The program is conducted at the postgraduate level (PGY-1) and consists of didactic and clinical instruction in all areas of dental treatment under the guidance of experienced staff attending dentists. The major portion of the residents’ daily work schedule will be devoted to patient care. This will enable them to further correlate dental treatment modalities they learned in dental school with new ones. The objective is to enhance their dental skills and proficiency. Emphasis is made in the treatment planning and comprehensive treatment of medically compromised patients.
The residents participate in a hands-on implant training course and will surgically place and restore dental implant cases. They will also increase their knowledge and clinical skills in Periodontics, Endodontics and Oral Surgery under the direct supervision of consultants and attending staff. The residents are instructed in the use of rotary endodontics and the microscope. During their assignments in oral surgery, the residents will perform, under supervision, all types of exodontias including preprosthetic surgery, biopsy and surgical removal of third molars. Residents will also learn proper socket preservation techniques and bone grafting procedures in oral surgery and periodontics. The residents also receive additional didactic and clinical instruction in pedodontics and orthodontics in a private practice setting along with learning about the business aspect of dentistry.
Scheduled seminars and conferences, as well as informal lectures, will be held to help the residents correlate clinical experiences with their training. There are bimonthly journal clubs and implant board reviews. Off-service assignments include rotations in internal medicine, anesthesiology, emergency room, and oral surgery at affiliated hospitals to emphasize the medico-dental relationship of disease and treatment. The residents will receive training in the techniques of history and physical examination with an emphasis on a “hands-on” approach. Instruction in ophthalmoscopy and auroscopy will be included. Along with the attending dentist, the residents will admit and discharge patients into the hospital in preparation for operating room cases. Advanced Cardiac Life Support certification is also available.
The residents will take part in the annual 60th Dental Squadron and Napa-Solano Dental Society Meeting at Travis Air Force Bases. The residents will present a table clinic on a subject of their choice utilizing the VA Medical Media resource to prepare a professional quality presentation.
The residents will receive a multidisciplinary, intensive course in anesthesia and pain control. This will include an introduction into various modalities and pre-anesthetic patient evaluations. Instruction in general anesthesia, I.V. sedation, inhalation sedation, and multidrug mixed technique will be provided. The residents will familiarize themselves with venipuncture and I.V. fluid use and the pharmacology of the most commonly used anesthetic agents.
A prosthodontic laboratory facility is on-site to render appropriate support to the residents. Removable partial denture frameworks, crowns and fixed partial dentures are sent to the VA Central Dental Laboratory in Dallas, Texas and local laboratories. All other phases of lab work are done in our laboratory.
Residents will keep a daily log of all activities attended and all patients treated as is required by the American Dental Association Council on Education. The general practice residents are expected to have a full time commitment to the program during their academic year. This translates to on-time attendance at all scheduled lectures, conferences and off-service rotations.