Fishing is one of Sidonia “Sid” Peto’s hobbies, and University of Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry administrators hope she will catch some presenters and corporate partners who are “big fish” to enhance the College’s Continuing Education offerings. Peto recently joined the College as Director of Continuing Education and reports to Assistant Dean for Advancement and Alumni Affairs Mark J. Valentino.
She most recently was Director for Education and Meetings for the Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography in Plano, TX. Previously, Peto was Director of Continuing Professional Development for MediTech Media Ltd. of Atlanta, Director of Medical Education for Pragmaton in Chicago, and Director of Education for the Illinois State Medical Society.
“I’ll be responsible for developing the continuing education program here not only for our own alumni but also for other dentists and specialists in Illinois and surrounding states,” Peto said. “I’ll also be responsible for maintaining the American Dental Association Continuing Education Recognition Program” (CERP).
The previous Director of Continuing Education, Joyce Burger, had reported to Executive Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Dr. Frank Licari. Peto, in succeeding the recently retired Burger, now reports to Valentino because the College looks at the CE office as a possible revenue-generator and as a natural tie to College alumni.
“We brought Sidonia in with her tremendous background to attract some of the most popular dental educators for CE courses at the College and to come up with new ideas as well,” Valentino said. “She will work with the College’s own great faculty who are interested in presenting CE and with outside speakers to create superior CE programs. We want her to meet the needs of the departments and to keep an eye on the bottom line as well.”
“I definitely hope to make our CE courses revenue self-sufficient,” Peto said. “One of the ways to do that is to develop more partnerships with outside organizations, like we already have with the Hornbrook Group. There also may be the opportunity to work with the office of the Associate Dean for Research in soliciting grants for Continuing Education from companies’ whose products the College uses in both the student and CE programs.”