Dental Residency - Goals and Objectives

Review our didactic dental residency curriculum

The upcoming year will be rigorous for residents. The year is designed to give you opportunities to gain clinical experience and proficiency in a wide variety of medical and dental areas.

It’s important that you become familiar with the goals and objectives below for our residency program. When you complete the year, you’ll need to have had exposure to or gained proficiency in each of the areas listed.

During the year, you’ll be assessed on these areas through evaluations, meetings with your mentor and daily interaction with faculty. These ongoing assessments will help ensure that you’re receiving the necessary experience and training to meet the stated goals.

Dentistry General Practice Residency (GPR)

Goals and objectives

I. Medical risk assessment

Medical (ROS, social history, family history, hospitalizations, medications/allergies)
Assignment of ASA classification
Medical management
1. Systemic disease and dental treatment implications
2. Development of interdisciplinary skills

II. Dental assessment

Dental history
Intraoral and extraoral examination
Appropriate charting and radiographs
Diagnosis

I. Treatment planning

Development of a comprehensive treatment plan based on sound diagnoses
Appropriate sequence of treatment
Effective revision of treatment as indicated by changing of patient's needs
Modification of treatment secondary to patient's medical conditions
Informed consent and treatment options

II. Delivery of comprehensive care with appropriate multidisciplinary treatment

Providing comprehensive care at a level beyond a recent dental graduate
Developing a team approach in the management of complex cases and utilizing appropriate referral
Pre- and post-treatment communication

I. Admissions/discharge of same-day surgeries

Pre-admission preparation
1. Review of history and physical
2. Appropriate labs
3. Medications
4. Diagnostic studies
Pre-operative orders
OR protocol and consent
Operative reports
Post-operative orders and notes
Discharge instructions and follow-up

II. Inpatient consults

Requesting medical consults
Conducting consults from other services and providing appropriate treatment

III. Call responsibilities (Emergency Department coverage)

IV. Hospital governance

Hospital organization/structure
Credentialing process
Application for privileges
Hospital record protocol

I. Practice management

Financial considerations (dental insurance contracts, payment options, pre-authorizations, financial contracts)
Insurance (malpractice, disability, etc.)
Associateships/partnerships
Employee management
Informational technology
Quality management

II. Ethics

Ethical theories
Ethical decision-making
Professional responsibility

III. Multidisciplinary skills

Team approach
Appropriate referral
Communication
Follow-up
Community service

I. Anesthesia rotation

Preoperative evaluation
Assessment of the effects of behavioral and pharmacologic techniques
Venipuncture technique
Patient monitoring
Airway management
Understanding of the use of pharmacologic agents
Recognition and treatment of anesthetic emergencies
Assessment of patient recovery from anesthesia

II. Medicine rotation

Obtaining and interpreting the patient's chief complaint, medical, and social history, and review of systems
Obtaining and interpreting clinical and other diagnostic data from other health care providers
Using the services of clinical, medical, and pathology laboratories
Performing a history and physical evaluation and collecting other data to establish a medical assessment.

III. Mobile Dentistry & FQHCs

Mobile Dentistry: Transporting portable dental operatory equipment to local facilities. Providing dental services to rural, vulnerable, and/or underserved populations within the WellSpan Health service area. The treatment of patients with developmental disabilities and patients in skilled nursing homes.
FQHCs: Opportunity for exposure to various facilities over the course of their 12 months. Rotating through regional Federally Qualified Healthcare Centers in underserved areas and rural populations. Additionally, residents “develop skills” in building interdisciplinary relationships to improve patient care outcomes.

