V.A. Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System

This training program is a three-year, formal periodontal postgraduate program in a hospital environment.  The program is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation, a specialized accrediting body recognized by the Council on Post-secondary Accreditation and the United States Department of Education.  The program is designed to provide a broad knowledge of both didactic and clinical periodontics as well as medical sciences.  This goal is achieved by clinical experiences, observation, didactic lecture courses, seminars, reading assignments, laboratory exercises, research exposure and teaching experience.

The purpose of this program is to educate an individual who is not only academically, but clinically competent to perform the entire spectrum of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures of a periodontal practice.  A high degree of maturity and dedication is sought in residents accepted for training.  Teaching provided through basic didactic lectures, seminars and supervised clinical experience is enhanced by introspective and creative endeavors in an effort to broaden the resident’s professional judgment.  The resident is encouraged to assume an open-minded, evidence-based approach to his/her clinical cases.  Patient care in a hospital clinic environment is utilized to expand the residents understanding of interrelationships of medical and dental disciplines and focus attention to the patient’s total well being.  Constant contact with other dental specialties and practitioners encourage the interdisciplinary approach to dental care.  Each resident is encouraged to experience and develop teaching skills to underline his/her own strengths and weaknesses as well as to demonstrate an ability to communicate with his/her fellow practitioners.

The faculty is headed by an experienced board certified periodontist who is responsible for the overall direction of the residency.  Part-time periodontists provide clinical and didactic instruction.  Consultants from periodontal practices in the Southern California community also support the faculty.  In addition, specialists in most dental disciplines are available in the dental department.  The mutual support of the residents and staff of other graduate training programs especially prosthodontics provide unusual depth and variety.   

The patient population consists mostly of  healthy outpatients as well as some general medicine and surgical hospital patients and convalescent care patients. The total available patient population is approximately 80,000 unique veteran patients.  The periodontal and dentate statuses of these patients provide for a wide variety of  periodontal treatment and implant situations. Exposure to hospital patients allows experience and familiarity with the medically compromised patient and advanced moderate sedation-stress management techniques.

One or two residents are accepted each year into the residency training program.  Each resident divides his/her total time between clinical activities and academic course work. The VA and the UCLA School of Dentistry provide the academic course work while all clinical activity is at the VA.

The content of the curriculum for the Periodontics program undergoes annual review and revision. Approximately 24% of the residents’ total program time is devoted to the Biomedical Sciences, 66% to Clinical Sciences, 5% to Research and 5% to Teaching. All residents must devote additional time for reading, study and some lab work.  Evenings and weekends are required to present any oral and written reports.  The mutual intellectual stimulation by the residents is a strength of this program.

The coexistence of a resident training program in prosthodontics affords another opportunity for interdisciplinary learning and provides a needed understanding of the interrelationship of these two specialties.  The applicant is encouraged to strengthen his/her basic knowledge in restorative dentistry prior to entering the periodontal residency.

Before completion of training, the resident is required to demonstrate the skills and understanding necessary to offer a variety of treatment approaches for patients requiring complex periodontal care.  Research training and its application are essential for complete understanding of the periodontal literature.  Each resident is required to develop an original research project and carry it through to completion, suitable for publication.

Teaching experience is also provided.  Each resident is scheduled with both clinical teaching and seminar schedule at the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System West Los Angeles.

The curriculum is designed to meet the standards set forth by the Commission on Dental Accreditation. Upon completion of the necessary courses, research and other requirements the resident will receive a Certificate in Periodontics.

If the resident wishes to receive a Masters degree in Oral Biology concomitantly, additional course work can be arranged at UCLA School of Dentistry.  A resident wishing to obtain a Masters degree will be required to register at the UCLA School of Dentistry and pay the registration fee that is applicable.

VAGLAHS infection control policies on bloodborne and infectious diseases are available for review upon request.

8-12 candidates will be selected for an interview.  The interview is by a hybrid approach.  There will be a 1 hour formal interview on a selected date.  In addition, it is highly recommended to have an in person visitation of the program at your convenience to meet both faculty and residents as well as tour the facility.

Please submit all requests for additional program information and requirements via e-mail to the program director.

The program does not have a website.