Department of Restorative Dentistry

Not so long ago, a young man or woman could graduate from dental school, move to a location of interest, purchase equipment, hang up a sign, and begin to practice dentistry. Life was simpler then; restorative options were fewer, and it was possible to learn just about everything one needed to know about dentistry in four years of dental school. Times have changed. Dentistry has evolved tremendously, and there is more to learn than ever before.

Our patients are living longer, often taking multiple medications; dentists today must have an excellent understanding of pharmacology, including side effects and interactions. The evolution of the endosseous dental implant has revolutionized modern dental practice. The third-party payor has impacted the economics of dental practice in ways impossible to imagine thirty years ago.

Restorative techniques and materials we use routinely today weren't even imagined forty years ago; we are able to save teeth that would have been declared "hopeless" and extracted. The development of dentin bonding, stronger (and more lifelike) porcelains and composite resin materials, increases in the esthetic demands of our patients -- all have meant that four years of dental school have become a mere introduction to the complexities and satisfaction of modern-day dental materials, restorative techniques, and patient management.

So how does one prepare for practice? By participating in a fifth year of study - an Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) Program or a General Practice Residency (GPR) Program - a year designed to increase your knowledge base and your clinical judgment, as well as to give you the opportunity to treat more, and more, and MORE patients! All this so you can improve your diagnostic skills, develop appropriate treatment plans, learn to provide or coordinate the comprehensive treatment your patients need, learn what cases NOT to treat, expand your horizons, and try new materials and techniques. (And all under the watchful eye of experienced clinicians who are dedicated to your professional growth!)

In short, why in the world wouldn't you do a Postdoctoral Program in General Dentistry?

The following are the AEGD Program Goals and Objectives:

To educate the resident to achieve proficiency in providing comprehensive interdisciplinary general dental care to a broad range of patients, including those with complex medical histories and other special needs.

1. To educate the resident to enhance clinical abilities in the traditional disciplines of general dentistry.
2. To educate the resident to be competent to coordinate a patient's emergent, comprehensive, and continuous oral health care.
3. To educate the resident to improve clinical judgment in diagnosis, treatment planning and patient care.
4. To broaden the resident's approach to treatment planning through optimal interaction with all health care professionals treating the patient.
5. To educate the resident to be able to formulate a treatment plan that responds to the relevant medical, dental, and psychosocial needs of the patient.
6. To provide comprehensive and emergent patient care that appropriately integrates specialty care through informed referral to dental specialists.
7. To provide service to the community served by The Maurice H. Kornberg School of Dentistry and the TU Health Science Center.
8. To educate the resident to gain knowledge and experience in dental practice management, in working with office staff, in quality assurance, and in dental jurisprudence, ethics, and risk management.

The Maurice H. Kornberg School of Dentistry's AEGD Program began in 1990 as a Fellowship in General Dentistry with two students. Over the course of two years, the Program expanded to accommodate six Residents. In 1998, the Program moved to a larger clinical facility that included a fully equipped dental laboratory, expanded dental operatories, Resident office space, radiology capability, chart storage, instrument and materials storage, sterilization area, waiting room, and front desk space. Fully accredited (with commendation) since its inception, The Maurice H. Kornberg School of Dentistry's AEGD Program is nationally recognized for the depth and breadth of its curriculum. This twelve-month program is a formalized clinical and didactic experience designed to accommodate six recent dental school graduates who wish to enrich their knowledge base and skills for the practice of general dentistry.

The Program provides a broad-based experience in diagnosis, treatment planning, and delivery of comprehensive general dental care to a wide variety of patients. Integration of the various disciplines of clinical dentistry, giving consideration to the patient's medical, dental, and psychosocial status, forms the Program's broad approach to patient care.

The curriculum includes weekly Treatment Planning seminars (which provide advanced education in diagnosis and treatment planning, as well as in presentation of clinical cases), weekly Literature Review seminars (covering historical and current articles from the peer-reviewed scientific dental literature), and Topics in General Dentistry seminars. Participation in selected CORE course offerings with other postdoctoral students of the School of Dentistry add to the curriculum's strength.

