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Originally Posted by Tiankum

So when you are actually on AD after graduation from HPSP, is there a possibility of getting dental treatment for free...ie...ortho? I'm just trying to decide if I should fork over the money while I'm in school and be done with it before graduation, or if I should wait until AD and then get the brackets put on by an orthodontist in the Navy.

Thanks!

Yes, you can get ortho treatment but you will need to wait until you're on shore duty for at least 2-3 years.

I was searching through older posts, and one of the posts talked about how the Navy has rescinded the $20k sign-on bonus for HPSP recipients, but then someone said it was just due to lack of funding. Does the Navy still have this sign-on bonus for HPSP? Read some other posts that said it was paid out in three payments each of 9k, 9k, and 2k.

The closest official source I have found is here (http://www.med.navy.mil/sites/navmed...ospective.aspx), and it makes no mention of a sign-on bonus. I have some pamphlets handed out, but these seem to be way outdated too, since it talks about the sign-on bonus in the pamphlet, but in fine print it says only valid for people who sign up before 09/30/2008.

Originally Posted by SexyMariGal

I was searching through older posts, and one of the posts talked about how the Navy has rescinded the $20k sign-on bonus for HPSP recipients, but then someone said it was just due to lack of funding. Does the Navy still have this sign-on bonus for HPSP? Read some other posts that said it was paid out in three payments each of 9k, 9k, and 2k.

The closest official source I have found is here (http://www.med.navy.mil/sites/navmed...ospective.aspx), and it makes no mention of a sign-on bonus. I have some pamphlets handed out, but these seem to be way outdated too, since it talks about the sign-on bonus in the pamphlet, but in fine print it says only valid for people who sign up before 09/30/2008.

Sign on bonus is still there. If you need some sort of "written proof" you can look on the official Navy.com website: http://www.navy.com/careers/healthcare/dentist.html

It is paid in 3 payments of 9k 9k and 2k. It usually comes in around 2-4 weeks after school starts. Remember if you take the bonus you're signed up for 4 years and they also take 30% out of the bonus for taxes. So you really only get 14k instead of 20k.

Aren't you signed up for 4 years anyway if you take the HPSP? Not sure what difference it makes, unless you mean that there is also a sign on bonus for taking a 3 year HPSP?

Originally Posted by SexyMariGal

Aren't you signed up for 4 years anyway if you take the HPSP? Not sure what difference it makes, unless you mean that there is also a sign on bonus for taking a 3 year HPSP?

Yes, you can take the bonus with a 3 year HPSP, which means you end up owing 4 years, the exact same as if you had the 4 year HPSP (with or without the bonus, it's still 4 years).

And the bonus is definitely still there, I have it in my contract for this year's entering class.

The sign-on bonus is still there.

There's so many pages in this thread, it'll take me time to mull it over, but I figure I would ask here first before perusing for my answer. Is there a map that shows all of the navy bases there are in the world? I'm trying to figure out what life would be like if I took a 4 year HPSP and all the possible places that I would be stationed. Is there a general timeline for after graduating dental school? like...

1st year out: Take a GPR/AEGD if you want
2nd year out: Assigned to a base in the US
3rd year out: Probably on deployment on a ship or base somewhere out of the US
4th year out: Same as previous year
5th year out: Assigned to a base back in the US for the remainder of your payback

I'm trying to figure out how it works. Can someone explain it to me or send me a link to where it has been posted already? Would your permanent duty station be somewhere in the United States, and then from there, you could get deployed to any other base in the world for however long the deployments are? I would imagine most of the naval bases are near coasts, and I'd rather be somewhere near water than stuck in the middle of a desert or something, I figure some deployments might be in the middle of the desert in Iraq or Afghanistan though, considering naval dentists also go where marines go.

Thanks for the help

Here's a common scenario

1st year - AEGD, GPR, or credentialing tour (assuming you don't enter specialty training)
2nd-3rd year - Operational/Utilization tour - Marines, Seabees, ships, remote overseas locations, Japan (potentially 4th year as well if overseas with dependents)
4th-5th year - Shore duty CONUS - not deployable per se, but you may be IA'ed to Afghanistan, Guantanamo Bay, etc. for part of that tour.

