V.A. Long Beach Healthcare System/Tibor Rubin V.A. Medical Center
- California
- Advanced Education in General Dentistry
- va.gov
Program Contact
OVERVIEW
The Tibor Rubin VA Medical Center includes a large tertiary care teaching center and is also affiliated with five community-based outpatient clinics. Over 50,000 veterans are provided comprehensive healthcare. While a full range of medical services are available, the Tibor Rubin VA Medical Center is nationally recognized for its comprehensive Mental Health, Blind Rehabilitation, and Spinal Cord Injury Centers.
The population treated within the VA hospital setting has significant dental needs. Concomitantly, patients typically have an array of debilitating physical, psychological, and medical conditions that complicate their dental treatment. The staff and residents are highly trained in the management of these complex patients. The spectrum of dental care ranges from limited exams of urgent dental needs to comprehensive evaluation and treatment of eligible inpatients and outpatients, which encompasses virtually all specialty areas in dentistry. Experience is provided in treating patients with dental conditions associated with or exacerbating significant medical problems, such as head and neck cancer, spinal cord injury, diabetes, cardiac valve dysfunction, joint replacement, and organ transplantation.
The Dental Service receives support from other services within the Medical Center, such as Radiology and Laboratory. Additionally, it provides broad consultative services to ENT, Neurology, Radiation Therapy, Orthopedics, Psychiatry, Medicine, Spinal Cord Injury, Community Living Center, and Pulmonary Sleep Clinic. An Urgent Clinic provides residents with experience in evaluating patients with emergent dental needs.
The Dental Service is staffed by 12 full-time and part-time dentists (including 7 general dentists and specialists in endodontics, maxillofacial prosthodontics, periodontics, and oral and maxillofacial surgery), 4 AEGD residents, 4 hygienists, 16 dental assistants, and 1 laboratory technician.
RESIDENCY PROGRAM
The Advanced Education in General Dentistry program is a 12-month program designed to provide clinical and didactic training in general dentistry at the post-doctoral level. Four resident positions are available. The program is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association. A certificate is awarded to the resident upon successful completion of the program.
This program will prepare the resident to deliver total oral health care by providing instruction and experience involving ambulatory and hospitalized patients with a wide spectrum of medical conditions. It will also offer the opportunity to work with other health care professionals in the hospital and broaden clinical exposure to conditions not commonly seen in the clinic of a dental school. The educational experience is organized into block rotations- Restorative/Removable (6 months), Oral Surgery (3 months), and Endodontics/Periodontics (3 months).
The program is very clinically oriented and residents obtain significant experience in endodontics, surgical periodontics, surgical placement and restoration of implants, oral and maxillofacial surgery, and complex prosthodontic treatment – both fixed and removable. The educational curriculum is based on residents demonstrating competency in a variety of dental proceudures. Each resident works with an assigned dental assistant. Support staff provide assistance in scheduling and other administrative functions.
Didactic education is provided in pharmacology, hospital dentistry, endodontics, periodontics, implant dentistry, oral pathology, and practice management. Literature Review and treatment plannng sessions are held weekly.
