Advanced Education in General Dentistry

General Information

Advanced Education in General Dentistry is a one-year residency program with an optional second year of advanced study and practice. There is also a two-year comprehensive program of advanced study that can be pursued as either a clinical tract or with joint matriculation in the Master of Science program. A PhD program in conjunction with the department of oral and craniofacial biological sciences may also be combined with the Advanced Education in General Dentistry program.

Facilities

The Advanced Education in General Dentistry program operates within the dental school in its own clinic facility specially designed to include treatment areas as well as associated support areas.

Financial Support

Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) residents who are graduates of an accredited U.S. or Candadian dental school receive a stipend from the UMB School of Dentistry. In addition, the student is not responsible for paying the UMB School of Dentistry tuition and fees. Graduates of international dental schools are responsible for tuition and fees and do not receive a stipend; however, international students who are simultaneously enrolled in a Master’s do not pay additional tuition for graduate-level master’s courses.

Requirements for Certification

A certificate is awarded to candidates who have satisfied all requirements of the program and have paid all debts to the University. Selected students in joint certificate and graduate programs who enter into a training agreement will receive a master’s degree diploma and certificate when they complete the requirements of the programs.

Academic Standards for Certification

In the evaluation of student performance, the following grades are used:

H	honors - superior
P	pass - satisfactory
F	fail - unsatisfactory
I	incomplete

Students must demonstrate competency in all clinical and nonclinical areas of the program. Any student who fails to do so may not be permitted to continue in the program.

Objectives

Each Resident shall:

Act as a primary care provider for individuals and groups of patients. This includes: providing emergency and multidisciplinary comprehensive oral health care; providing patient focused care that is coordinated by the general practitioner; directing health promotion and disease prevention activities, and using advanced dental treatment modalities.
Plan and provide multidisciplinary oral health care for a wide variety of patients including patients with special needs.
Manage the delivery of oral health care by applying concepts of patient and practice management and quality improvement that are responsive to a dynamic health care environment.
Function effectively and efficiently in multiple health care environments within interdisciplinary health care teams.
Apply scientific principles to learning and oral health care. This includes using critical thinking, evidence or outcomes-based clinical decision-making and technology-based information retrieval systems.
Utilize the values of professional ethics, lifelong learning, patient centered care, adaptability, and acceptance of cultural diversity in professional practice.
Understand the oral health needs of communities and engage in community service.
The two year AEGD program incorporates all the goals and objectives of the one year program and is designed to expand the educational opportunities offered by gaining experience in managing highly complex comprehensive dental care.

Scope of Training: One-Year Program

The clinical experiences for each student incorporate a broad range of clinical cases and are designed to match specific needs and interests. Faculty assign patients on the basis of type and complexity of treatment required. Students assume the responsibility for total patient treatment and learn to serve as principal coordinator when specialist care is required.

The Advanced Education in General Dentistry environment simulates a private group practice and is one in which students are exposed to new techniques and concepts in patient care. This atmosphere is enhanced by ongoing clinical research in materials and devices, and the clinical treatment of Advanced Education in General Dentistry patients by attending faculty. Chairside dental auxiliaries, fulltime hygienists, receptionist/clerks, and financial personnel facilitate the efficient delivery of services.

While students spend 85 percent of their time in the Advanced General Dentistry clinic practice facility, the remaining 15 percent is devoted to seminars that cover all dental specialties. These seminars are presented by senior faculty of the School of Dentistry and private practitioners, as well as by the Advanced Education in General Dentistry faculty.

First-year students can apply for an optional second year of training that continues and expands the postgraduate program’s clinical and didactic components. Second-year students manage increasingly complex comprehensive care cases, including the placement and restoration of dental implants, and participate in the regular seminar series. In conjunction with the program director, these students also develop an in-depth seminar and literature review program to meet their individual interests and objectives. Second-year students may also be provided an opportunity to pursue areas of individual clinical and/or didactic concentration one- half day per week; e.g., conscious sedation, special patient care, oral surgery. These additional experiences must be approved by the program director.

Number of Positions: One-Year Program

4 to 9

Scope of Training: Two-Year Program

This program pursues the one-year objectives while the curriculum emphasis can be either clinical or centered around matriculation in the Master of Science program offered within the dental school. The intent is to direct potential careers into education/research, advanced general or specialty practice. At the same time, students treat increasingly more difficult comprehensive care patients, increase their level of independent clinical activity, and improve practice management skills. Research required for thesis development is usually conducted in a clinical or laboratory setting and offers a wide selection of interest areas such as ongoing materials studies based in restorative and esthetic dentistry, special patients, geriatrics, TMD, and implantology. Additional opportunities may be specifically tailored to provide experiences at extramural training sites, and experience in preclinical and clinical teaching areas may be provided. An additional six months to one year may be necessary beyond the 24-month program to ensure completion of all requirements for the Master of Science program. For those interested, a PhD program is available contingent on acceptance by the program and the Graduate School. Contact the program director if you desire to be considered for this program.

Number of Positions: Two-Year Program

Two per year

Site of Training

The Advanced General Dentistry clinic is located on the 2nd floor of the dental school. This clinical facility consists of 20 units and all associated support areas such as reception, X-ray, and laboratory and contains state-of-the-art equipment such as a CO2 laser, digital radiography, digital impressions, CAD CAM (CEREC) dentistry, dental micrioscope, rotary endodontics, and air abrasion unit.