You will owe a fifth year ONLY if you do a PGY-1 (GPR or AEGD).

Originally Posted by jim85213

You will owe a fifth year ONLY if you do a PGY-1 (GPR or AEGD).

As I noted - that's one scenario. If you don't do a PGY-1, there's a good chance you'll extend for a third year with said operational unit.

I was just clarifying for her.

I understand if you are a HPSP student, you will have to do tours/rotations during the school year if you have no classes (winter/summer) also do the COT in the summer if you can't do it before school. However, will they allow me to use externships/research as an excuse out of these obligations for a couple of the years, as I want to make myself competitive for residencies.

Originally Posted by tothepark

I understand if you are a HPSP student, you will have to do tours/rotations during the school year if you have no classes (winter/summer) also do the COT in the summer if you can't do it before school. However, will they allow me to use externships/research as an excuse out of these obligations for a couple of the years, as I want to make myself competitive for residencies.

You don't have to do anything during school if you don't want to - just take "school orders"

I just got a letter from the Navy about opportunities in medicine and becoming a Navy Physician, lol. I'm not sure why they sent me this letter, since I'm not interested in medicine, but there is something interesting in there that I wanted to ask if anyone knows about, and if it applies to the dental corps.

The paragraph says, "Discover a new paradigm in medicine be becoming a full-time Active Duty Navy Physician. Or pursue your current career with the advantage of serving part-time as an Officer in the Navy Reserve - committing to as few as two days a month and two weeks a year with opportunities for additional service and pay."

Does anyone know what the commitments and responsibilities are in regards to being in the reserve? How many years are your contract, and do they offer loan repayment programs? Do people in the reserve also get deployed? It doesn't seem like it would be a good thing to do if you have your own practice, since you can't just up and leave your business and patients if they tell you that they need you to be deployed.

Also, it sounds like the reserve thing would be for after you finish dental school, unlike the HPSP where you choose and commit before starting school. Are there any other loan repayment options and commitments that you can choose after you finish school? And what are the details and incentives for those?

pretty sure entering the military after school they offer quite a bit of money for your commitment of 4 years? Something to the tune of 175K? Not entirely sure.

Originally Posted by vellnueve

Assuming you have no prior service or private practice experience and are coming in as a brand new general dentist out of school, with no wife or kids, you are looking at $3771 per month base pay, $230 monthly nontaxable basic allowance for subsistence, a nontaxable basic allowance for housing monthly (can range from $1000-3000 depending on where you're stationed, SWAG at an average is probably 1400-1700). That's the same across the board for all O-3s.

If you get your state license (GET IT!!! - DON'T MAKE THE MISTAKE OF NOT TAKING A LICENSING EXAM!), you are then looking at the new consolidated special pay plan of $20K a year paid in equal monthly installments ($1666.67 per month). This is taxable. I do not know if they are still offering the legacy ASP/VSP pay plan to new accessions.

Hello, I'm new to the forum. Quick questions, what is SWAG pay? and what is consolidated speacial pay plan? If I go in as O3E with wife, how much are we looking at? I've been searching for awhile now, answers seems to vary. Any information would be great, thank you!

A SWAG is a scientific wild-ass guess.

The consolidated plan is 20K per year special pay on top of base pay and allowances.

Are you prior enlisted?

Originally Posted by SexyMariGal

I just got a letter from the Navy about opportunities in medicine and becoming a Navy Physician, lol. I'm not sure why they sent me this letter, since I'm not interested in medicine, but there is something interesting in there that I wanted to ask if anyone knows about, and if it applies to the dental corps.

The paragraph says, "Discover a new paradigm in medicine be becoming a full-time Active Duty Navy Physician. Or pursue your current career with the advantage of serving part-time as an Officer in the Navy Reserve - committing to as few as two days a month and two weeks a year with opportunities for additional service and pay."