The goals and objectives of residency training is as follows:
1) Act as a primary oral health care provider- effectively evaluate, plan and provide emergency and multidisciplinary comprehensive oral health care
2) Assess, diagnose, and plan for the provision of multidisciplinary oral health care for a wide variety of patients including patients with special needs
3) Manage the delivery of patient-focused health care
4) Comprehensively examine, diagnose, plan, and perform treatment for varied and complex restorative needs in operative dentistry
5) Comprehensively examine, diagnose, plan, and perform treatment for the replacement of teeth including fixed, removable, and/or implant prosthodontics
6) Periodontal therapy - enhance knowledge and experience in the etiology, diagnosis, planning and treatment of periodontal disease including surgical and non-surgical periodontal techniques
7) Endodontic Therapy - enhance knowledge and experience in the etiology, diagnosis, and treatment of acute and chronic pathology of the pulp and periapical structures of single and multi-rooted teeth
8) Oral Surgery - enhance knowledge and experience in basic oral and maxillofacial surgical procedures including exodontia, pre-prosthetic surgery, orofacial trauma and infection, biopsy of hard and soft tissue pathology, and post-operative complications
9) Enhance knowledge and experience in the evaluation and treatment of dental emergencies
10) Enhance knowledge and experience in pain and anxiety control using behavioral and pharmacological techniques
11) Be able to recognize and manage common medical emergencies in the dental setting
12) Enhance understanding of the evaluation, diagnosis, planning, and performance of treatment in implant restorations including single and multi-unit fixed restorations and implant-assisted removable prostheses, maintenance, and complications
13) Improve evaluation, development of differential diagnoses, and obtaining diagnostic studies and/or biopsies for hard and soft tissue lesions of the oral cavity
14) Improve understanding of the physiology, etiology, and conservative management of orofacial pain and temporomandibular disorders
15) Improve understanding in examination, diagnosis, and management of occlusal disorders including correction of occlusal disorders with proper equilibration and/or restoration
The hospital is located near the Belmont Shore area of Long Beach. Belmont Shore is an oceanside promenade with numerous shops, restaurants, and cafes. Housing is abundant, with many apartments within walking distance of the medical center. Long Beach is in the Greater Los Angeles area, which provides easy access to unparalleled activities – sports, entertainment, and nightlife.
The current PGY-1 stipend (2022) is approximately $62,000.
For further information, see the following video: https://youtu.be/PCnSK-rn4I4
** This program does not participate in the Dental Match.
Program Information
| Program Type | Advanced Education in General Dentistry |
|---|---|
| Program Code | AEGD1509 |
| Degrees Offered | Certificate |
| Program Size | 4 |
| Program Length | 12 months |
| Application Deadline | October 1 |
| Program Start Date | July 1 |
| Supplemental Application | Yes |
| Supplemental Fee | No |
| Stipend Offered | Yes |
| Match Participating | No |
| Program Website | va.gov |
Application Requirements
Required Standardized Tests
- INBDE
- NBDE1
- NBDE2
Supplemental Requirements
- Requires supplemental application
Transcript Evaluation and Instructions
- All unofficial undergraduate transcripts must be uploaded onto PASS by the application deadline
- Dental school transcripts must be uploaded onto PASS by the application deadline
Letters of Evaluation Instructions
A total of four letters of evaluation are required, including the Dean's letter. Two of the letters must be written by removable and/or restorative clinical faculty with whom the applicant has worked with.
Other Requirement Instructions
Supplemental Application Materials:
(1) 2"x2" photo- included in either the curriculum vitae or personal statement that is uploaded into ADEA PASS. Do not email or send through mail service.
(2) Dental Admissions Test (DAT) scores- although not required, these will be accepted if submitted. They can be submitted through mail service if not uploaded into PASS.
(3) VA form 10-2850D- Application for Health Professions Trainees will not be requested until after interview selection.
Please send any supplemental application materials to:
Dr. Helene Shen
Tibor Rubin VA Medical Center
Dental Service (12/160)
5901 East 7th Street
Long Beach, CA 90822
DO NOT send application materials electronically through email. Applicants will not receive confirmation emails. However, applicants will be contacted if an application is incomplete or if supplemental application materials have not been received by the deadline.
International Student Eligibility
Applicants Without U.S. Dental Degrees: Will Not be Considered
Eligible Citizenship Types:
- US Citizen, US Permanent Resident
Interview Schedule
Interview dates are as follows:
Tuesday, September 26, 2023
Monday, October 02, 2023
Tuesday, October 03, 2023
Monday, October 16, 2023
Tuesday, October 17, 2023
Tuesday, October 24, 2023 (tentative)
Additional Information
Interviews:
*** This is a rolling application cycle which means that applications are reviewed as they are received and interview requests may be offered prior to the application deadline on October, 1 2023. If a candidate has not heard from the program by October 20, 2023, then he/she has not been selected for interview. Please know that this program does not send rejection notices.
Program interviews will be in-person, and dates are to be determined. Once finalized, this program page will be updated.
Program Visitations:
Half-day, in-person visits to the program can be scheduled (M-F, 9am-noon or 1-4pm) except for the month of July. Please contact program director via email for scheduling.
This program does not offer externships.
*** This program does not participate in Dental Match.