About the Program
The Advanced Education in General Dentistry Program at Georgia Health Sciences University is a one-year educational program leading to a certificate. The program is designed to provide clinical and didactic experience at the postdoctoral level in all areas of dentistry with an emphasis on treatment planning complex cases, treating medically complex patients, and training in advanced techniques such as rotary endodontics, implants, and IV sedation.
Residents receive an advanced program of didactic and clinical training in implant, fixed, and removable prosthodontics with the support of highly trained laboratory technicians; instruction in the management of medically compromised patients, geriatric patients, phobic patients, and didactic and clinical experience in the implementation of IV sedation techniques.
The majority of time is spent providing comprehensive patient care in state of the art operatories staffed by dental assistants and clerks simulating a small group dental practice. Additionally, 1-2 days a month are spent with an oral surgeon providing oral surgical care in the Medical Penitentiary.
Goals and Objectives
To support the mission of the Georgia Health Sciences University: To educate skilled professionals who make a positive difference in the oral health of the widely dispersed and highly diverse population of Georgia.
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Identify each student’s individual needs and structure the residency program to address those needs to produce a clinician with the diagnostic acumen, treatment planning skills, and clinical experience and skills to provide the highest level of comprehensive dentistry.
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Teach the evidence and techniques that will graduate a clinician with competence and proficiency in the clinical disciplines of general dentistry.
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Develop residents with the skills required to treat patients with complex comprehensive care needs and to function as the primary dental care provider for patients, including patients with special needs.
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Graduate residents with the ability to manage a dental practice and staff to create a financially viable and positive work environment.
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Prepare residents to assume leadership roles in education and in their communities by giving them experience in presentations and public speaking and by providing them with opportunities to experience actual community service during their residencies in which they may learn to apply their professional ethics, adaptability, and acceptance of cultural diversity to better understand the oral health needs of communities.
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Develop lifelong learners in dentistry who can critically review the dental and medical literature and use it both to research topics of interest and to provide up-to-date clinical care.
Dentists graduated from accredited United States and Canadian or other international dental schools that possess equivalent educational background and standing are eligible for admission to the Advanced Education Program in the Advanced Education in General Dentistry Program. Applicants must be a citizen, a non-citizen national or a foreign national having in his/her possession a visa permitting permanent residence in the United States. Applicants must sign written intent to practice general dentistry in the United States.
Selection and Admissions Policies
Following the submission of a completed application and the required supporting materials, candidates files are reviewed by the AEGD Selection Committee. This committee consists of the Program Director and other faculty members. Selection will be based on the following criteria:
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GPA/Class Rank in dental school
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Candidate Essay
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Letters of recommendation which address the individual’s scholastic potential, clinical abilities and personal characteristics.
Candidates who are ultimately considered for the AEGD are required to participate in a personal interview. Final selection will be based upon these criteria.
Tuition, Stipends, Equipment and Benefits
There is no tuition associated with the Certificate Program in general dentistry. If the resident is enrolled in the Master of Science in Oral Biology degree program, he/she must pay tuition for courses taken through the College of Graduate Studies.
Stipends: This varies from year to year.
Equipment: All supplies and equipment associated with the clinical program are provided by the institution.
Benefits: The College of Dental Medicine provides malpractice insurance coverage for residents while providing patient care at Georgia Health Sciences University. This insurance does not cover any outside dental practice. Residents are eligible for healthcare insurance if they pay a monthly co-premium. General practice residents are entitled to GHSU employee holidays, though assignments for emergency coverage must be maintained. Residents are entitled to 10 days vacation/personal leave. Residents may be eligible for other GHSU benefits.
The Facilities
There are resident offices and clinics dedicated to the program with access to laboratory facilities on site. Other clinical sites may also be used to expand the patient base. Full time dental assistants are assigned to the residents in the clinic.
The Curriculum
The Advanced Education in General Dentistry Program includes didactic training and advanced clinical experience in diagnostic sciences, endodontics, implant dentistry, oral surgery, pediatric dentistry, periodontics, preventive dentistry, prosthodontics (fixed and removable), restorative dentistry and special needs dentistry. The majority of the resident’s time is devoted to advanced clinical training in ambulatory care settings.
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