School of Dentistry Writing Club creates space for scholarly outcomes

In the fast-paced world of academic dentistry, carving out time for scholarly writing can be challenging. Recognizing this, faculty members at UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry launched the Writing Club — an initiative designed to provide faculty, residents, and trainees with a structured and supportive environment to advance their academic writing goals.

Founded in 2023 within the Department of Diagnostic and Biomedical Sciences, the Writing Club was initiated by faculty leads Neha Parikh, PhD, and Daniel Harrington, PhD, under the leadership of Department Chair Anita Joy-Thomas, BDS, PhD.

What began as a departmental effort quickly gained momentum across the school. By 2024, with support from the Office of Professional Development and Faculty Affairs, the Writing Club expanded to welcome all faculty members, and more recently, residents and trainees.

“Scholarly productivity is a vital component of our professional growth,” said Parikh. “As faculty members in academia, we often juggle multiple responsibilities and deadlines, making it difficult to maintain steady progress towards our scholarly objectives. The Writing Club provides a dedicated space and structured time to support consistent writing habits.”

The club meets weekly for three-hour sessions, held every Wednesday from 1 to 4 p.m. during the summer term (May 28 to Aug 6). To foster a productive and social atmosphere, light snacks are provided, and attendees are also welcome to bring their own beverages. Participants may join in person with their laptops or check in before working remotely from their offices.

“The overall intent of the Writing Club is to purposefully, yet informally, create space and time that can help inspire faculty to transform ideas into impactful scholarly outcomes,” said Harrington. “We begin each session by establishing SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time-Driven) writing goals and reconvene at the end to review our progress. This format not only fosters accountability but also encourages peer feedback and collaboration.”

Beyond productivity, the Writing Club offers something equally valuable: community. Many faculty members report that the camaraderie, encouragement, and post-session discussions often spark new ideas and renewed motivation. In an era increasingly influenced by artificial intelligence, the Writing Club remains a uniquely human space where creativity, accountability, and collaboration converge.

Over the past several years, the Writing Club has contributed to a growing list of scholarly achievements, including book chapters, peer-reviewed publications, and funded proposals. To further evaluate its impact, a formal survey is being developed to assess the Writing Club’s contributions to the generation of scholarly outcomes leading to professional and academic advancement.

Below is the summer schedule of the Writing Club:

• May 28 | SOD-5110
• June 4 | SOD-5210
• June 11 | SOD-5210
• June 18 | SOD-5210
• June 25 | SOD-5210
• July 2 | SOD-5110
• July 9 | SOD-5210
• July 16 | SOD-5210
• July 23 | SOD-5210
• July 30 | SOD-5110
• Aug 6 | SOD-5210