facilitate a discussion on current ethics issues at your school.

o Encourage students in the audience to ask questions

Case Presentation and Discussiono Pick a topic of interest (e.g. licensure, dental students doing dentistry

during mission trips to other countries, ethics in dental school, etc.), prepare a quick and informational presentation on it, and then open the floor for discussion

Ask students to present ‘Ethical Dilemma’ Caseso Have an open forum debate o Let anyone ask questions of the whole roomo Moderate the back and forth discussiono Have a backup question or topic prepared in case nobody has anything to

say

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Break up into groups o Have each group assigned to an ethical value (e.g. veracity, justice, etc.)o Put together a case and have each group discuss how their value is

related or can be applied to the case

Invite members of State Board or Peer Review Panel to discuss cases.  o Ask those dentists to pose questions to students and involve them, thus

creating an open-forum discussion and not a lecture

Constitution for the Student Professionalism and Ethics Association

[Insert School Name Here]

ARTICLE I. NAME The official name for this organization shall be the Student Professionalism and Ethics

Association in Dentistry. This organization will use the name or its acronym, [Insert School Acronym Here]

SPEA, in all publicity materials and correspondence.

ARTICLE II. MISSION AND OBJECTIVES The Student Professionalism and Ethics Association in Dentistry is a national,

student driven association that was established to promote and support a student’s lifelong commitment to ethical behavior in order to benefit the patients they serve and further the dental profession.

The objectives of the Association are:o Act as a support system for students in strengthening their personal and

professional ethics values by: Providing a resource for ethics education and development. Fostering a non-punitive, open-forum environment for ethics

communication Promoting awareness of ethics standards and related issues within

dentistryo Collaborating with leadership of the dental profession to effectively advocate

for our members

ARTICLE III.MEMBERSHIP All currently enrolled dental students are eligible to be full, voting members and hold

leadership positions. All other dental hygiene, post-doctoral, advanced standing program for international

dentists, and specialty program students as well as school staff, faculty, alumni, and alumnae are eligible to be non-voting, affiliate members.

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All members are required to demonstrate support for the mission and objectives of this organization.

Membership decisions will not discriminate on the basis of age, race, religion or creed, national origin, ethnicity, gender, disability, or sexual orientation.

ARTICLE IV. OFFICERS President 1st Vice President 2nd Vice President [optional] Immediate Past President [optional] Secretary Treasurer Member At Large [optional] Membership Coordinator [optional] Class Representative

ARTICLE V. AFFILIATIONS This organization is a recognized student organization at [school name], but is not

part of the University itself. In all correspondence and business transactions, it may refer to itself as an

organization at [school name], but not as part of [school name] itself. SPEA accepts full financial and production responsibility for all activities it sponsors. SPEA agrees to abide by all pertinent [school name] policies and regulations. Where

[school name] policies and regulations and those of SPEA differ, the policies and regulations of [school name] will take precedence.

This organization recognizes and understands that the University assumes no legal liability for the actions of the organization, and that the University is not providing blanket indemnification insurance coverage for any activities of the organization, unless those activities expressly benefit and further the goals of the University, and have received prior review, approval, and consent of Campus Activities, Risk Management, and/or General Counsel.

This local chapter recognizes that the national organization, the Student Professionalism and Ethics Association (SPEA), can assume no legal liability for the actions of the local chapter and that the national organization is not providing blanket indemnification insurance coverage for any activities of the organization, unless those activities are expressly and specifically sponsored by the national leadership, which must include formal written authorization from SPEA’s National Executive Board.

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ARTICLE VI. FACULTY/STAFF ADVISOR As a recognized student organization at [school name], SPEA is required to have an

official advisor from the [school name] faculty and/or staff. Other persons may serve as special advisors as needed.

ARTICLE VII. BY-LAWS AND AMENDMENTS This constitution should be in accordance with, and is subject to, the official national

organization by-laws. By-laws can be amended or added to this constitution by a two-thirds vote of the

SPEA membership.

By-Laws for the Student Professionalism and Ethics Association[School Name]

A. PURPOSE The purpose of this organization is to increase the overall level of ethics and

professionalism at [school name]. By uniting the community of students, faculty and staff of [school name], SPEA will promote lifelong thought and action in the arena of dental ethics. Through various programs, activities and associations, SPEA aims to foster an environment where ethical and professional behavior issues can be addressed in an open, unbiased forum.

SPEA aims to further the ethics education of every student at [school name] and help achieve the development of ethical and professional behavior in the educational setting that will accompany the students throughout their professional careers. SPEA also aims to form a student-centered committee to mediate and resolve concerns relative to professional behavior.

B. MEMBERSHIP

An individual will be considered an active member in good standing by meeting the Chapter’s standard of attendance and by signing the Chapter Charter in pledge of support for the SPEA Mission and its ideals.

