Ask an Army Dentist

[teeth63a]

If you are Army HPSP they are not going to send you to do any other externship except Army. Also realize that part of the benefit of an externship is to see places and faces that may help you as you apply for programs or decide where to be stationed.

The DENCOM Commander published a policy on what is allowed for a 3rd year dental student and 4th year. I can email a copy to you if you want - PM your email to me. In a nutshell here is what it is.

A student between 2nd and 3rd year can do super gingival cleanings, make provisionals, hand excavate caries, exams, impressions, sealants, polish amalgams, lab procedures.

A student between 3rd and 4th year can do the same plus: place restorations (after they have been prepped), Sub gingival scaling, all aspects of prosth except prepping the teeth, simple ortho procedrues, give local anesthetic.

All procedures must be done with prior patient consent.

This is good experience for students, but a bit of a surprise as an army policy. I say this because each incoming DDS from dental school needs to be granted specific privileges (from the local DENTAC) and sign a statement saying that they understand what they are allowed and not allowed to do. Believe it or not, I believe molar endos are on the disallowed list for incoming 63A's coming right out of school...other things like facial reconstruction, obviously are also on the disallowed list for new dentists. Of course application and enforcement of this policy are two different things.

Like krmower stated, you're obligated to do the externship at an army facility- solely for your benefit to experience army dentistry and make contacts in the army. The only way out is if your school runs all year (like UOP). I don't think another externship can be substituted.

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[Hawk2thDoc]

If you are Army HPSP they are not going to send you to do any other externship except Army. Also realize that part of the benefit of an externship is to see places and faces that may help you as you apply for programs or decide where to be stationed.

What externship a student does may depend on the school as well as the Army. My school does not allow students to do their official externships with the military, but they do have arrangements with the Indian Health Service. The allowed clinical procedures krmower listed would make it a complete waste of time for someone to use one of their official school externships on, which may be why my school doesn't allow military externships.

 

[Armydent]

Since it's mid-June, I'm wondering how the former dental students...now newly commissioned Army Dentists are doing. Did anybody get their orders to their first assignment well before graduation? With those orders, were you given enough time to make arrangements to have a moving company move you, or did you have to do it yourself and get reimbursed later? How soon could you report after your graduation (and also the latest date you were allowed to report)? Has your transition into the Army from dental school been hastle-free, and if not, is there any advice you could pass down to other dental HPSP to help us get ready whenever graduation comes for us? Thank you.

 

[krmower]

Since it's mid-June, I'm wondering how the former dental students...now newly commissioned Army Dentists are doing. Did anybody get their orders to their first assignment well before graduation? With those orders, were you given enough time to make arrangements to have a moving company move you, or did you have to do it yourself and get reimbursed later? How soon could you report after your graduation (and also the latest date you were allowed to report)? Has your transition into the Army from dental school been hastle-free, and if not, is there any advice you could pass down to other dental HPSP to help us get ready whenever graduation comes for us? Thank you.

Orders went out in March/April. You are not expected to your first duty station until after OBLC.

Maybe some of them will post how it went for them.

 

[umkcdds]

This is good experience for students, but a bit of a surprise as an army policy. I say this because each incoming DDS from dental school needs to be granted specific privileges (from the local DENTAC) and sign a statement saying that they understand what they are allowed and not allowed to do. Believe it or not, I believe molar endos are on the disallowed list for incoming 63A's coming right out of school...other things like facial reconstruction, obviously are also on the disallowed list for new dentists. Of course application and enforcement of this policy are two different things.

Like krmower stated, you're obligated to do the externship at an army facility- solely for your benefit to experience army dentistry and make contacts in the army. The only way out is if your school runs all year (like UOP). I don't think another externship can be substituted.

i did an externship that wasn't at an army facility, so i'm not sure where this "requirement" or "obligation" to do externships at an army facility idea comes from.

the externship didn't count as my 45 days of ADT. i did that in hawaii the same year.

