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Research Areas:

Education-related scholarly activities: Enhancing student learning experiences through curriculum innovation, assessment, case writing and faculty development.

Teaching Areas:

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W. Leandra Best, DMD, Clinical Professor, joined the Faculty of Dentistry in 1999 as a part-time instructor in fixed prosthodontics and quickly became involved in many components of the dental curriculum. As DMD Coordinator for years one and two (2003-2011), she worked closely with the Faculty of Medicine on the delivery of the joint problem-based learning (PBL) pedagogy. She co-authored numerous PBL cases and developed Dentistry's PBL Tutor Training Workshop and the PBL Orientation for students. She has received a number of grants supporting her keen interest in dental education research, specifically in the areas of assessment, development of curriculum and students' learning skills. She has presented posters and workshops at dental education conferences, both nationally and internationally. 
 
Leandra has received a number of awards including the Dentistry Teaching Award (2004), the Killam University Excellence in Teaching Award (2006), the 3M - ESPE ACFD National Teaching Award (2007) and the Award for Outstanding Leadership in Advancing Inter-professional Professional Development (2017). She has been involved in UBC-wide faculty development workshops at the Centre for Teaching, Learning and Technology, the Faculty of Medicine and the UBC Campus PBL Network.  
 
Leandra has extensive knowledge of the DMD curriculum, having taught in all four years and through facilitating numerous collaborative curriculum projects with faculty. She is a UBC Dentistry faculty liaison on the American Dental Education Association Commission on Change and Innovation (ADEA CCI), the UBC representative on the Association of Canadian Faculties of Dentistry's Academic Affairs Committee, a Dentistry faculty representative on numerous UBC committees and within the Faculty of Dentistry. Leandra was elected a Fellow of the American College of Dentists (2013) and a Fellow of the International College of Dentists (2014) in recognition of services and devotion to the advancement of the science and art of Dentistry.  
 
As the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs (since 2011), Leandra oversees the DMD curriculum and its extensive curriculum renewal project, and the academic progress of DMD and DHDP students. She serves as chair of the DMD Curriculum, Teaching and Effectiveness Subcommittee, the DMD and DHDP Academic Progress Committees, the DMD Academic Advisory Team and the Sub-committee on PBL for the DMD Admissions Committee.  
 
As Senior Associate Dean (since 2017), Leandra will be working on strategic planning and special projects within the Faculty of Dentistry.