Does anyone know what the commitments and responsibilities are in regards to being in the reserve? How many years are your contract, and do they offer loan repayment programs? Do people in the reserve also get deployed? It doesn't seem like it would be a good thing to do if you have your own practice, since you can't just up and leave your business and patients if they tell you that they need you to be deployed.

Also, it sounds like the reserve thing would be for after you finish dental school, unlike the HPSP where you choose and commit before starting school. Are there any other loan repayment options and commitments that you can choose after you finish school? And what are the details and incentives for those?

From your posts it really looks like you're worried about ever deploying... just be aware that any military commitment of any kind makes that a possibility.

Originally Posted by vellnueve

A SWAG is a scientific wild-ass guess.

The consolidated plan is 20K per year special pay on top of base pay and allowances.

Are you prior enlisted?

Hello, yes I'm prior enlisted. I was a E5 when I left the navy back in 2005 after 4 and a half years. I'm currently single, but probably would be married by the time I go back to active duty once school is finished. Does SWAG includ everything aside from housing, basic pay, and the consolidated plan?

Originally Posted by vellnueve

From your posts it really looks like you're worried about ever deploying... just be aware that any military commitment of any kind makes that a possibility.

Well, if I do join the military, I wouldn't mind being deployed, but I'm trying to map out some what if scenarios. If I'm working as an associate, it probably wouldn't matter to be deployed in the reserve, but if I had already started my own practice and just up and left, that would be quite a waste. Or perhaps maybe I'll be in a residency program and would have to leave midway due to deployment. You have to plan for these things, not just take it as you go. So I'm trying to plan out what would be best for me.

Originally Posted by Cwebyuning

Hello, yes I'm prior enlisted. I was a E5 when I left the navy back in 2005 after 4 and a half years. I'm currently single, but probably would be married by the time I go back to active duty once school is finished. Does SWAG includ everything aside from housing, basic pay, and the consolidated plan?

Read the post again - the swag was about the BAH. If you're going to get married prior to finishing school then you would be getting BAH with dependents which would be several hundred dollars more on average.

The military pay charts are widely available - just type 2012 military pay chart and you'll be able to find plenty of information on base pay, BAH, BAS - just add the $20K (taxable) per year for the special pay and you'll have your pay prior to taxes.

Originally Posted by SexyMariGal

Well, if I do join the military, I wouldn't mind being deployed, but I'm trying to map out some what if scenarios. If I'm working as an associate, it probably wouldn't matter to be deployed in the reserve, but if I had already started my own practice and just up and left, that would be quite a waste. Or perhaps maybe I'll be in a residency program and would have to leave midway due to deployment. You have to plan for these things, not just take it as you go. So I'm trying to plan out what would be best for me.

Actually, you sort of do have to take it as it comes, whether it's as AD or reserve. When the service comes calling, it's rarely when it's ideal for you to go. Heck, depending on the residency you may find that even just the weekend every month and the two weeks every year may make completion of that residency more complex. Joining the reserves means that you would need to build that flexibility into your other plans - that's the price for getting financial benefits.

Be advised that it is highly unlikely you'd be starting your own practice within the first few years out of school - this is an increasingly difficult model for new dentists to follow, especially with the amount of debt and increased difficulty in obtaining loans. If you did, then anyone with military obligations would be wise to network with other dentists (particularly other dentists with said obligations or military backgrounds) to ensure that the practices were covered in the event that you were unavailable. I've heard of this happening on several occasions.

Please don't take this as discouraging you from looking at the military - however it is important for you to realize that the needs of the service will often prevail over your personal desires despite your best-laid plans. The military can do a lot for you and you're doing well to ensure that you can get what you want out of it - but it's a two-way street.

FWIW - the rate of extended call-ups and deployments for reserve general dentists is very low. OTOH, oral surgeons aren't as lucky.

.

Originally Posted by dentalmon

btw.. I was also applying for the Army.. and I had to call them today to withdraw my application since i have already been accepted to the Navy.. the Army recruiter was kinda upset at me for choosing the Navy over them......

I also applied for the Army HPSP scholarship, but had to decline it since I also was selected for the same scholarship with the Navy. My recruiter wished me luck, he acted so professional and he and the Army have my total respect for being such professionals in handling this kind of things.