 

[krmower]

i did an externship that wasn't at an army facility, so i'm not sure where this "requirement" or "obligation" to do externships at an army facility idea comes from.

the externship didn't count as my 45 days of ADT. i did that in hawaii the same year.

Maybe it should be rephrased as "what the Army will pay for". They will pay for you to go to them - not to someone else. You go to someone else (Indian Reservation, foreign country, etc...) it's on you.

 

[ongoingdat]

Hi,

Just a curiosity, at the PX store do they sell vehicle?
And can I shop online to purchase daily grocery?

I am not sure whether I will buy a car during the dental school year,
and wondering if they do the delivery (and how much should I purchase
to get a delivery option?)

Thanks in advance.

 

[Lifetime2Drill]

Hi,

Just a curiosity, at the PX store do they sell vehicle?
And can I shop online to purchase daily grocery?

I am not sure whether I will buy a car during the dental school year,
and wondering if they do the delivery (and how much should I purchase
to get a delivery option?)

Thanks in advance.

No sell vehicle.

 

[del Sol DOHC]

No sell vehicle.

 

[Armydent]

Hi,

Just a curiosity, at the PX store do they sell vehicle?
And can I shop online to purchase daily grocery?

I am not sure whether I will buy a car during the dental school year,
and wondering if they do the delivery (and how much should I purchase
to get a delivery option?)

Thanks in advance.

The answer to your first question is yes and no. Yes, they do sell cars at PXs at a discount rate in a program called the Exchange New Car Sales, but only outside the 50 U.S. States. For example, if you are assigned in Germany, Korea, or Italy, you are eligible to participate in this program (I have also seen the program in Kuwait and Baghdad). Basically, you go through their brochures and order the exact new car you want to buy, and then you buy it. Then, the manufacturer (Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, or Harley-Davidson) will deliver the vehicle to the dealer of your choice in the United States when you return from your deployment. The advantage is that you order directly from the manufacturer instead of a dealer who would increase the price to make a profit. Check out this website if you have more questions: http://www.encs.com/program.aspx?id=47

So, if you are a dental student in Minnesota, you are not eligible for this program right now. If you are presently looking for an inexpensive car, I would recommend buying a used car somewhere near you. Check the classified ads in your local newspaper, craigslist online, or anywhere else.

The answer to your second question is no, you cannot shop for your daily groceries (perishable foods) online. If your dental school is near a large military base, and you have a military ID card, then you can go to the commisary on base and buy groceries there. If there is not a large military base near your dental school, then just go to the local supermarket.

You can buy items from the PX online at aafes.com, but once again, they do not sell perishable food.

I hope that answered your questions.

 

[J-Dub]

Since it's mid-June, I'm wondering how the former dental students...now newly commissioned Army Dentists are doing. Did anybody get their orders to their first assignment well before graduation? With those orders, were you given enough time to make arrangements to have a moving company move you, or did you have to do it yourself and get reimbursed later? How soon could you report after your graduation (and also the latest date you were allowed to report)? Has your transition into the Army from dental school been hastle-free, and if not, is there any advice you could pass down to other dental HPSP to help us get ready whenever graduation comes for us? Thank you.

My orders came April 8th, plenty of time to get things organized. I had the benefit of living 10 min from Ft Lewis and I knew the dentists there pretty well so when it came to the move I had plenty of resources and was able to take care of things myself rather than depending on other people. As for moving, you need to attend a JPPSO briefing to fill out the necessary paperwork and set a date for the TSP to move your stuff. You don't pay for anything. You do pay for yourself to move your car, if you're not taking a car then contact Army Travel and they'll book you a ticket. If you don't live by an Army Post I'm not sure how you'd do it. Perhaps talk with your recruiter and set it up through them.
I would advise a partial dity, that's what I did, especially if you're going stateside, if you have questions about what that is just let me know. It's not an option if you're going OCONUS.
As for my report date, they give you tons of time. I did my OBLC after 1st yr of school, so my report date is 2 AUG, but my orders state I have up to 60 days early reporting authorized. I reported on 21 JUN and have been assigned to 10 day permissive TDY as some transition time off. It's nice because I start getting paid as of 21 JUN. This time is used to securing a place to live, getting all you household goods in order, getting cable/internet/appliances/auto and whatever else you need.
I can't speak for others but everyone at Ft Hood has been amazing. COL Hennessey personally took me from the 2-YR Clinic over to the DENCOM building for in-processing, the S-1 there then basically held my hand through everything. They know you're new, they know we have no idea what we're doing.
My advice is this, don't worry about it. Seriously, the movers came to my place within a week of my scheduling them. I would probably give them 3 weeks to avoid any issues though, I admittedly cut it way too close.

