The article explores the evolution and significance of mentoring, drawing from Greek mythology, particularly the story of Odysseus and Mentor. It defines mentoring as a developmental relationship beneficial for mentees, mentors, and organizations, particularly in academia and health care. The article covers various mentoring models, including traditional, peer, reverse, group, e-mentoring, and the mosaic model, emphasizing inclusivity and cultural responsiveness. The social construct framework and the inclusive mentorship approach are highlighted, addressing barriers faced by underrepresented groups. The importance of understanding social and cultural identities for effective mentoring, especially in dental education, is highlighted.
Key points
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Mentoring involves a developmental relationship where an experienced individual (mentor) guides a less experienced one (mentee) toward mutually defined goals, skill enhancement, career advancement, social and occupational integration, and moral support.
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Different mentoring models include traditional one-on-one (dyadic), peer mentoring, reverse mentoring, group mentoring, e-mentoring, and functional mentoring which encompasses the emerging “mosaic mentoring” model that creates a network of mentors from diverse backgrounds to support various aspects of the mentee’s development.
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Inclusive mentoring acknowledges and values the cultural orientation of mentees, addressing biases, stereotype threats, and the need for cultural competence.
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Robust mentoring programs improve recruitment, retention, job satisfaction, and organizational stability in health care and academic settings.
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Addressing cross-cultural communication and mentoring diverse groups is essential for fostering an inclusive and supportive professional environment.
Introduction
Mentoring, a concept deeply embedded in Greek mythology, originated from the story of Odysseus who entrusted his son Telemachus to Mentor, his trusted friend, before leading the army in the Trojan War. Telemachus was guided and advised by Mentor who counseled him during his father’s absence. This myth underscores the significance and purpose of mentoring, illustrating its foundational role in guidance and support. The adage “it takes a village” reflects our inherent social nature and desire to help others, a trait particularly strong in health professions. It is within this social framing that mentoring has developed and is the lens through which we can understand how to facilitate its effective application in the academic setting particularly in dentistry.
Mentoring defined and its benefit
In his presidential address to the New York Academy of Medicine in 1995, Jermiah Barondess explored the extensive history of mentoring, highlighting numerous instances across various fields where mentoring relationships have existed. He referenced an early study by Daniel J. Levinson at Yale in 1978, which detailed the multifaceted role of mentors. According to Levinson, mentors are typically older and more experienced, act as teachers, sponsors, advisors, and role models, enhancing mentees’ skills, facilitating their career advancement, guiding their social and occupational integration, and providing moral support. Over time, the understanding of these mentoring roles has expanded to include fostering inclusivity and acknowledging diverse perspectives. Modern mentoring now also emphasizes recognizing biases, fostering a sense of belonging, and maintaining respect, all of which contribute to more effective and enriching mentor/mentee relationships.
Mentoring is a 2 way developmental relationship where a more experienced individual guides a less experienced one toward mutually defined goals. It involves sharing knowledge, social capital, and psychosocial support. In academia, mentoring benefits the mentee, mentor, and organization. For mentees, it offers insights, skills, and networks that enhance career growth. Mentors gain satisfaction and professional rejuvenation from guiding the next generation. Organizations benefit through improved recruitment, retention, and a cohesive workforce, essential for high-quality patient care. ,
Benefits for Mentees
Mentees benefit from valuable knowledge specific to their personal and profession goals. Through mentoring, they receive guidance on navigating complex professional landscapes, developing crucial skills, and achieving personal and professional goals. This support system is particularly vital in academic health professions, where the challenges can be multifaceted and demanding. , ,
Benefits for Mentors
Mentors experience the gratification of guiding the next generation, which can reinforce their own knowledge and skills. This process fosters a sense of fulfillment and professional rejuvenation. Mentors often find that mentoring helps them stay current in their field, enhances their leadership skills, and provides opportunities for personal growth and satisfaction. Box 1 provides the components that should be considered by the mentor in creating good mentoring experiences.
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Reciprocity: Ensure equal engagement from both the mentor and the mentee, fostering a balanced and interactive relationship.
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Learning: Focus on acquiring knowledge through active participation and engagement in the learning process.
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Relationship: Establish and maintain trust as the foundation of the mentoring relationship, ensuring both parties feel secure and valued.
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Partnership: Adopt a current paradigm that encourages active involvement and contribution from both partners in the mentoring relationship, promoting mutual growth.
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Collaboration: Engage in the sharing of knowledge, learning together, and building consensus to enhance the mentoring experience.
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Mutually defined goals: Clearly articulate and agree on learning goals to ensure a satisfactory and purposeful mentoring outcome.
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Development: Focus on developing skills, knowledge, abilities, and thinking, guiding the mentee from their current state to their desired future state.
Benefits for Organizations
Health care organizations reap significant benefits from robust mentoring programs. Effective mentoring enhances recruitment and retention, ensuring a stable and sustainable workforce. This stability not only reduces turnover costs but also cultivates a cohesive and experienced team, which is essential for high-quality patient care. Additionally, a well-supported workforce can lead to improved job satisfaction, reducing burnout, and fostering a positive work environment.
The sustainability of the workforce contributes to a positive organizational reputation, making the institution more attractive to prospective employees and stakeholders. This reputation is crucial in a competitive health care landscape, as it underscores the organization’s commitment to professional development and employee well-being. Consequently, mentoring is not just a personal benefit but a strategic organizational asset that promotes long-term success and excellence in academic health professions.
Both health care and academic institutions can greatly benefit from mentoring programs if they intentionally consider the characteristics of effective mentoring programs ( Fig. 1 ). Effective mentoring is not a one-size-fits-all approach. It requires careful planning and consideration of several key factors to maximize its benefits.
