Ongoing Site Visitor Training

No. It is not within the purview of the site visit team to recommend an accreditation status. If recommendations are made and remain after the response to the site visit, the discipline-specific review committee would recommend to the Commission that the accreditation status be "Approval with reporting requirements." If there are no recommendations remaining after the response to the site visit report, the discipline-specific review committee would recommend to the Commission the accreditation status of "Approval without reporting requirements. Only the Commission grants accreditation statuses.

No, that is not within the purview of the site visit team. However, we will inform you of any recommendations that will be included in the site visit report.

Site visits conducted between May 1 and October 31 will be reviewed at the Winter (January) review committee and Commission meetings. Site visits between November 1 and April 30 will reviewed at the Summer (July) meetings.

Site visitors draft sections of the preliminary draft site visit report and submit it to Commission staff. Commission staff then consolidates the draft report and sends it to site visitors for review, comment and approval.

Institutions should receive the draft report within four to six weeks of the site visit. Institutions have 30 days to respond to factual inaccuracies. Your program may wish to report additional progress in implementing recommendations contained in the preliminary report after the 30 day deadline or may wish to submit other information for review by the Commission. Supplemental information will be accepted no later than June 1 for the Summer review committee and Commission meetings and December 1 for the Winter review committee and Commission meetings.

Commission members are selected by a broad community of interest. Each participating organization has the responsibility for appointing a Commissioner within criteria established by the Commission.

The review committee for the specific discipline reviews site visit reports.  Review committees are composed of representatives of discipline-specific communities of interest, general dentists and public members. The specific composition of each review committee is found in the Commission's Evaluation and Operational Policies and Procedures manual.

The Commission has 30 days to transmit its accreditation decisions to the sponsoring institutions. Accreditation decisions regarding adverse actions (denial or withdrawal of accreditation) are transmitted to the sponsoring institution within 14 days following the Commission meeting.

No. Site visitors are prohibited from accepting social invitations. You can, however, recommend places for dinner.

A recommendation is made when a program does not comply with a specific Standard. A suggestion is made when a program complies with the standard minimally, but could be enhanced for increased effectiveness. The program must respond to recommendations; the program is not obligated to respond to suggestions.

No. Accreditation will not automatically be withdrawn. Programs which have been granted "Approval with reporting requirements" will have a limited time period to demonstrate complete compliance. If the program is less than two years in length, the program has 18 months to demonstrate complete compliance. If the program is at least two years in length, the program has two years to demonstrate compliance with all recommendations. Due notice will be given if the accreditation is to be withdrawn. Six months prior to the accreditation being withdrawn, the program will be informed of the "intent to withdraw."

The Commission on Dental Accreditation does not rank programs.

The program director can ask anyone from the institution to attend.

The preliminary draft report is sent to the president/CEO of the institution, the chief administrative officer (dean, chief), and the program director. The same is true of the final report. We ask these administrative officers to forward a copy to any other faculty/staff they desire.

Commission site visitors are nominated by the representing organizations, self-nominated or nominated by other individuals. Site visitors must be willing to complete the Site Visitor Training, attend update sessions, and conduct one or more site visits per year. The discipline-specific review committee recommends site visitor appointments to the Commission for final approval.

The Chairman of the Commission assigns the visiting team after the institution has had the opportunity to "screen" the site visitor list and remove the names of those who have a potential conflict of interest.

No. You are encouraged to take notes.

No. Generally, the visiting team members are responsible for their transportation to and from the airport. They may take you to the airport.