 

[Armydent]

Thank you! That is great information, and it was exactly what I was looking for. Good luck with your AEGD.

 

[J-Dub]

Thank you! That is great information, and it was exactly what I was looking for. Good luck with your AEGD.

Obviously I omitted quite a bit, just including important parts here, when I said you pay for yourself to drive, what I mean is typically you pay, then submit for reimbursement later on. You can ask for an advance, I would strongly advise against taking the advance unless you are completely broke. When you take the advance you are obligated to follow a much more stringent set of rules that can add stress and headache.

 

[ddsshin]

I am asking this because I heard the the scholarship will arrive early October and my school starts in September. My FA officer said I have to take out the loan first and then once the scholarship is awarded, I can cancel the loans. Did anyone do this???? Also, when will my stipends and bonus will be awarded?

 

[pmoney]

I am asking this because I heard the the scholarship will arrive early October and my school starts in September. My FA officer said I have to take out the loan first and then once the scholarship is awarded, I can cancel the loans. Did anyone do this???? Also, when will my stipends and bonus will be awarded?

Don't take out a loan and cancel it. Instead, when you are accepted into HPSP and can log on MODS, I believe there is a letter on there you can print out as proof of eventual payment by uncle sam for your school. If they are a little late show your student affairs the letter and let them take care of it.

note: there may be a few things that are not covered - at my school we pay ~150 on the tuition bill ea semester for 'transportation expenses aka parking' that is not covered by the army.

 

[Suckitup97]

I will be starting dental school this fall and am a non-traditional age student (34). I'm considering the HPSP; however, I'm wondering if the military route makes the most sense for me career-wise (particularly because of my age). I would be starting my 4 year commitment at 38. Do you think this is a wise move, or would I be better served to go the civilian route? (As an aside, I am not sure if I would specialize, but definitely would want to do at least a GPR.)

Thanks for any insight.

 

[AirborneDentist]

I will be starting dental school this fall and am a non-traditional age student (34). I'm considering the HPSP; however, I'm wondering if the military route makes the most sense for me career-wise (particularly because of my age). I would be starting my 4 year commitment at 38. Do you think this is a wise move, or would I be better served to go the civilian route? (As an aside, I am not sure if I would specialize, but definitely would want to do at least a GPR.)

Thanks for any insight.

Unless you already have a ton put away for retirement or plan on working until you are 70, you may want to really consider the military

 

[krmower]

I will be starting dental school this fall and am a non-traditional age student (34). I'm considering the HPSP; however, I'm wondering if the military route makes the most sense for me career-wise (particularly because of my age). I would be starting my 4 year commitment at 38. Do you think this is a wise move, or would I be better served to go the civilian route? (As an aside, I am not sure if I would specialize, but definitely would want to do at least a GPR.)

Thanks for any insight.

We actually have been getting many more mature dentists coming in. Many of themselves are kicking themselves for not doing it earlier. If you do not begin in the military by 42, you will not get a guaranteed pension. The advantage in your situation is if you come in and decide to get out - you won't have to worry about the 10-15+ yrs of loan repayments before you can start building up your retirement/lifestyle. If you went straight into private practice you will have a lot of catch up to do to get to the same financial point many of your younger classmates will be in.

 

[SDCC2009]

Are there hygienists in the army or do the dentists do all the prophys?

