General Practice Residency Information

The intended audience of this web page includes Dentists and Dental Students.

Program Description

The General Practice Residency is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation. It is a comprehensive Hospital General Dentistry Program with advanced training in all areas of dentistry. During the one year program, residents will be trained in preventive dentistry, operative dentistry, the placement and restoration of implants, complex fixed and removable prosthodontics, periodontics, endodontics, oral surgery, IV sedation, operating room cases, and management of medically complex patients.

Off-service assignments include rotations to the emergency room, internal medicine, plastic surgery, ENT, and anesthesiology.  These rotations offer the residents opportunity to enhance their knowledge of the relationship between the oral and systemic problems and to broaden their clinical experience in the management of patients with medical and psychiatric conditions.

Specialists come on a weekly basis to assist residents with more complex cases.  Specialty coverage includes endodontics, oral surgery, periodontics, and prosthodontics.

Weekly didactic seminars are conducted on Wednesday afternoons in conjunction with the GPR residents at the University of Utah.  The seminars include lectures from outside sources and journal reviews.  In addition, residents attend Head and Neck Tumor Board at The Huntsman Cancer Institute monthly and participate in pediatric and orthodontic lectures at Primary Children's Hospital twice a month.

Requirements include writing and presenting a paper on a topic agreed upon between the director and the resident, giving a year end case presentation on a particularly interesting case, attending 90% of the weekly didactic seminars, and presenting a table clinic at the Utah Dental Association meeting.

More information about the General Practice Residency Program is available on this brochure  (PDF).

Salary and Other Benefits

Residents' salaries are established annually. Currently, the salary is $43,400 for the one year residency. Dental jackets, scrubs and laundry services are furnished by the medical center. Residents are eligible to enroll in medical and life insurance programs, as well as the Thrift Savings Plan. They are allowed ten days of annual leave for vacation and to take board examinations. In addition, a total of 10 days of official leave may be approved to attend professional meetings and continuing education courses. Any tuition or travel costs are the responsibility of the resident. Annual and official leave is granted at the discretion of the Chief, Dental Service, contingent upon of patient care needs. Leave must be requested at least five weeks in advance except in cases of emergency.

Dental Service

The main clinic was built in 2002 and consists of six conventional operatories and one specialty suite.  In addition, there is a surgical suite and an older clinic with seven chairs where the dental hygiene students treat patients.  All operatories are equipped with computers and digital radiography.  Our staff includes three full-time staff dentists, seven dental assistants, and one hygienist.

Hours of Duty

All dentists including residents are considered available and responsible for the care and welfare of their patient's 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. The residents normally are on duty from 7:30 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. on weekdays and for such other periods as may be necessary for the care of patients, academic course work and staff meetings.  Residents are on call every fourth week via a VA issued pager.  Staff are available for consultation on after hours calls.

Application Requirements

All applicants should meet the following requirements:

1. Be a citizen of the United States and a graduate of a dental school accredited by the American Dental Association.
    
2. Meet the licensure requirements necessary to be licensed to practice in a state or territory of the United States, or in the District of Columbia.

How to Apply

This program is a participant in the Postdoctoral Application Support Service of the American Association of Dental Schools (PASS). To initiate your application to any of the programs participating in PASS, send for an application packet at the following address:

1. Completed application to this program should be filed with PASS no later than December 19th.
2. Interviews will be granted to applicants July through December.

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