Close interaction with all dental specialties within the school is maintained through combined seminars and the treatment of patients using a multidisciplinary approach. Rotations in Oral Surgery and Physical Diagnosis supplement the comprehensive patient care assignment in the AEGD clinical facility.

The Program length is one full year, from July 1st through June 30th; all incoming students must be available to start the Program on July 1. The clinic is open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., five days per week; there is no on-call duty.

Six students are accepted into the First Year AEGD Program each year, and are paid a stipend of $26,256. A certificate is awarded upon successful completion of the Program.

The clinical facility features:

• Individual Resident operatories
• On-site radiology (two dedicated x-ray rooms, plus one mobile x-ray unit)
• X-ray developing
• A fully equipped laboratory
• Resident office space (individual desk, locking drawer and closet storage) equipped with computer terminals
• A full range of dental restorative and impression materials
• 35 mm and digital photographic equipment
• Air abrasion
• Laser fluorescence caries diagnosis
• Caries activity bacterial testing
• Rotary Endodontics handpieces and instruments
• Leica surgical/operative microscope with video capture
• Dedicated surgical operatory
• NobelBiocare implant instruments and fixtures
• Dental handpieces/instruments for use during the Program
• Dental Assistants
• Part-time Dental Hygienist
• Clinical Coordinator
• Front Desk clerical support

A major Program resource is the generalist and specialist Faculty with capabilities and experience in a broad spectrum of dental care. Many of the AEGD Faculty members are full-time, tenured members of the Department of Restorative Dentistry. Faculty who are assigned to teach in the AEGD Clinic have no other scheduled commitment for the period in which they are assigned, and thus are available for the Residents during the entire period. The AEGD Clinical Practice has a large patient pool that is derived from four main sources:

1. The referral of new patients to the practice from current AEGD Clinic patients who are pleased with the quality of their care.
2. The referral of new patients to the practice from the other postdoctoral dental programs within the school of dentistry (Graduate Periodontics, Graduate Endodontics, or Graduate Orthodontics).
3. The referral of new patients from the school's Predoctoral Admissions or Treatment Planning Clinics; typically, these patients have complex medical conditions or complex restorative needs beyond the scope of a predoctoral dental student.
4. The referral of new patients from the Temple University Health Science Center's Medical Specialty Practices (e.g., the Renal Dialysis and Transplant Center, the Radiation Oncology Center, and the Cardiac Transplant Center).

The AEGD Clinic operates as much like a private practice as is possible. The AEGD Resident will become familiar with third-party pay or systems, a reality in today's dental practice environment. The dental school's Division of Health Information Management and Technology has developed a Clinical Management System (CMS) to track patient appointments and Resident patient activity/productivity. The conventional paper chart is still used, however. The Program utilizes both an in-house dental laboratory as well as several commercial full-service dental laboratories in the Philadelphia metropolitan area for fabrication of its fixed and removable prosthetic restorations and appliances.

While primary patient care properly occupies the bulk of the Resident's educational experience for the year, the weekly didactic curriculum includes literature review, treatment planning, general dentistry, and prosthodontics seminars.

The Combined Postdoctoral Program Implant Treatment Planning Seminar is held biweekly, and draws upon the combined resources of the Postdoctoral Programs in General Dentistry, Periodontics, Orthodontics, and Oral/Maxillofacial Surgery in order to formulate multidisciplinary treatment plans for patients with complex restorative treatment needs.

A wide variety of seminar series in fields such as Oral Medicine, General Dentistry, Prosthodontics, Endodontics, Orthodontics, Geriatric Dentistry, Periodontics, Practice Management, and Jurisprudence/ Practice Ethics/ Risk Management increase the Resident's knowledge base for practice.

