MetroHealth Medical Center

Program Description

MetroHealth System has a long and storied commitment to providing care to the community of Northeast Ohio. That commitment has involved the training of hundreds of young professionals through the General Practice Residency (“GPR”) program at The MetroHealth System which started in 1959.

The GPR program is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation for one year and an optional second year.  Residents selected to the first year will receive a contract for the first year. Residents completing the first year satisfactorily will be eligible to apply for a position in the second year. Selection for second year will be based on their performance and evaluations.

The GPR program is designed to provide advanced clinical education in general dentistry in a large, modern hospital, as well as community clinic settings. The program includes clinical and didactic training under the supervision and evaluation of MetroHealth attendings.

CLINICAL: The clinical phase of the program comprises the bulk of the curriculum.  It includes assignments in the general dental practice at MetroHealth’s main campus with 14 operatories, as well as community-based clinics 2-8 operatories. The clinical training during the first year includes rotations through anesthesiology, the emergency department, pre-surgical evaluation.  Additional second-year options are provided.  Second year residents by virtue of their extensive clinical experience during the first year, rise to the level of an advanced trainee seeking and performing more complicated cases with a higher level of autonomy. The clinical rotations of second year residents include Oral surgery, Pediatric dentistry, and ENT. In addition, the Operating Room schedule allows residents of both years to treat patients under general anesthesia on monthly basis. The on call assignments expose the residents to a great experience while dealing with urgent and trauma cases. 

DIDACTIC: The program’s didactic activities support the clinical training and emphasize patient management and treatment planning.  The didactic sessions include an emphasis on Hospital Dentistry and Treatment Planning Seminars, in addition to Literature Reviews, Journal club presentations, Conservative Dentistry, Endodontics, Fixed Prosthodontics, Removable Prosthodontics, Periodontics, Medically Compromised Dentistry, Implantology, Practice Management topics and Coding, and Dental Ethics lectures. Interdisciplinary resident presentations allow for residents in both years to learn from each other and get on-their-feet experience in presenting cases and public speaking. Residents also may access continuing education courses and national conferences. The didactic sessions for second year include more advanced topics than in the first year, especially Occlusion, TMJ problems, Implants, and dealing with RCT complications and Redo.

At the completion of the program, residents are well-trained hospital dentists. They have a command of general dentistry and are confident of their abilities while recognizing their skill set. The program provides them with a solid basis for future professional development in general dentistry or further specialty training.

GPR Program at MetroHealth Medical Center is a stipend program. Applicants are not responsible for any type of payment.

Resume, INBDE or NBDE (1+2), TOEFL score, and 2"x2" Photo must be emailed to the program.

It is preferred that applicants graduated within the last ten years. 

Email to gmedentistry@metrohealth.org