 

[AirborneDentist]

Are there hygienists in the army or do the dentists do all the prophys?

There are hygienists in the Army...some are civilians and some are Army trained...they are just trained to do cleanings but aren't actual hygienists.

You shouldn't have to do any cleanings while you are in the Army...you will be too busy doing operative and such.

 

[xhamburgersamx]

There are hygienists in the Army...some are civilians and some are Army trained...they are just trained to do cleanings but aren't actual hygienists.

You shouldn't have to do any cleanings while you are in the Army...you will be too busy doing operative and such.

Does every new general dentist in the army learn the army way of doing operative procedures such as preps, etc? Is there a certain policy regarding margins, extensions etc or can you bring what you learned in school and practice that?

 

[krmower]

Does every new general dentist in the army learn the army way of doing operative procedures such as preps, etc? Is there a certain policy regarding margins, extensions etc or can you bring what you learned in school and practice that?

No one tells you how to do something unless it is not the standard of care and it is not in the best interest of the patient. Other than that there is no specific way the Army has you do certain procedures.

 

[teeth63a]

No one tells you how to do something unless it is not the standard of care and it is not in the best interest of the patient. Other than that there is no specific way the Army has you do certain procedures.

The only thing I can think of that's done differently in the military is this- in the absence of the ability to do a crown on endodontically treated teeth, the SOP is to do an "amalgam onlay/full cuspal coverage" to protect the cusps from fracture after the RCT has been done. Crowns sometimes cannot be done due to time constraints (soldier deploys tomorrow), or lack of access to a lab (ie out on deployment, or the clinic has no access). These things are ugly, but well made ones can last as long as a crown. Just look in the mouths of senior enlisted or officers and you'll see a few.

 

[ALTOSS]

I am asking this because I heard the the scholarship will arrive early October and my school starts in September. My FA officer said I have to take out the loan first and then once the scholarship is awarded, I can cancel the loans. Did anyone do this???? Also, when will my stipends and bonus will be awarded?

Living in NYC is expensive. Although you can certainly live off the stipend, and graduate w/ zero debt--it is possible, but many actually borrow extra to "live large." The stipend would be somewhere around $1600 a month (after taxes'n all, and it'd barely cover your rent. A typical small studio in NYUCD area is around $1500~2000 a month, so go figure.

The NYU bill, including tuition, equipment, etc... don't take out loan just to take care of it. Once the funds are out, you will be stuck with origination fees later on, which could be literally hundreds of $$$. The FA obviously has no idea how finances work. Tell NYU accounting that you're in the army, and they'd know what to do, although they can be really nasty and annoying at times. Some stuff such as encyclopedia and membership fees that are billed by NYU are not covered by the army, so you should expect to pay out of pocket for some items (and no, you can't opt out of those; welcome to NYU). The first tuition disbursement is pretty slow-it'd happen some time in October or November, so you'd be charged for some late fees, but just take that to accounting, and they'd take care of it.

If your paperwork is w/o error, you should get your stipend and bonus some time in mid September. They first take 25% pre-tax (fed and state) on the bonus and divide them into 3 chunks, so you'd get something like $6200, $6200, and $1300, so don't be so surprised when you get them. If you're clever, you'd get most of it back NEXT YEAR.

Hope it helped.

 

[ddsshin]

Living in NYC is expensive. Although you can certainly live off the stipend, and graduate w/ zero debt--it is possible, but many actually borrow extra to "live large." The stipend would be somewhere around $1600 a month (after taxes'n all, and it'd barely cover your rent. A typical small studio in NYUCD area is around $1500~2000 a month, so go figure.

The NYU bill, including tuition, equipment, etc... don't take out loan just to take care of it. Once the funds are out, you will be stuck with origination fees later on, which could be literally hundreds of $$$. The FA obviously has no idea how finances work. Tell NYU accounting that you're in the army, and they'd know what to do, although they can be really nasty and annoying at times. Some stuff such as encyclopedia and membership fees that are billed by NYU are not covered by the army, so you should expect to pay out of pocket for some items (and no, you can't opt out of those; welcome to NYU). The first tuition disbursement is pretty slow-it'd happen some time in October or November, so you'd be charged for some late fees, but just take that to accounting, and they'd take care of it.

