Sir, recruitment and retention has been an issue in clinical academia for many years and while this has never been fully addressed, any article which highlights the plight of clinical academics within dentistry has to be applauded (BDJ 2006; 200: 73–74). Despite the rosy picture painted by O'Brien and Kay, the shortages remain and we need to ask ourselves: why is it suitable people are not queuing up to join us?

To fly high in academia, which is what I believe O'Brien and Kay are advocating, you need to be able to get airborne and you cannot do this if you are laden down, tied or restricted. Unfortunately this is the stark reality of academia. There are several issues not least of which are the competing agendas of research, teaching, training and service provision.

Research governance becomes ever more burdensome and as GDPs are required to undertake CPD we are increasingly called upon to provide Section 63 courses. Add to that chronic understaffing, increases in student numbers and lack of administrative support and the reasons behind a lack of manpower become clear. Opportunities to partake in the so called more attractive pursuits are in reality accepted less and less as to do so often places an unbearable burden on colleagues left behind to hold the fort. The academic masters, like Oliver Twist, want more. Additionally, it is a stark reality that no matter how hard we try in our jobs, our activity and indeed our plights are always on show to the people we want to attract: our students and our junior colleagues.

They witness the challenges we face and it is difficult to paint a rosy picture in today's environment. The resolution of manpower issues, resource funding, realistic expectations and autonomy are desperately needed in academia. I believe if these are sorted then perhaps we can save the plight of the academic in dentistry.