Curriculum Element	Schedule	Annual Hours
Comprehensive Patient Care	30 hours/week	1380 hours
Treatment Planning Seminar	32 sessions	32 hours
Literature Review Seminar	1 hour/week	48 hours
Oral Medicine Seminar	1 hour/month	12 hours
General Dentistry Seminar	1 hour/week	48 hours
Implantology	3 sessions	12 hours
Orthodontics Seminar/Clinical Orthodontics	12 sessions	36 hours
Practice Management	5 sessions	10 hours
Physical Diagnosis/Internal Medicine	12 sessions	12 hours
Oral Surgery Seminar	1 hour/month	12 hours
Anesthesia, Pain Control & Anxiety Management	6 sessions	14 hours
Nitrous Oxide/Oxygen Practicum	6 sessions	18 hours
Rotary Endodontics	3 sessions	9 hours
Suturing Course	1 session	6 hours
Operating Microscopy Course	5 sessions	8 hours
Dental Auxiliary Utilization	4 sessions	4 hours
Periodontics Seminar	1 hour/month	12 hours
Endodontics Seminar	1 hour/month	12 hours
Prosthodontics Seminar	33 sessions	33 hours
Ethics and Jurisprudence	3 sessions	3 hours
Combined Specialty Treatment Planning	14 sessions	14 hours
CORE courses:
Advanced Oral Pathology	6 sessions	12 hours
Advanced Dental Pharmacology	6 sessions	12 hours
Advanced Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology	6 sessions	12 hours
Oral Microbiology and Immunology	7 sessions	14 hours

 

1. STIPEND: A stipend of $26,265 is paid for the first year program. No tuition is charged.
2. HEALTH INSURANCE: Student Fellows may elect to participate in Temple University's student health program. The cost of the Student Fellow's participation in the program will be borne by the University.
3. DAYS OFF: Students are permitted to take ten (10) personal days off from the Program. The days must be requested in advance and approved by the Program Director.
4. CONTINUING EDUCATION: With clearance from the Program Director, AEGD Residents are permitted to take continuing education courses given by The Maurice H. Kornberg School of Dentistry, on a space available basis, at no charge.
5. UNIFORMS: AEGD Program clinic attire consists of surgical scrub shirts and pants, closed toe shoes, and disposable gowns. Personalized white cloth lab coats are provided, and are worn over scrubs to classes and to seminars.
6. PARKING: Secure garage parking is available one block from the Dental School for a monthly fee.

Non-Discrimination Policy:

Temple University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all in every aspect of its operations. The University has pledged not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, age, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, marital status, or disability. This policy extends to all educational, service, and employment programs of the University.

Bloodborne Pathogens / Infectious Diseases Policy:

The Maurice H. Kornberg School of Dentistry's Clinical Policies and Procedures (CPP-5) on blood-borne infectious diseases ensure provision of "an environment which does not discriminate based on infectious disease status.. Additionally, the curriculum at the School must prepare the students for provision and/or support of oral health care services to patients with blood borne infectious diseases. Consistent with its educational mission and applicable laws, the School of Dentistry will provide specific bloodborne pathogen training for all health care workers and other employees and students of the School of Dentistry. This will include knowledge of infection and transmission of disease, and the use of universal precautions."

For further information on this topic, the American Dental Association has issued a "Policy Statement on Bloodborne Pathogens, Infection Control and the Practice of Dentistry" that may be accessed at the following website: www.ada.org/proof/resources/positions/statements/blood.asp

Policies on blood-borne and infectious diseases are available to applicants for admission and patients by contacting the AEGD Program Director at the address and/or phone number listed in this website. 

Admission Information for the AEGD program:

Six residents are accepted into the first year AEGD Program each year and are paid a stipend of $26,256. A postgraduate certificate in advanced general dentistry is awarded upon successful completion of the program. Admission to the Advanced Education in General Dentistry program at Temple University Kornberg School of Dentistry requires:

1. A DDS or DMD degree from an accredited United States or Canadian Dental School, according to the standards of the American Dental Association Commission on Dental Accreditation.
2. Canadian or U.S. Citizenship or U.S. Permanent Residency Status (the “Green Card”).
3. Evidence of satisfactory completion of the written National Board Dental Examination, Parts I and II.
4. Application to the AEGD Program is initiated through the American Dental Education Association Postdoctoral Application Support Service (PASS). Please check with PASS that your information has been received by them as they will only forward completed records to the University for processing.
   To begin your application through pass, visit http://www.adea.org/DENTAL_EDUCATION_PATHWAYS/PASS/Pages/default.aspx
   For application instructions, go to https://portal.passweb.org/
5. Official transcripts from all colleges, universities and dental schools attended, including GPA and class rank. The applicant must send official transcripts from their study at undergraduate college directly to Temple University Kornberg School of Dentistry, AEGD Program.  Please do not send the undergraduate college transcripts to PASS as they will not accept them.
6. Three letters of recommendation from dental school faculty; a minimum of two must be from faculty members who can evaluate your clinical skills.
7. All applicants must register with the National Matching Service. Applicants who are accepted for the first year AEGD Program will be rank ordered, their names submitted to MATCH, and notification of their match with a program will occur on the date chosen by the National Matching Program. MATCH materials are available from:
   National Matching Service              
   P.O. Box 1208, Lewiston, NY 14092-8208
   Phone: (716) 282-4013 Fax: (716) 282-0611
   URL: http://www.natmatch.com/dentres/index.htm

Or:          

National Matching Service, 595 Bay Street, Suite 300, Toronto, Ontario CANADA M5G 2C2
Phone: (416) 977-3431 Fax: (416) 977-5020

The deadline for completed applications is November 1st of the year preceding the expected date of enrollment. All AEGD applicants must participate in PASS and must have their application materials submitted to PASS by October 15th in order to allow PASS sufficient time to process their materials and submit them to Temple by the November 1st deadline. Incomplete applications will not be evaluated.

Upon review of all completed applications, the AEGD Program Admissions Committee will extend invitations for interviews to those applicants being seriously considered for acceptance. Interviewees are required to come to Temple University for a personal interview; however, an interview appointment does not guarantee admission into the program.
 
For further information on the AEGD programs, please contact Dr. Bogert at (215) 707-5934, or at meredith.bogert@temple.edu

Explanation of terms:

• Competent: The level of knowledge, skills, and values required by Residents to perform independently an aspect of dental practice after completing the program. (A "C" after the statement indicates that the Resident should attain the level of "Competent" in this area at the end of the Program year.)
  
  
• Proficient: The level of knowledge, skills, and values attained when a particular activity is accomplished in more complex situations, with repeated quality, and with a more efficient utilization of time. (A "P" after the statement indicates that the Resident should have begun the Program at a level of "Competent", and should attain the level of "Proficient" at the end of the Program year. Note: A different letter after the slash mark (/) is the level to be attained by the Second Year Resident

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A graduate of our postdoctoral Program in general dentistry will be able to:

1. Function as a patient's primary, and comprehensive oral health care provider. (P)

2. Explain and discuss with patients (or parents or guardians of patients) findings, diagnoses, treatment options, realistic treatment expectations, patient responsibilities, time requirements, sequence of treatment, estimated fees and payment responsibilities in order to establish a therapeutic alliance between the patient and care provider. (C/P)

3. Integrate multiple disciplines into an individualized, comprehensive, sequenced treatment plan using diagnostic and prognostic information for patients with complex needs. (P)

4. Modify the treatment plan, if indicated, based on unexpected circumstances or on the patient's individual needs. (C/P)

5. Diagnose and manage a patient's occlusion. (C/P)

6. Perform dental consultations and request medical consultations for AEGD patients and patients from other health care facilities. (C/P)

7. Treat patients efficiently in a dental practice setting. (C/P)

8. Use the school's scheduling system, insurance, and financial arrangements to maximize productivity in dental practice. (C/P)

9. Support the program's mission by acting in a manner to maximize patient satisfaction with the practice. (C/P)

10. Use and implement accepted sterilization, disinfection, universal precautions and occupational hazard prevention procedures in the practice of dentistry. (C/P)

11. Provide patient care by working effectively with allied dental personnel, including sit down, four-handed dentistry. (C/P)

12. Provide dental care as part of an interprofessional and interdisciplinary health care team. (C/P)

13. Practice and promote ethical principles in the practice of dentistry and in relationships with patients, personnel, and colleagues. (P)