In order to retain active member in good standing status, attendance of at least one meeting per semester/trimester is required.

All members are eligible to attend all general meetings and events of this organization.

If a fee is charged to attend a particular event, the membership may establish a fee scale for members and other attendees as appropriate.

C. DUTIES OF OFFICERS The President will chair all meetings of SPEA and will call special meetings as needed.

The President will be a member of the executive board. The 1st Vice President will chair all meetings of SPEA in the absence of the president,

will be responsible for obtaining committee reports before each general meeting, and will serve as the Local Chapter Liaison. The 1st Vice President will be a member

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of the executive board. The 2nd Vice President will assume the duties of the 1st Vice President should the 1st

Vice President be absent. The 2nd Vice President will be a member of the executive board.

The Immediate Past President will serve as advisor to the Board and Executive Committee. She/he will guide the President and other officers in fulfilling their duties and help them while transitioning into their respective roles. The Immediate Past President will be a member of the Executive Committee and will serve as the liaison to the local Section of the American College of Dentists.

The Secretary will take, record, and file meeting minutes and attendance and will approve all official correspondence for the organization. The Secretary will be a member of the executive board.

The Treasurer will maintain financial records, report on the financial transactions of SPEA to the executive board, and author an annual budget. The Treasurer will be a member of the executive board.

The Member at Large will serve as chair of the professional standards council; the Member at Large will be a member of the executive board.

The Membership Coordinator is a standing officer and will be responsible for recruitment initiatives and maintenance of a current membership database. [This position and its duties are optional.]

D. REQUIREMENTS FOR RUNNING FOR AND HOLDING OFFICE All officers and candidates for office must be currently enrolled [school name]

students in good academic standing and with no history of ethics sanctions.

E. NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS Nominations may be submitted to the President anytime during the period of the

week before—and up until 24 hours prior to—the election meeting for inclusion on the ballot. Additionally, write-in nominations will be accepted during the meeting itself if given to the President anytime before the last call, which immediately precedes chapter elections.

Any members may nominate any other member, including him or herself. Elections will be held at the first general SPEA meeting of the summer trimester or via

electronic ballot around that time period. A simple majority vote of voting members present (quorum met) at that meeting will

be sufficient to elect an officer. If there are more than two candidates and no candidate receives a majority, there will be a run-off vote between the top two vote recipients in the general meeting.

F. REMOVAL FROM OFFICE

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Officers may be removed from office for failure to perform duties, violation of the membership clause, failure to remain in good academic standing, or if sanctioned for an ethics violation.

Officers to be voted upon in this regard will be notified of the intention to do so in writing or by electronic means at least one week prior to the meeting at which the vote will be taken. A two-thirds majority of the Board membership present at a scheduled Board meeting shall be required for removal from office.

G. TERMS OF OFFICE AND VACANCIES The term of office of the board will be July 1 through June 30. Should a vacancy in office occur, the board will appoint a SPEA member to fill this

position. If the President’s position becomes vacant the Vice President will assume the duties of the President for the remainder of their term and the board will appoint a SPEA member as Vice President.

H. MEETINGS

General meetings will be held as scheduled. Twenty-five percent of the voting members shall constitute a quorum for transaction of business at any general meeting.

Special meetings of the Association may be petitioned to the President at any time by twenty-five percent of voting members.

The Board will have regularly scheduled meetings. A quorum for any board meeting is defined as twenty-five percent of the board.

Special meetings of the Board may be called at any time by the President or petitioned to the President by twenty-five percent of the Board members. Notice of special meetings must be communicated to all Board members at least 48 hours in advance of the meeting.

The Executive Committee of the Board shall consist of the President, President Elect, Treasurer, Secretary, Immediate Past President. The quorum of the executive committee shall be three members.

I. GENERAL COMMITTEE POLICIES

Committees may be created by a majority vote of the Board. All decisions of any committee involving organization funds will require the

approval of the majority of the board. All committee chairs are responsible for submitting committee reports to the

President prior to each board meeting.

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Committee chairs are appointed by the Executive Committee and can form subcommittees as needed.

J. FACULTY/ STAFF ADVISOR The executive board must select the faculty advisor each year. The advisor must sign the recognition application each year, whenever officer

information changes, or when amendments are made to the constitution. An advisor may not vote in SPEA matters, hold office or unduly influence decisions of

the student organization.

SPEA Mission and Objectives Statement

The Student Professionalism and Ethics Association in Dentistry is a national, student driven association that was established to promote and support students’ lifelong commitment to ethical behavior in order to benefit the patients they serve and to further the dental profession.