If your paperwork is w/o error, you should get your stipend and bonus some time in mid September. They first take 25% pre-tax (fed and state) on the bonus and divide them into 3 chunks, so you'd get something like $6200, $6200, and $1300, so don't be so surprised when you get them. If you're clever, you'd get most of it back NEXT YEAR.

Hope it helped.

Hello!
thanks for the info! They were really helpful! yea, the FA officers were getting annoyed for some reasons, and they told me to pull out the loans, so I did. But do you think I should cancel the loans??? I don't want to be stacked up with some anonymous fees. Also, have you been to OBLC?
I can't find the difference between ADT and OBLC. How are they different? Also, do I have to attend every year? What happens if NYUCD doesn't approve or my schedule wouldn't allow? Can you tell me more about them in detail? Thank you!!!!

 

[krmower]

Hello!
thanks for the info! They were really helpful! yea, the FA officers were getting annoyed for some reasons, and they told me to pull out the loans, so I did. But do you think I should cancel the loans??? I don't want to be stacked up with some anonymous fees. Also, have you been to OBLC?
I can't find the difference between ADT and OBLC. How are they different? Also, do I have to attend every year? What happens if NYUCD doesn't approve or my schedule wouldn't allow? Can you tell me more about them in detail? Thank you!!!!

You can always bank the money and earn interest - don't know if that is legal, so always consult with an accountant or tax attorney first

As far as ADT and OBLC there are a lot of threads written about those topics.

 

[ALTOSS]

Hello!
thanks for the info! They were really helpful! yea, the FA officers were getting annoyed for some reasons, and they told me to pull out the loans, so I did. But do you think I should cancel the loans??? I don't want to be stacked up with some anonymous fees. Also, have you been to OBLC?
I can't find the difference between ADT and OBLC. How are they different? Also, do I have to attend every year? What happens if NYUCD doesn't approve or my schedule wouldn't allow? Can you tell me more about them in detail? Thank you!!!!

well, again, it all depends on how you want to "live large." w/o support from your parents, living off the stipend alone in nyc is, well, close to impossible, so you do need some loan to over other expenses. once nyu sees that your tuition is covered, they would recalculate your loan maximum to little more than $30000 a year. so as you can see, that's not even close to a typical fed sub and unsub loan maximum (i.e. $40000/year for healthcare students). you can't borrow any more than that. anything more would bounce back to the lender (it happened to me). some people would just like to get all the money out, put that in the bank, and earn 1-2% interest a year, just enjoying the fact that they have some serious cash in their bank accounts for the first time, while simultaneously paying 7% interest on the loans. and some people just take whatever they need.

you do one ADT per year (in the summer), and it is required. OBLC would count as 1 ADT if you do it during dental school. for most dental students, OBLC is either before or after dental school, b/c once you're in school, you don't get that much summer break. i attended my OBLC b/f school (thank God), and most of dental attendees were in fact graduates (about 90%). the schedule is really for med students, not dental. i was the only pre-dental out of 70, and separately there were about 300 med students, most of them came during their M1-M2 break (about 95%). at nyu, at least, b/c of the time constraint, you do "school ADT," where you do nothing (except going to school), and the army would pay a full o-1 salary for 45 days. why, then? what's the point? you might ask: well, ADT is a requirement by law to keep you afloat. they just can't exempt people from the training, but they also understand you're busy with a good reason.

you can also (and you're really supposed to) do externships at army hospitals for each ADT, but again, due to time constraint, i haven't seen one doing that at nyu. again, this whole thing is really for med students; it's really difficult to arrange it for dental students, although some schools let their students to take advantage of it, and it's awesome.

hope it helps.