Originally Posted by Insigniadds

I also applied for the Army HPSP scholarship, but had to decline it since I also was selected for the same scholarship with the Navy. My recruiter wished me luck, he acted so professional and he and the Army have my total respect for being such professionals in handling this kind of things.

Just curious, when did you get the Army scholarship offer? My recruiter told me that the last of the 4 year scholarships had been offered up at the March boards. It will make me feel much more optimistic about my chances at the April board to hear that some of the March offers have been turned down!

Originally Posted by NOLAdentist2016

Just curious, when did you get the Army scholarship offer? My recruiter told me that the last of the 4 year scholarships had been offered up at the March boards. It will make me feel much more optimistic about my chances at the April board to hear that some of the March offers have been turned down!

March boards..so you have a pretty good chance to get it..My best wishes to you!

Originally Posted by vellnueve

Yes, you can get ortho treatment but you will need to wait until you're on shore duty for at least 2-3 years.

I wouldn't bank on getting ortho treatment while on active duty. Does it happen, yes. There are approximately 14 orthodontists in the entire Navy. A fair portion are stationed overseas to treat dependents, another group are stationed in hospital settings - to support surgery/trauma patients. Do the math and you likely have a better chance of winning the lottery than you do at being stationed close to an orthodontist that has room to fit you in their schedule. You also have to take into account how critical is the ortho treatment - is it mostly cosmetic? If so you may end up being bumped by people that really "need" ortho in conjunction with a multi-specialty treatment.

Also will you require complex restorative work after the ortho - grafts, implants, multiple fixed units...all things that may be better to address sooner rather than later, which would lead me to pay for my own ortho if need be so that other issues can be addressed before they degrade even farther.

Originally Posted by Cwebyuning

Hello, yes I'm prior enlisted. I was a E5 when I left the navy back in 2005 after 4 and a half years. I'm currently single, but probably would be married by the time I go back to active duty once school is finished. Does SWAG includ everything aside from housing, basic pay, and the consolidated plan?

As prior enlisted your base pay will be as an O3E >8 years. It's funky how they calculate it for prior enlisted but you count your active time + time on IRR which will be 8 years if you did your initial obligation and got out with no ACTIVE reserve time.

You only count the active duty time for retirement years.

Originally Posted by eric275

I wouldn't bank on getting ortho treatment while on active duty. Does it happen, yes. There are approximately 14 orthodontists in the entire Navy. A fair portion are stationed overseas to treat dependents, another group are stationed in hospital settings - to support surgery/trauma patients. Do the math and you likely have a better chance of winning the lottery than you do at being stationed close to an orthodontist that has room to fit you in their schedule. You also have to take into account how critical is the ortho treatment - is it mostly cosmetic? If so you may end up being bumped by people that really "need" ortho in conjunction with a multi-specialty treatment.

Also will you require complex restorative work after the ortho - grafts, implants, multiple fixed units...all things that may be better to address sooner rather than later, which would lead me to pay for my own ortho if need be so that other issues can be addressed before they degrade even farther.

My experience is that our orthodontist will do ortho treatments on our staff w/o a problem as long as there's enough time. It depends on where you're stationed.

Originally Posted by vellnueve

My experience is that our orthodontist will do ortho treatments on our staff w/o a problem as long as there's enough time. It depends on where you're stationed.

The orthodontist at my location will do ortho on enlisted/officers in my command also - yes the point is that it all depends on where you are stationed.

My recruiter told me there are still 4yr hpsp spots open for the 2016 graduating class. Can anyone else verify this? I'm late in the application cycle but will be trying to get everything in in the next 2 to 3 weeks. Thanks

This might see random, but at ODS in Newport are we put through the gas chamber/courage chamber?

Originally Posted by dantemac

This might see random, but at ODS in Newport are we put through the gas chamber/courage chamber?

No, just the sand garden, flooded ship, and building on fire.

Originally Posted by vellnueve

No, just the sand garden, flooded ship, and building on fire.

Care to elaborate?

