V.A. Medical Center, West Palm Beach

The General Practice Residency in Dentistry is an educational program designed to provide clinical, didactic and hospital experience at the post-doctoral level. It will prepare the resident to manage oral health in a comprehensive manner by providing instruction and experience in the delivery of dental care to a wide range of ambulatory, hospitalized and nursing home patients. The overall objectives of the program are as follows:
1) Provide advanced education and clinical experience in dentistry (limited pedodontic and orthodontic experience), including instruction and hands-on experience in emerging dental technologies and the clinical management of the needs of medically- and/or psychologically- compromised patients
2) Provide enhanced didactic and clinical training in dental diagnosis and treatment planning for both routine and complex cases, case presentations to patients, ongoing case management and decision-making during the active treatment phase, and assessment of post-treatment outcome.
3) Provide instruction and clinical experience in physical diagnosis and medical risk assessment, including formal didactic presentations and supplementary off-service rotations in Medicine, Anesthesiology, and the Emergency Room
4) Provide enhanced understanding of the relationship of oral disease to systemic health, and of the relationship of medical disorders to oral disease and dental treatment.
5) Develop the skills needed to function in the hospital setting as a member of the health care team, including:
a) Management of same-day surgery patients from admission through discharge, including treatment in the operating room, and where indicated, management of dental inpatients
b) Familiarity with hospital administration, organization, protocol, and inter-relationships between various hospital departments
6) Didactic and clinical training in the management of dental emergencies
7) Didactic and clinical training in the management of medical emergencies in the dental setting
8) Prepare to meet future career goals by pursuing specific areas of interest under the supervision of attending and visiting professional staff
9) Seminars, lectures, literature review and hands-on presentations are scheduled throughout the program to supplement and guide clinical experiences
10) Participation in VA-sponsored Community Service dental initiatives, to continue the legacy of dentistry’s leadership role in providing service to mankind beyond the confines of the clinic/operatory walls