14. Evaluate scientific literature and other sources of information to determine the safety and effectiveness of medications and diagnostic, preventive, and treatment modalities, and make appropriate decisions regarding the use of new and existing medications, procedures, materials, and concepts. (C/P)

15. Take advantage of available information technology and use CMS information systems as they are developed within The Maurice H. Kornberg School of Dentistry. (C/P)

16. Maintain a patient record system that facilitates the retrieval and analysis of the process and outcomes of patient treatment. (C/P)

17. Analyze the outcomes of patient treatment to improve that treatment. (P)

18. Participate in a quality assurance system for continuous quality improvement in the dental practice. (P)

19. Select and use assessment techniques to determine differential, provisional and definitive diagnoses for patients with complex needs. (C/P)

20. Obtain and interpret the patient's chief complaint, medical, dental and social histories. (P)

21. Obtain and interpret appropriate clinical and radiographic data and additional diagnostic information from other health care providers or other diagnostic resources. (P)

22. Use the services of clinical, medical, and pathology laboratories, and refer to other health professionals for the utilization of these services. (P)

23. Perform a limited physical evaluation and collect other data (chief complaint, medical, dental, & social histories) to establish a risk assessment for dental treatment and use that risk assessment to develop a dental treatment plan. (P)

24. Diagnose and manage oral manifestations of systemic disease, intraoral soft tissue lesions of non-traumatic origin, and common oral pathological abnormalities. (C/P)

25. Use accepted prevention strategies (e.g., oral hygiene instruction, caries risk assessment, nutritional education, and pharmacologic intervention) to help patients maintain and improve their oral and systemic health. (C/P)

26. Treat patients with a broad variety of acute and chronic systemic disorders and social difficulties, including patients with special needs. (C/P)

27. Develop and carry out dental treatment plans for patients with special needs in a manner that considers and integrates those patients' medical, psychological, and social needs. (C/P)

28. Use pharmacologic agents in the treatment of dental patients. (P)

29. Provide control of pain and anxiety in the conscious patient through the use of psychological interventions, behavior management techniques, local anesthesia, and oral and nitrous oxide conscious sedation techniques. (C/P)

30. Prevent, recognize, and manage the complications related to the use and interactions of drugs, local anesthesia, and nitrous oxide. (C/P)

31. Restore single teeth with a wide range of materials and methods. (P)

32. Place restorations and perform techniques to enhance patient's facial esthetics. (P)

33. Restore endodontically treated teeth. (P)

34. Treat patients with missing teeth requiring removable restorations. (P)

35. Treat patients with missing teeth requiring uncomplicated fixed restorations. (P)

36. Communicate case design with laboratory technicians and evaluate the resultant prostheses. (P)

37. Perform and maintain uncomplicated endosseous implant restorations. (C/P)

38. Diagnose and treat early and moderate periodontal disease using nonsurgical and surgical procedures. (C/P) 39. Manage advanced periodontal disease. (C/P)

40. Evaluate the results of periodontal treatment and establish and monitor a periodontal maintenance program. (C/P)

41. Diagnose and treat pain of pulpal origin. (P)

42. Perform uncomplicated non-surgical anterior endodontic therapy. (P)

43. Perform uncomplicated non-surgical posterior endodontic therapy. (C/P)

44. Treat uncomplicated endodontic complications. (P)

45. Manage complex endodontic complications. (C/P)

46. Perform adjunctive and limited orthodontic treatment for adult comprehensive care patients. (C/P)

47. Perform surgical and non-surgical extraction of teeth. (P)

48. Extract uncomplicated impacted wisdom teeth. (C/P)

49. Perform uncomplicated pre-prosthetic surgery. (C/P)

50. Perform or manage biopsies of oral tissues. (C/P)

51. Treat patients with intraoral dental emergencies and infections. (P)

52. Treat patients with complications related to intraoral surgical procedures. (C/P)

53. Perform endosseous implant placement surgery. (none/C)

54. Anticipate, diagnose and provide initial treatment and follow-up management for medical emergencies that may occur during dental treatment. (C/P)

55. Treat intraoral hard and soft tissue lesions of traumatic origin. (C/P)