The objectives of the Association are:

Act as a support system for students in strengthening their personal and professional ethics values by:

o Providing a resource for ethics education and development.o Fostering a non-punitive, open-forum environment for ethics communicationo Promoting awareness of ethics standards and related issues within dentistry

Collaborating with leadership of the dental profession to effectively advocate for our members

We, the officers and faculty advisors of the [ school name ] chapter of the Student Professionalism and Ethics Association, agree to uphold the SPEA Mission and Objectives Statement.

Position Name Signature Date

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SPEA Local Chapter Officers/Faculty Advisors

School Name:

SPEA President: (name) (email address)

SPEA 1st VP: (name) (email address)

SPEA 2nd VP: (name) (email address)

SPEA Secretary: (name) (email address)

SPEA Treasurer: (name) (email address)

Member-at-Large: (name) (email address)

Membership Coordinator: (name) (email address)

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Faculty Advisor: (name) (email address)

Co-Advisor: (name) (email address)

Co-Advisor: (name) (email address)

Local Chapter Contact Update

Main Contact:

Mailing Address:

Web site:

Email Address:

Phone Number:

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(Please send an updated list to your Regent when officers or advisors change.)

Association Recognition

Please add our association as a recognized Local Chapter of SPEA, representing the school of [ school name ] .

We have submitted:oa list of our officers and faculty advisor(s)oa confirmation of organization registration at our universityoa copy of our constitution & by-laws othe SPEA Mission Statement signed by our officers and faculty advisors

We would like to receive the following additional items:

o National Chapter Contacts/Web-site Information o SPEA Logo/Identity o Activity Suggestions o Resource List o Ethics Case Studies

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If your chapter would like to submit articles for publication on the SPEA Website, www.speadental.org, please contact our editor at speadental@gmail.com.

Please send the required items to your Regent

Regency 1:Josh Gresehover – UNLV - joshua.Gresehover@sdm.unlv.eduRegency 2:Brett Durbin – UMKC - btdd36@mail.umkc.eduRegency 3:Beth Felts – Kentucky - bef113@gmail.comRegency 4:Crystal Chopp – Indiana - crlpage@iupui.eduRegency 5:Kris Norbo – VCU - norboka@vcu.eduRegency 6:Steve Cagliostro – Tufts – stephen.cagliostro@tufts.edu

Regencies

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Regency 1Oregon

Oregon Health & Science University School of DentistryWashington

University of Washington School of DentistryArizona

Arizona School of Dentistry and Oral Health Midwestern University (Glendale, Arizona campus)

California University of California, Los Angeles School of Dentistry University of California, San Francisco School of Dentistry Loma Linda University School of Dentistry University of Southern California School of Dentistry University of the Pacific Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry Western University of Health Sciences College of Dental Medicine

Nevada University of Nevada, Las Vegas School of Dental Medicine

Utah Roseman University of Health Sciences

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Regency 2Colorado

University of Colorado Denver School of Dental MedicineNebraska

University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Dentistry Creighton University School of Dentistry

Minnesota University of Minnesota School of Dentistry

Missouri University of Missouri- Kansas City School of Dentistry

Wisconsin Marquette University School of Dentistry

Illinois Midwestern University College of Dental Medicine (Downers Grove) Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine University of Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry

Regency 3Oklahoma

University of Oklahoma College of DentistryTexas

Baylor College of Dentistry University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Dental Branch University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio Dental School

Louisiana Louisiana State University School of Dentistry

Alabama University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Dentistry

Mississippi University of Mississippi School of Dentistry

Tennessee University of Tennessee College of Dentistry Meharry Medical College School of Dentistry

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Regency 4Michigan

University of Michigan School of Dentistry University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry

Indiana Indiana University School of Dentistry

Iowa University of Iowa College of Dentistry

Kentucky University of Kentucky College of Dentistry University of Louisville School of Dentistry

Ohio The Ohio State University College of Dentistry Case School of Dental Medicine

West Virginia West Virginia University School of Dentistry

Pennsylvania University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine

New York University at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine

Regency 5Puerto Rico

University of Puerto Rico School of Dental MedicineFlorida

University of Florida College of Dentistry Nova Southeastern University College of Dental Medicine

South Carolina Medical University of South Carolina College of Dental Medicine

North Carolina East Carolina University School of Dentistry University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Dentistry

Virginia Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry

District of Columbia Howard University College of Dentistry

Georgia Medical College of Georgia School of Dentistry

Maryland University of Maryland Baltimore College of Dental Surgery

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Regency 6Connecticut

University of Connecticut School of Dental MedicineMassachusetts

Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine Harvard School of Dental Medicine Tufts University School of Dental Medicine

Maine University of New England College of Dental Medicine

New Jersey University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey

New York Stony Brook University School of Dental Medicine Columbia University College of Dental Medicine New York University College of Dentistry

Pennsylvania University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine Temple University, The Maurice H. Kornberg School of Dentistry

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