How does speciality training after an HPSP or HSCP factor into commitment time?

Originally Posted by Babyblue57

How does speciality training after an HPSP or HSCP factor into commitment time?

It doesn't count as payback. So if you do a 4 year HPSP, then do 2 years of residency/specialty training, you would still be required to serve 4 years more of active duty.

Originally Posted by eric275

As prior enlisted your base pay will be as an O3E >8 years. It's funky how they calculate it for prior enlisted but you count your active time + time on IRR which will be 8 years if you did your initial obligation and got out with no ACTIVE reserve time.

You only count the active duty time for retirement years.

Are you 100% correct in this? I asked my recruiter this same question and everything was/is solely based on AD time...

Thanks

I would like to know How likely you are to be deployed and how many times during the 4 year payback period? I talked to my recruiter and this is what he said: It's a possibility, but only 6% of Navy Dentists deploy" is this true? Somewhere else I heard that you WILL be away from family 6 months out of the year all 4 years. I really want to work at a NAVY base where I can see my family but I would hate to be away from my wife and kids for that long.

Originally Posted by Babyblue57

How does speciality training after an HPSP or HSCP factor into commitment time?

Originally Posted by Kahr

It doesn't count as payback. So if you do a 4 year HPSP, then do 2 years of residency/specialty training, you would still be required to serve 4 years more of active duty.

Your time in a specialty residency can count toward your HPSP/HSCP payback if it is done in-service and you are still in your payback years. If you do out-service training (i.e. civilian OMFS residency), those years do not count toward HPSP/HSCP payback. And obviously, the residencies themselves come with an additional years of AD obligation.

Originally Posted by toothhornet88

I would like to know How likely you are to be deployed and how many times during the 4 year payback period? I talked to my recruiter and this is what he said: It's a possibility, but only 6% of Navy Dentists deploy" is this true? Somewhere else I heard that you WILL be away from family 6 months out of the year all 4 years. I really want to work at a NAVY base where I can see my family but I would hate to be away from my wife and kids for that long.

Not sure where your recruiter pulled that number. If you join the Navy, plan on deploying. How many times in a four year period really depends but one (maybe two) deployments would not be out of the norm and almost a guarantee. If the thought of deployment troubles you, you should not join the Navy or any other branch of service. Think about it... the military is paying a large amount of money to put you through school. They will get a return on that investment. Why would they pay for your dental school education just to have you work at a clinic and not be operational?

Originally Posted by SEAirLand

Are you 100% correct in this? I asked my recruiter this same question and everything was/is solely based on AD time...

Thanks

I don't know about IRR time, but I do know that as a normal reservist, those years were counted as full years in regard to pay (not retirement), along with my active duty years; I believe AFDDS said this was true for him as well, he did something like 8 or 10 years in the reserves, and when he went active duty as a dentist, they paid him as if he had 8 or 10 years time.

Originally Posted by SEAirLand

Are you 100% correct in this? I asked my recruiter this same question and everything was/is solely based on AD time...

Thanks

110% sure. I have been being paid this way for over three years now. PSD will have to do the calculation and get you the credit. There are many things recruiters do not know, no disrespect, just fact.

Originally Posted by eric275

110% sure. I have been being paid this way for over three years now. PSD will have to do the calculation and get you the credit. There are many things recruiters do not know, no disrespect, just fact.

Well, providing that I get HSCP, that will be a nice bump in pay! I've been factoring prior 6 pay vs prior 8 pay. Nice! Thanks for the info!

I am slated to ship to MCRD Parris Island for bootcamp on June 18th, however I ran into a dental emergency.

My #7 tooth is fractured about 6mm above the gumline and needs to be extracted.

What are my options to get an implant/bridge and still pass the dental examination given to all new recruits?

Sorry if these forums are just for dentists, haven't been able to get a straight answer from anyone I've talked to.

Originally Posted by jim85213

Your time in a specialty residency can count toward your HPSP/HSCP payback if it is done in-service and you are still in your payback years. If you do out-service training (i.e. civilian OMFS residency), those years do not count toward HPSP/HSCP payback. And obviously, the residencies themselves come with an additional years of AD obligation.