I. Understanding the parameters of restorability of a single tooth

II. Restoration of single tooth using acceptable dental materials and techniques

III. Restoration of endodontically treated teeth

I. To properly diagnose and classify gingivitis and periodontal disease with clinical and radiographic findings

II. To effectively treat periodontal disease with appropriate treatment, patient education, maintenance, and referrals

III. To assist or perform periodontal surgery including: gingivectomy, crown lengthening, implant placement and gingival grafts

IV. To understand the esthetic aspect of periodontal tissues when performing surgical procedures in the anterior portions of the oral cavity and in the placement of anterior implants

I. Occlusion overview

II. TMJ disorders and orofacial pain

III. Occlusal disorders

I. Hard and soft tissue surgery

Resident will be able to perform routine extractions
Resident will be able to surgically extract fully erupted teeth
Resident will have exposure and some experience in third molar extractions
Resident will be able to manage oral mucosal diseases
Resident will have exposure in pre-prosthetic surgery
Resident will have insight into clinical limitations and the need for appropriate referral

II. Treatment of medical and dental emergencies

Treatment of head and neck infections
1. Medical/dental assessment (ROS, medications, allergies, HPI)
2. Appropriate diagnosis using clinical examination, radiographs and laboratory studies
3. Antibiotic therapy and its limitations
4. Indications and technique for culturing
5. Appropriate treatment and referral
Dental alveolar trauma and oral maxillofacial trauma
1. Medical/dental assessment (ROS, medications, allergies, HPI)
2. Proper diagnosis using clinical examination, radiographs and laboratory studies
3. Appropriate treatment for dental alveolar trauma and follow-up care
4. Exposure to oral maxillofacial trauma with experience in diagnosing and developing communication skills with the oral maxillofacial surgeon
Post-operative complications
1. Post-operative bleeding
2. Alveolar osteitis
3. Pain management
4. Post-operative infections
Management of medical emergencies
1. Recognition of medical emergencies and identifying the type and source of the medical problem
2. Appropriate management of medical emergencies and identifying the need for EMS activation
3. Documentation with medical/legal ramifications and appropriate follow-up

I. To properly diagnose pulpal pathology using clinical exams, tests and radiographs

II. To diagnose and provide appropriate pulpal therapy for traumatized teeth, including crown fractures, root fractures, luxations and avulsions

III. To diagnose and treat cracked tooth syndrome

IV. Experience in the use of rotary endodontics and warm vertical condensation technique

V. Understand clinical limitations and when referral is indicated

VI. Appropriate treatment of post-endodontic complications

I. Perform a thorough patient evaluation

II. Control pain and anxiety in a conscious patient with the use of behavior management, local anesthesia and nitrous oxide

III. Understand the risks, benefits and indications for dental treatment with nitrous oxide

I. Diagnosis and treatment planning

II. Pediatric restorative procedures

III. Pulpal therapy for pediatric patients including primary teeth and premature secondary teeth (open apices)

IV. Behavioral and pharmacokinetic modalities with the pediatric population

Nitrous oxide
Chairside behavioral skills

V. Space maintenance

VI. Developing skills to effectively treat special needs patients with developmental and physical disabilities

I. Patient education and motivation

II. Microbiology of caries formation and patient behavioral modification to control caries rates

III. Fluorides in a preventive program topical/systemic

IV. Nutritional assessment of dental patients

I. Appropriate diagnosis and treatment planning

II. Surgical considerations in placement of implants

III. Surgical placement and restoration of implants

IV. Aesthetic considerations for anterior implant placement and restoration

V. Follow-up and maintenance of implant dentistry

I. To diagnose a patient's need for replacement of missing teeth and to treatment plan appropriately, taking into consideration the indications and contraindications for fixed, removable, and implant prostheses

II. To gain experience in fabricating complete and partial removable dentures, fixed dentures, immediate dentures, overdentures, and restoring implants

III. To select the appropriate prosthetic materials and develop an appropriate occlusal scheme

I. Identify and utilize the different roles of WellSpan Research

II. Know where to obtain research information

III. Define the term research in human subject

IV. Review IRB/HITAA regulations

V. Identify resources for implementing research projects

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Dental Residency - Goals and Objectives

Review our didactic dental residency curriculum