General Dentistry Residency

General Dentistry Practice Residency Program | Graduate

The General Dentistry Practice Residency Program at Howard University is a one year postdoctoral education program which offers the dentist an opportunity for advanced comprehensive clinical experience in a hospital environment. In addition, the trainee receives postdoctoral training in the sciences basic to dental practice.

This program is designed to increase the resident's knowledge of oral and systemic interrelationships and manifestations in healthy individuals and, also, in those with abnormalities and diseases; to broaden clinical experiences; and to further prepare the trainee in the management of the total oral health of a wide range of ambulatory and medically-compromised patients. Emphasis is placed on the management of patients with conditions not commonly seen in the dental school clinics.

Admission Requirements - An Applicant:

  1. Must have a D.D.S.or D.M.D. degree from an accredited dental school;
  2. Must have dental school transcripts;
  3. Must have a G.P.A. of 3.0;
  4. Must have three (3) letters of recommendation from dental school full-time faculty in three (3) different departments;
  5. Must have a personal interview;
  6. Must be eligible for dental licensure in the District of Columbia;
  7. Must have passed Part I and Part II of the National Dental Boards;
  8. Must demonstrate proficiency in the English language and mastery of procedural concepts basic to the practice of dentistry, if the applicant processes a foreign dental degree.

 

  • Application:
    To complete an online application, contact PASS (Postdoctoral Application Support Service) at www.adea.org. 
  • Deadline for submission of PASS application is October 15, 2024 for the class beginning on July 1, 2025. The PASS application is the only application required (refer to the link below). There are no supplementary applications.
  • Register with the National Matching Service Postdoctoral Dental Matching Program at www.natmatch.com/dentres

Synopsis

The program’s goals and objectives of providing excellent education in postdoctoral general dentistry and developing practitioners of the highest caliber, nationally and internationally, are consistent with the University’s mission and vision.

At the completion of the program, the residents are confident, competent and compassionate general practitioners proficient in:

  1. The evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of the majority of dental emergencies;
  2. Patient evaluation as it relates to medical history, dental history, physical examinations, including head and neck, interpretation of laboratory test results, and correlating these findings with the treatment plan;
  3. Evaluation, management, and treatment of dental patients with medical, physical and psychiatric disabilities;
  4. Understanding hospital organization and protocol in the admission, consultations, and the treatment of dental/oral and maxillofacial diseases with the concept of a collaborative interdisciplinary health care team;
  5. The multiple clinical skills required by a general dentist in the provision of a comprehensive dental care;
  6. Anticipation, recognition and the management of medical emergencies that may arise in the course of dental treatment;
  7. Diagnosis of oral/dental pathoses, treatment planning, operative and preventive dentistry, fixed and removable prosthodontics, oral surgery, periodontics, and endodontics;
  8. Utilization of a variety of pharmacotherapeutic agents and an understanding of their indications, contraindications, and interactions as they relate to dental care;
  9. Recognizing dental anxiety, alleviating anxiety and pain through behavior management techniques, and conscious sedation (oral, nitrous oxide, intravenous) techniques;
  10. Providing dental treatment in the operating room and demonstrating knowledge of operating room protocol and infection control;
  11. Efficiently utilizing dental auxiliary personnel;
  12. Critically evaluating professional literature, and possessing the knowledge to carry out dental research;
  13. Application of principles of ethical behavior in personal conduct, in decision making, and in interaction with patients, staff and members of the community; and
  14. Performance of professional responsibilities, social obligations, and preparation to play leadership roles in their communities.

 

The didactic phase of the program consists of such medical and dental sciences as anesthesiology, advanced oral surgery, advanced radiographic interpretation and diagnosis, general dentistry conference series, oral and maxillofacial pathology, principles of medicine, physical diagnosis and problem case/patient care conference seminar.

Diagnostic and clinical experiences are provided in multiple settings to complement the didactic phase of the program.

Internal medicine rotation (two weeks) enhances the residents' proficiency in history and physical, radiographic, laboratory study evaluations and other techniques used in the diagnosis of systemic diseases. It also enhances the residents' understanding of the interrelationship between oral and system health and diseases.

Anesthesiology rotation (three weeks) enhances the residents' knowledge and clinical skills in patient evaluation, assessment of medical risks and ASA classification of general anesthesia patients, the pharmacologic agents used in general anesthesia induction, its reversal, and the indications and contraindications for patients in different ASA categories.

Oral and maxillofacial surgery rotation (three weeks) enhances the residents' proficiency in physical evaluations, admissions, venipuncture, operating room procedures/patient management, and nitrous oxide/intravenous (IV) sedation.

On-call rotation to the Emergency Medicine Department is year-long. Each resident is assigned to the Emergency Medicine Department approximately five (5) times per month. This rotation enhances the residents' proficiency in pre-operative evaluation, medical risk assessments, and the diagnosis and treatment of acute dental/oral and maxillofacial injuries/diseases. Proficiency in venipuncture techniques, and anticipating, recognizing and preventing possible medical/systemic emergencies are also enhanced.

 

The residents’ diagnostic and clinical proficiency is facilitated through the integrative application of medical/dental sciences in the multidisciplinary provision of dental care to the hospital's diverse ambulatory and non-ambulatory patient population, especially those with special medical needs.

Comprehensive dental treatment is provided in preventive dentistry, periodontics, restorative/cosmetic dentistry, endodontics, oral surgery, removable/fixed prosthodontics and implant dentistry.

Tuition:NO 
Stipend:63,786.24 
Positions: 2

Program Director: Christian A. King DDS;M.Ed.

 

Faculty
The program is staffed by a dedicated program director and faculty members in all disciplines of dentistry.

If you have questions, please contact:

the program director, Dr. Christian King, at cking@howard.edu.

OR: Ms. Lauren Warner at lauren.warner@howard.edu

Print Program Details

Program Details

  • Degree Classification: Graduate
  • Program Frequency: Full-Time
  • Format: In Person

Admission Requirements

  1. Must have a D.D.S.or D.M.D. degree from an accredited dental school;
  2. Must have dental school transcripts;
  3. Must have a G.P.A. of 3.0;
  4. Must have three (3) letters of recommendation from dental school full-time faculty in three (3) different departments;
  5. Must have a personal interview;
  6. Must be eligible for dental licensure in the District of Columbia;
  7. Must have passed Part I and Part II of the National Dental Boards;
  8. Must demonstrate proficiency in the English language and mastery of procedural concepts basic to the practice of dentistry, if the applicant processes a foreign dental degree.

Caution to Prospective Students

The Board of Trustees of Howard University on September 24, 1983, adopted the following policy statement regarding applications for admission: "Applicants seeking admission to Howard University are required to submit accurate and complete credentials and accurate and complete information requested by the University. Applicants who fail to do so shall be denied admission. Enrolled students who as applicants failed to submit accurate and complete credentials or accurate and complete information on their application for admission shall be subject to dismissal when the same is made known, regardless of classification."

All credentials must be sent to:

 
Howard University Graduate School 
Office of Graduate Recruitment and Admissions
4th and College Streets, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20059