Is the AD commitment for speciality training a year for year?

Originally Posted by Babyblue57

Is the AD commitment for speciality training a year for year?

Depends.
Endo is a three year commitment for two years of residency. I believe (please someone correct me if I am wrong) all other two year residencies are year-for-year.
OMFS and perio are year-for-year.

Originally Posted by Babyblue57

Is the AD commitment for speciality training a year for year?

I wasn't totally correct. Below are excerpts from the BUMED NOTICE 1520 regarding FY13 DUINS Application Information...


"ADSO incurred for participation in dental residency training programs is 1 year for each year of FTIS or FTOS training with a minimum of a 2-year obligation, to include ACP training. Endodontic and orthodontic residents will incur a minimum of 3 years of active duty obligation regardless of program length. Programs leading to a master's degree (which require additional training and/or funding) or a doctoral degree shall incur an ADSO of three times the length of education or training for the first year unless such degree is incidental to the completion of an established residency or fellowship program. Additional ADSOs for participation in excess of 1 year shall be half year for half year. ADSO for a master's degree obtained concurrently with a residency program may be served concurrently with the ADSO for residency training. Enclosure (6) further outlines active duty service obligations for graduate dental education (GDE)."


"SUMMARY OF ACTIVE DUTY OBLIGATION FOR
GRADUATE DENTAL EDUCATION
(Based on Reference (d))
1. In a Military Facility (Full-time inservice (FTIS)/Other Federal Institutions (OFI)). A member must incur an Active Duty Obligation (ADO) of ½ year for each ½ year, or portion thereof, but the minimum ADO at the completion, termination, or withdrawal of the Graduate Dental Education (GDE) period will not be less than 2 years. The ADO for GDE may be served concurrently with obligations incurred for DOD- sponsored pre-professional (undergraduate) or dental school education. No ADO for GDE can be served concurrently with ADO for a second period of GDE, i.e., obligation for fellowship or 2nd Navy-sponsored residency cannot be served concurrently with an obligation incurred for initial residency training.
2. In a Civilian Facility on Active Duty (Full-Time outservice (FTOS)). A member subsidized by the DOD during training in a civilian facility must incur ADO of ½ year for each ½ year or portion thereof, but the minimum ADO at the completion, termination, or withdrawal of the GDE period will not be less than 2 years. ADOs for FTOS training are added to obligation existing at the time training begins.
3. In a Civilian Facility in a Deferred Status (Navy Active Duty delay for Specialists (NADDS)). A member deferred for specialty training incurs no additional obligation as long as a 2-year obligation exists at the time the training begins. Members with less than 2 years of ADO will incur a 2-year minimum term of service.
4. Fellowship Training in a Military or Civilian Facility. The minimum ADO for training is 2 years. Payback is consecutive with prior GDE (residency) ADO.
Enclosure (6)"

Originally Posted by jowens18

I am slated to ship to MCRD Parris Island for bootcamp on June 18th, however I ran into a dental emergency.

My #7 tooth is fractured about 6mm above the gumline and needs to be extracted.

What are my options to get an implant/bridge and still pass the dental examination given to all new recruits?

Sorry if these forums are just for dentists, haven't been able to get a straight answer from anyone I've talked to.

They'll take it out there. A missing tooth doesn't mean they will kick you out.

Thanks, however I am getting it taken out now. I am giving my recruiter the paperwork so he can forward them to MEPS. Will Dental care if I already had it taken out?

Originally Posted by jowens18

Thanks, however I am getting it taken out now. I am giving my recruiter the paperwork so he can forward them to MEPS. Will Dental care if I already had it taken out?

No.

Hi There -

I'm finishing up my GPR residency this June and I'm going to start my own practice at that time as well. I was thinking about joining the Navy Reserves as a way of helping with my free time and contributing. Can anyone give me any information about the Navy Reserves or point me in the direction of someone who can - preferably not a recruiter (no offense - just want to have a candid conversation). Thanks! And you guys keep up the great work! I really respect what you guys do for our country and service men.