ADEA Council of Deans Fellowship Program (ADEA CDF)



2025-26 ADEA Council of Deans Fellowship Program



Started in 2023, the ADEA Council of Deans Fellowship (ADEA CDF) is a year-long, part-time fellowship aimed at creating a diverse pipeline of future leaders who will assume roles as dental school deans and other senior university leadership positions. What sets this program apart from other leadership programs is the intense mentoring that Fellows engage in; components of this are a faculty to Fellow ratio of 1:1 or 1:2, a two-week site visit to external institutions with mentoring from the Dean and a commitment to mentoring from the Dean of the Fellow’s home institution. The ADEA CDF will increase the number of qualified candidates for deanships and equip them with the skills and experiences to help them succeed. Fellows’ career goals should include leadership at the dean or higher administrative level in the near future.


Applicants are self-nominated and must have the support and agreement from their Dean (or equivalent) to attend this program. A committee comprised of senior leaders from dental and higher education will review and rank each applicant. ADEA strongly encourages applications from individuals of diverse backgrounds and graduates of ADEA leadership or equivalent programs. The ADEA CDF is not intended for new deans. Individuals who have served as an interim or acting dean for less than one year may apply.


The ADEA CDF application process simulates applying for the position of dean at a dental school. Tuition for 2025–26 is $15,000. This includes three modules of in-person learning, and registration for the ADEA Deans’ Conference and the ADEA Annual Session & Exhibition. The tuition does not cover travel, hotel and meals.


As the first step, applicants must read the “Candidate Application GuidePDF and “The University of Tomorrow School of Dental MedicinePDF documents in their entirety before beginning the application.


For more information about the program, please visit the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page.


After reviewing the detailed instructions in the Candidate Application Guide and selecting one of the three types of dental schools outlined in “The University of Tomorrow” document, click the "Apply Today" button below to begin your application.


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Application deadline extended to Oct. 9.



Sponsoring deans agree to support and monitor the Fellow throughout the year-long program.

All program details are in the “Guide for Sponsoring DeansPDF document.

 


IMPORTANT DATES FOR APPLICANTS


July 15 – Oct. 9, 2024Applications can be submitted.
Sept. 26 – Oct. 29, 2024Selection of candidates for interview and interviews are conducted.
Nov. 1 – Dec. 1, 2024Final Selection: The committee will confer and select the cohort of Fellows and notify the Fellows. Written feedback will be provided to candidates who were interviewed.

PROGRAM DATES IN BRIEF


Date(s) VenueActivity
March 7, 2025In person2025 ADEA Annual Session & Exhibition: Orientation and assignment of career development plan
April 4, 2025Submit to LMSCareer development plan and Project Plan draft submission
April 6–9, 2025In personModule I: Fundamentals of Administrative Leadership ADEA office, Washington, DC
May 1, 2025 – Feb. 13, 2026OnlineIndividual (x3) and group (x3) meetings with coach
May 1, 2025 – March 2, 2026OnlineCouncil of Deans, one-hour program each month 
May 1– Aug. 31, 2025In personSite Visit 1
Sept. 1 – Dec. 18, 2025 In personSite Visit 2
November 2025In personModule II: Practicing the Fundamentals of Administrative Leadership
ADEA Deans’ Conference (TBA)
Feb. 15, 2026Submit to LMSCapstone project completion submission
March 7, 2026In personModule III and Graduation Luncheon: 2026 ADEA Annual Session & Exhibition