In this article, various mentoring models, including the emerging mosaic model, are discussed, along with expounding on the inclusive and social construct mentorship framework, addressing the current barriers to mentoring underrepresented groups in the health professions as well as examining the dynamics of the mentoring relationship within the context of dental education. By reinforcing inclusion in dentistry its value will enhance the dental provider workforce across educational research and clinical areas in order to provide a multifaceted approach to foster change.
Mentoring models
Models of mentorship ( Box 2 ) can vary based on perceived needs of the mentee, availability, capacity and skillset of the mentor, and the type of mentoring needed. In addition, approaches to the mentoring relationship for someone who may need the inclusion of coaching or sponsorship will be different than someone who may need functional mentoring for a specific project or task. According to Halpern, coaching plays a pivotal role in developing the skills and abilities of the mentee. Coaching focuses on enhancing the mentees’ performance aligned with their own specific goals. Coaches are typically well informed, possess strong interpersonal skills, excel in active listening, and foster a judgment-free environment. On the other hand, sponsorship involves advocating for the mentee and increasing their visibility. Unlike mentoring alone, sponsorship carries a higher level of risk. The sponsoring mentor has reputational risks associated with advocating for the mentee should the mentee be unsuccessful. The aim of sponsorship is to extend the advantages of mentorship (such as guidance) into the realms where decisions are made (through advocacy) to endorse and support the mentee openly.
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Mosaic mentoring : Integrates multiple mentoring relationships to address the diverse needs of mentees. This approach leverages different mentors’ unique strengths to provide comprehensive support, fostering personal, professional, and academic growth.
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Dyadic-traditional one-to-one : A traditional mentoring relationship where one mentor supports one mentee. This model focuses on building a strong, personal connection, allowing for tailored guidance and support based on the mentee’s specific needs and goals.
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Group/team-based mentoring : Involves multiple mentors and mentees interacting together. This collaborative approach encourages peer learning and support, enhances networking opportunities, and fosters a sense of community and shared learning among participants.
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Functional/skill-based mentoring : Focuses on developing specific skills or competencies. Mentors with expertise in particular areas provide targeted guidance and training to help mentees enhance their abilities and achieve their career or academic objectives.
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Peer mentoring : Involves individuals at similar stages in their careers or education supporting each other. This model fosters mutual learning and understanding, offering relatable advice and experiences that can be particularly valuable for navigating shared challenges.
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E-mentoring : Utilizes digital communication tools to connect mentors and mentees. This model provides flexibility and accessibility, allowing for remote mentoring relationships that can transcend geographic boundaries and offer continuous support through virtual interactions.
Informal mentoring relationships develop organically or through self-selection by either the mentee or mentor. These relationships are characterized by their lack of formal structure or training, with no predetermined goals or outcomes, allowing for flexibility and adaptability as the relationship evolves. Informal mentoring often relies on mutual interests and natural rapport, fostering a more relaxed and fluid dynamic between the mentor and the mentee.
In contrast, formal mentoring relationships are highly structured and include specific training and predetermined goals. These relationships are governed by established guidelines or expectations and require a commitment from both the mentor and the mentee. Formal mentoring typically involves a clear framework, including regular meetings, goal-setting sessions, and progress reviews, ensuring that both parties remain focused on achieving the outlined objectives. Both informal and formal mentoring approaches can be effectively integrated into various mentoring models, each offering unique advantages. ,
Traditional one-on-one mentoring, also known as dyadic or vertical , where an experienced professional guides a less experienced mentee, provides personalized support and fosters deep, long-term professional relationships. This model was most commonly applied during surgical training in the twentieth century. , Peer mentoring , which pairs students or young professionals at similar stages of their careers, promotes mutual support, and collaborative learning. A senior level faculty mentor may be included . In contrast, reverse mentoring connects younger mentors with older mentees to share their knowledge. Most often the knowledge gaps are related to cultural differences and technology innovations.
Group (multiple/constellation/team based) mentoring can involve a single mentor working with multiple mentees or one mentee working with several mentors (the latter is seen most often in Medicine). Group mentoring encourages diverse perspectives and collective problem-solving. E-mentoring leverages digital platforms to connect mentors and mentees across geographic boundaries, making mentorship more accessible and flexible. The functional mentoring model is project-focused where the mentee is paired with the mentor for a specific skill development or the completion of a project such as the design of a program, grant proposal, or research project. , These models can be tailored to enhance skills, knowledge, and professional identity considering specific context, goals (research or clinical), and profession. However, the unique challenges in health care necessitate a more inclusive approach.
Evolution to a “mosaic mentor”
Based on the above-mentioned models, the mosaic mentoring model arose ( Fig. 2 ). This approach creates a network of mentors from diverse backgrounds and areas of expertise to support various aspects of the mentee’s development. Mosaic mentoring is viewed “as a multi-dimensional guidance and a longitudinal landscape of career mentoring” that includes “a diverse group of individuals of different ranks, ages, genders, races, skills, and experience com[ing] together in a non-hierarchical community or network”. Mosaic mentoring can assist the creation of mentoring experiences that acknowledge differences and bridge gaps that may contribute to barriers for individuals underrepresented in medicine from gaining the support that they need to reach their professional goals.
Mosaic mentoring adopts a culturally responsive approach that acknowledges a mentee’s cultural orientation to assist in supporting the need and goals of the mentee. Han and colleagues developed and created a mosaic mentoring program for university employees of color and American Indians that involved a culturally responsive mentoring framework. The mission of the program was to adopt a community of support and interconnection to assist members in navigating the university systems, so that members can flourish and reach their goals.
Box 3 describes a model of mosaic mentoring. Read through the vignette to see how mosaic mentoring can be applied into practice.