 

[ddsshin]

well, again, it all depends on how you want to "live large." w/o support from your parents, living off the stipend alone in nyc is, well, close to impossible, so you do need some loan to over other expenses. once nyu sees that your tuition is covered, they would recalculate your loan maximum to little more than $30000 a year. so as you can see, that's not even close to a typical fed sub and unsub loan maximum (i.e. $40000/year for healthcare students). you can't borrow any more than that. anything more would bounce back to the lender (it happened to me). some people would just like to get all the money out, put that in the bank, and earn 1-2% interest a year, just enjoying the fact that they have some serious cash in their bank accounts for the first time, while simultaneously paying 7% interest on the loans. and some people just take whatever they need.

you do one ADT per year (in the summer), and it is required. OBLC would count as 1 ADT if you do it during dental school. for most dental students, OBLC is either before or after dental school, b/c once you're in school, you don't get that much summer break. i attended my OBLC b/f school (thank God), and most of dental attendees were in fact graduates (about 90%). the schedule is really for med students, not dental. i was the only pre-dental out of 70, and separately there were about 300 med students, most of them came during their M1-M2 break (about 95%). at nyu, at least, b/c of the time constraint, you do "school ADT," where you do nothing (except going to school), and the army would pay a full o-1 salary for 45 days. why, then? what's the point? you might ask: well, ADT is a requirement by law to keep you afloat. they just can't exempt people from the training, but they also understand you're busy with a good reason.

you can also (and you're really supposed to) do externships at army hospitals for each ADT, but again, due to time constraint, i haven't seen one doing that at nyu. again, this whole thing is really for med students; it's really difficult to arrange it for dental students, although some schools let their students to take advantage of it, and it's awesome.

hope it helps.

So, to make everything clear, I would be getting stipends every month for 10.5 mo and get paid as o-1 for 45 days each year??? So 1900x 10.5 + 6000 every year before taxes? Also, what you mean by you have to clever to get the rest of money back from the bonus?? Let me know thx!

 

[ALTOSS]

So, to make everything clear, I would be getting stipends every month for 10.5 mo and get paid as o-1 for 45 days each year??? So 1900x 10.5 + 6000 every year before taxes? Also, what you mean by you have to clever to get the rest of money back from the bonus?? Let me know thx!

yeah, pretty much, except that the stipend ends in mid-may (was it april? i may be wrong) in your D4 year, so until you start OBLC in mid june, there is a hiatus about a month or so. i meant "clever" to mean tax laws.

 

[Flakbait9]

Hey, are there any Army Prosthodontists or Prosth residents here? I'm thinking about applying and would like to ask you a few questions. Thanks!

 

[armydds]

The only thing I can think of that's done differently in the military is this- in the absence of the ability to do a crown on endodontically treated teeth, the SOP is to do an "amalgam onlay/full cuspal coverage" to protect the cusps from fracture after the RCT has been done. Crowns sometimes cannot be done due to time constraints (soldier deploys tomorrow), or lack of access to a lab (ie out on deployment, or the clinic has no access). These things are ugly, but well made ones can last as long as a crown. Just look in the mouths of senior enlisted or officers and you'll see a few.

How do you do an amalgam onlay? Is that indirectly made? Or do you build it up directly?

 

[teeth63a]

How do you do an amalgam onlay? Is that indirectly made? Or do you build it up directly?

basically knock off 1.5-2mm off the entire occlusal surface, place a matrix band lined with a thin touch of lubricant like vaseline, use a good amalgam bonding agent (like Parkell's amalgambond), and use a fast set amalgam. pack it quick, then carve it back down. so basically it is a massive amalgam that protects the remaining cusps. and believe it or not, it works.

 

[krmower]

Hey, are there any Army Prosthodontists or Prosth residents here? I'm thinking about applying and would like to ask you a few questions. Thanks!

No, but i can put you in contact with some if you pm me your email address.

