Dental Public Health Residency

The Dental Public Health Residency Program (Advanced Certificate) at the Eastman Institute for Oral Health is an immersive postdoctoral training opportunity that combines didactic education, research skill development, and hands-on field experiences. Led by faculty from the Department of Community Dentistry, residents will receive expert guidance throughout the program.

Field Experiences

Residents gain practical experience through:

• The Eastman Dental School #17 Clinic in Rochester, New York.
• SMILEmobiles, providing dental care to underserved populations and school-aged children in Rochester and surrounding areas.
• The Community Dentistry Sealant Program and School-based Fluoride Varnish Program.

Program Flexibility

The program offers both full-time and part-time options to accommodate different candidates' needs. Full-time residents can extend their training for a second year to serve as the program's chief resident.

Accreditation

The Dental Public Health Residency Program is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) with the status of "approval without reporting requirements."

Program Requirements

Applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Academic Record: Strong academic history indicating potential for success in the program.
• Dental Degree: A DDS or DMD degree from a CODA-accredited institution. International applicants must provide a WES ICAP evaluation to verify the equivalency of their dental education.
• Master of Public Health (MPH): A degree from a U.S. or Canadian school accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH).

Program Goals

The program prepares dentists to:

1. Practice in the field of dental public health.
2. Gain experience in areas like administration, research methods, oral health promotion, disease prevention, and service delivery.
3. Design, lead, and conduct dental public health and population-based research.
4. Become eligible to sit for the American Board of Dental Public Health exam and achieve diplomate status.

Program Outcomes

Upon completing the program, residents will:

1. Be proficient in planning, implementing, and managing dental public health programs.
2. Have advanced research skills, with a focus on oral health epidemiology and disease prevention.
3. Understand the processes of developing and regulating health policies.
4. Possess the technical expertise to assume leadership roles in the dental public health field.

How to Apply

The application process is managed through the ADEA Postdoctoral Application Support Service (PASS), a fully web-based platform. Required components include:

• Personal Statement
• Three letters of recommendation
• Official dental school transcripts (with a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale). International applicants must provide a WES ICAP evaluation.
• Official graduate school transcripts (with a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale).
• TOEFL score of 85 or higher (for international applicants).
• Curriculum Vitae or Resume

Application Fee: A non-refundable fee of $195 is payable to the Eastman Institute for Oral Health.

Stipend

A stipend and resident benefits are available for dentists who have earned their DDS or DMD degree from a U.S. or Canadian dental school accredited by CODA. Foreign-trained dentists who have completed a CODA-accredited two-year Advanced Education in General Dentistry program in the U.S. are also eligible for the stipend.

Application Deadline 

The application deadline is January 1.

For more information on tuition rates and fees, please visit here. 

For More Information

Sangeeta Gajendra, DDS, MPH, MS
Professor, Clinical Chief
DPH Residency Program Director
Dept. of Community Dentistry
Eastman Institute for Oral Health
625 Elmwood Avenue
Rochester, NY 14620
Tel: (585) 273-4763
Email: sangeeta_gajendra@urmc.rochester.edu