General Practice Residency Program

The curriculum includes didactic and clinical components, known as core elements, which all residents are required to participate in, and elective assignments based on resident preference. Residents attend a summer lecture series and seminars throughout the rest of the academic year. Residents will have an opportunity to take elective courses during the year depending on interest and available time. The second semester, January to June, will provide greater flexibility for elective assignments. The elective courses include those courses offered as part of the two-year curriculum of the Eastman Department of Dentistry.

Case Presentation & Treatment Planning

• Use interdepartmental consultations for the planning of patient treatment; prepare well-organized case reports; speak before groups; and understand the behavioral aspects of clinical dentistry.

Endodontics

• Review recognition and treatment of endodontic emergencies, diagnosis of endodontic problems, and conservative filling techniques for single and multirooted teeth
• Surgical endodontics (apicoectomy, retrograde amalgam, trephination, incision and drainage, and hemisection for periodontally involved teeth); care of avulsed teeth; apexification; bleaching; pulpotomies and pulp capping.

Literature Review

• Critically evaluate the dental and medical literature; perform literature searches; use the computer in literature search, word processing and data management; and lead small groups.

Medical/Dental Interrelationships

• Explore various topics in the connection between dental treatment and the medical status of patients with a variety of comorbidities.

Pediatric Dentistry

• Growth and development, eruption pattern, pediatric emergencies, recognition of abuse, management of the apprehensive child, pediatric restorative techniques, and recognition of dental malocclusion.

Physical Diagnosis

• Fundamentals of physical diagnosis.
• Obtain patient histories, perform a basic physical evaluation and assess the overall health status of patients.
• Videotapes, lectures, and hands-on experience are used for the learning process.
• Residents take histories and perform examinations under the supervision of a medical attending or chief resident in the Strong Memorial Hospital Emergency Department.

Prosthodontic Seminar

• Identify the critical steps for commonly used techniques in prosthodontics
• Understand procedures based on selected dental articles; share experiences of students and faculty in regard to these procedures; and compare clinical merits of the various techniques.

Salivary Dysfunction Center Rotation & Case Presentation

• Expose residents to the diagnosis and treatment of patients with salivary dysfunction.
• Residents develop expertise in the diagnosis and management of patients with salivary dysfunction including salivary sampling, use of chemical laboratories and pathology, and special diagnostic and imaging techniques.
• At the end of the rotation, residents present a clinical case at the Salivary Dysfunction Center.