 

[armydds]

basically knock off 1.5-2mm off the entire occlusal surface, place a matrix band lined with a thin touch of lubricant like vaseline, use a good amalgam bonding agent (like Parkell's amalgambond), and use a fast set amalgam. pack it quick, then carve it back down. so basically it is a massive amalgam that protects the remaining cusps. and believe it or not, it works.

wow, do you hypo occlude the cusp so it doesn't fracture? I've heard of knocking off the entire buccal or lingual walls and not even dropping a box when filling. That's pretty interesting though, I guess an onlay prep and delivery is out of the question?

 

[Lifetime2Drill]

A new Dental officer told me that you cannot do crowns in the Army unless you complete, at the minimum, a 1-year AEGD. Is this accurate?

 

[krmower]

A new Dental officer told me that you cannot do crowns in the Army unless you complete, at the minimum, a 1-year AEGD. Is this accurate?

Nope - not accurate.

 

[TuckyDent]

I currently have an 8 year commitment after I graduate dental school due to ROTC payback from undergrad.

Q#1:I was wondering if it is advantageous for me to apply for a residency immediately after dental school although I may not get it. From what I have read, it seems as though admissions committees look favorably upon those with prior active duty service (which I don't), but does anyone know if they also look favorably on those who have an increased number of years of active duty ahead of them?

Q#2: I am a 3rd year dental student, and would like to know the timeline for applying for residencies. Someone told me that applications are due sometime during your 3rd year if you want to start soon after graduation.

Thanks in advance for any answers to these questions.

 

[krmower]

I currently have an 8 year commitment after I graduate dental school due to ROTC payback from undergrad.

Q#1:I was wondering if it is advantageous for me to apply for a residency immediately after dental school although I may not get it. From what I have read, it seems as though admissions committees look favorably upon those with prior active duty service (which I don't), but does anyone know if they also look favorably on those who have an increased number of years of active duty ahead of them?

Q#2: I am a 3rd year dental student, and would like to know the timeline for applying for residencies. Someone told me that applications are due sometime during your 3rd year if you want to start soon after graduation.

Thanks in advance for any answers to these questions.

1) your payback will be less applying as soon as you can. I do not think that number of years of obligation has any impact.

2) You will apply fall of your senior year. The board meets December of your senior year.

 

[teeth63a]

wow, do you hypo occlude the cusp so it doesn't fracture? I've heard of knocking off the entire buccal or lingual walls and not even dropping a box when filling. That's pretty interesting though, I guess an onlay prep and delivery is out of the question?

yes generally speaking it's out of occlusion. No need to drop boxes unless there was an existing filling there. The bulk of the amalgam can be physically retained in a large part by the fact that you're filling the chamber and access hole with amalgam. the amalgambond is to get the amalgam to stick to the occlusal surfaces.

 

[MNM2010]

hello,

my husband in in the Army, but he is not a dentist. I was wondering if I decided to enlisted as an active dentist in the Army, are we going to be able to get deployed together to the same place? or they to not take into consideration were your spouse is being sent to?

also, what are the benefits to enlist as a dentist in the Army Reserve? do they repay loans? is there any possibility of being deployed if you are working as a dentist in the reserve?

Thank you very much!

 

[krmower]

hello,

my husband in in the Army, but he is not a dentist. I was wondering if I decided to enlisted as an active dentist in the Army, are we going to be able to get deployed together to the same place? or they to not take into consideration were your spouse is being sent to?

also, what are the benefits to enlist as a dentist in the Army Reserve? do they repay loans? is there any possibility of being deployed if you are working as a dentist in the reserve?

Thank you very much!

If your husband is in the Army, then they will make every effort to keep you guys at the same base. Married couples are typically at the top of the priority list for assignments so they can be coordinated together.

If you go into the Reserve they have loan repayment. $40k/yr for up to 6 yrs. Yes you can deploy - if you do in the Reserve it is for 90 days.

 

[jfglue]

Hi, I am applying to dental schools at the moment and I heard about the military dentistry being a great way to pay for dental school. is there any link or website you can point me to so i can read more about it? thanks.

