General Dentistry Residency Program

The goal of the General Practice Residency Program (Hospital Dentistry) at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center is to educate and train dentists in the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that represent the highest level of excellence in general practice and hospital dentistry particularly as it applies to the needs of under-served communities.

Overview

The General Practice Residency Program (Hospital Dentistry) is a one-year accredited postdoctoral hospital-based training program in general dentistry. The goals of this program are aligned with those described  by the American Dental Association’s Commission on Dental Accreditation. They state that, “The General Practice Residency (GPR) program is designed for advanced clinical and didactic training in general dentistry with intensive hospital experience at the postdoctoral level. GPR programs provide instruction and experience in the delivery of care to a wide range of ambulatory and hospitalized patients.”

An important outcome of the training we provide should be competent general dentists who are willing to provide good quality oral health care to culturally diverse populations, especially those living in areas currently under-served. This program limits comprehensive dental care to medically compromised patients with poor access to essential health care.

Ten of the twelve months are in the hospital dentistry outpatient clinics developing proficiency in the essential aspects of clinical dentistry as well as preparation for licensure with the Dental Board of California. During this period residents also take classes at UCLA School of Dentistry as well as attend weekly didactic sessions within our division.

Two months are on other service rotations, which include:

Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery

Length of Rotation: 4 Weeks
Location: Harbor-UCLA Medical Center & Martin Luther King Jr., Outpatient Center

Objectives:

To strengthen knowledge and skills in tooth extractions, minor surgery, and risk assessment of medically compromised patients.
Management of orofacial trauma, treatment of odontogenic infections, and manage TMJ pain.
To gain better understanding and appreciable experience in oral surgery.

Anesthesia:

Length of Rotation: 2 Weeks
Location: Harbor-UCLA Medical Center

Objectives:

Anesthesia Rotation will provide residents with some of the experiences listed below:

• Preoperative evaluation
• Assessment of the effects of pharmacological agents
• Venipuncture technique and administration of intravenous agents
• Patient monitoring
• Airway management
• Anesthetic induction and intubation
• Administration of anesthetic agents
• Prevention and treatment of anesthetic emergencies
• Assessment of patient recovery from anesthesia

Emergency Medicine

Length of Rotation: 2 weeks
Location: Harbor UCLA Medical Center

Objectives:

Resident will become familiar with management of acute trauma or other medical and surgical emergencies. They will participate actively with medical students, interns, and residents in the emergency room, and respond to critical care needs of patients under the supervision of acute/staff of the Department of Emergency Medicine.

• To experience the daily operations of an emergency room.
• To learn how to obtain history and physical examinations on acutely ill patients.
• To learn to immediately generate differential diagnoses when presented with patients exhibiting signs and symptoms of acute illnesses and injuries.
• To learn to accurately interpret diagnostic tests including radiographs, EKGs and blood panels.
• To observe and participate in cardiac and trauma resuscitation efforts when possible.
• To gain confidence in interacting with the medical community and discussing patient’s medical conditions.
• To integrate knowledge and experience of emergency medicine with management of emergencies in the practice of general dentistry.