 

[USArmyHPSP]

http://www.goarmy.com/amedd/army-health-care-corps/dental-corps.html

 

[clp416]

I'm a staff writer for Dentaltown Magazine (www.towniecentral.com). We're doing a section in the magazine featuring unique practices. I'd like to do a feature on a U.S. Military Dental Office- maybe in Iraq or Afghanistan. Can you put me in touch with someone who would be able to give me information about this?

 

[krmower]

I'm a staff writer for Dentaltown Magazine (www.towniecentral.com). We're doing a section in the magazine featuring unique practices. I'd like to do a feature on a U.S. Military Dental Office- maybe in Iraq or Afghanistan. Can you put me in touch with someone who would be able to give me information about this?

I will PM you with our public affairs officer contact information that can coordinate that for you.

 

[clp416]

That would be awesome. Thank you!

 

[agent2362]

Out of 10 spots available - the last 4 years have averaged 3 dental students (2,3,5,3). 2009 they had 5 accepted.

Do you have any idea of the Part 1 Board scores and class ranks of those who were accepted? It would be nice to know what to shoot for.

 

[krmower]

Do you have any idea of the Part 1 Board scores and class ranks of those who were accepted? It would be nice to know what to shoot for.

No. Only the 5-6 individuals who sit on the selection board see those. It is not released anywhere else. I have always been told for OMFS you want board scores in the 90's. If your scores aren't high enough, then that is where putting some time into the Army and getting good evaluations can help overcome some of your deficiencies and get you into programs like that and Endo and Ortho.

Haven't seen class rank either, but I would think top 20% would be competitive.

The interesting thing will be once boards (military and civilian) go to pass fail - how will specialty programs rank individuals? Some schools already just do pass/fail for grades.

 

[Nat426]

I have a few questions about deployments in the Army. The more I read in this forum the less clear I became. Are the typical deployments for Army dentists 6 months? Some of the early threads indicate they are 12 months and possibly up to 15? I am in the process of applying for the Air Force HPSP and selected this branch because their deployments are typically now 6 months. If this was the same with the Army I would strongly consider this branch as well.

Another question I have is about the 1 and 2 yr. AEGD programs. If I were to do one of these programs right out of dental school do they incur addition obligation? My understanding with these programs in the AF is they are counted as neutral years, they don't reduce or increase the time you know.

My last question is about the pro's and con's of military dentistry. Can you list your top 10 "cons"? I have been researching a lot but it's hard to find specific examples of why people don't like military dentistry. Most of what I have found boils down to personality conflicts. Unless there is a book I haven't come across "The Life and Times of a Military Dentist"? it is hard to nail down these less than favorable aspects that I feel I should know about.

 

[krmower]

I have a few questions about deployments in the Army. The more I read in this forum the less clear I became. Are the typical deployments for Army dentists 6 months? Some of the early threads indicate they are 12 months and possibly up to 15? I am in the process of applying for the Air Force HPSP and selected this branch because their deployments are typically now 6 months. If this was the same with the Army I would strongly consider this branch as well.

Another question I have is about the 1 and 2 yr. AEGD programs. If I were to do one of these programs right out of dental school do they incur addition obligation? My understanding with these programs in the AF is they are counted as neutral years, they don't reduce or increase the time you know.

My last question is about the pro's and con's of military dentistry. Can you list your top 10 "cons"? I have been researching a lot but it's hard to find specific examples of why people don't like military dentistry. Most of what I have found boils down to personality conflicts. Unless there is a book I haven't come across "The Life and Times of a Military Dentist"? it is hard to nail down these less than favorable aspects that I feel I should know about.

90+% of Army deployments are 6 months.

All AEGDs and other specialty programs in any service are neutral years, so they do increase the time you owe since they do not count towards your original HPSP obligation.

Pros and cons vary by individuals. I think if you look through some of the threads this topic has been covered. Main thing comes down to specialty training opportunities and locations of bases.