You do...sorta. It depends if your school has time during the summer. If not, you still get the extra pay, but you have to provide documentation from the school that you go year round.
As long as you don't fail you are fine. If you are put on academic probation, or have to repeat a year...that is where you will likely lose the scholarship and have some problems.
Not true for dental officers.
Unfortunately I can not comment on the Reserve or National Guard - both of which are probably your only option.
So, would you say that it will be beneficial as a 'military dentist' if you do a 1 or 2 yr. AEGD/GPR after dental school, since this will enhance your skills & more importantly (imo) widen the scope of procedures that you 'get' to do in the military ? Are there any CONS associated with obtaining a AEGD/GPR as a military dentist (meaning are you easier deployed or longer deployment time compare to other military dentists whom do not have any specialties.) ??
Thank you much for your thorough answers sir, I find it much educational compare to the above post.
Current estimate is between 2020-2022Hello sir, I'm graduating next year and am very interested in a direct commission. Over Christmas, I visited a buddy at his residency at Ft. Carson and was very impressed with the program. I grew up an Army brat and have been a KC-135 crew chief in the Air Guard for the last 14 years (except for a two year stint in the IRR when I was 19). The military has been very good to me and my family over the years and I want back in full-time. I don't know if I want to make a career out of it, but with the excellent residencies, great benefits, and unique opportunities (e.g. airborne, EFMB, C4, deployment), I know I can't go wrong starting out practicing in the Army.
I've done a fair amount of digging in other threads, but I still have a few questions.
1. Is it possible to commission prior to graduation? If so, would a 1-year AEGD be available to me right after graduation?
I have of a program, but can not remember the name at this time. I can look into it if you are interested...You basically come on in an IRR status so that your time in Service accrues and you could apply for the AEGD - however you also have a payback for recieving no other benefit (no sign on bonus, stipend, etc...). Not worth it in my book. from time to time they will select someone for a 1 yr HPSP (with 3 yr payback) - not the best deal either. Excluding these 2 options there is no other chance to commision before graduation since you must have a dental license to join the Dental Corps.
2. After residency, I want start out as a brigade dentist in an airborne unit. Can I request specific units on my dream sheet (e.g. 82nd, 173rd, 4-25th) or is this best done indirectly by selecting the locations of these units (e.g. Bragg, Camp Ederle, JBER)?
Those units typically want someone who is a graduate of a 1 yr AEGD or has some experience first. You can list those units on your sheet - or better yet email/call the assignment officer, but you will not be the ideal candidate. You can always go to one of the bases with a unit like that and get your skills up and then jump in with them the following year or 2.
3. I don't have the best GPA and class rank, if I stick around long enough (with good OERs and deployments) is there good chance I can eventually get selected for the 2-year AEGD? As a bravo, is it possible to get assigned to high-speed units (e.g. Rangers, SF) in later tours?
If you stick around long enough you can get into a 2 yr AEGD with good OERs and other things that will help round out your resume. The jobs you mentioned are filled with general dentists who have not done the 2 yr AEGD. Once you do the 2 yr AEGD (or any specialty) you are not put into those units (group, brigade, rangers, etc...). There is 1 position in a SF unit that is for a 2 yr AEGD graduate - so if you want to play on the other side, you need to do that as a general dentist.
4. When is the Army going to stop handwriting patient charts?
I think that aggressively moonlighting is the best way. also work with specialist in the military stationed at your base. I really don't think that an AEGD guarantees you anything (e.g. you might place an implant in your AEGD but you'll likely not place another one after that unless a specialist takes pity on you). Good luck trying a procedure like an apico that you did 2-3 times in an AEGD after having a 4-5 yr gap of not doing it. After a couple of years there is literally no difference between what AEGD and nonAEGD dentists do. No distinction is made in my clinic in what we do.
Typically speaking from my experience, nearly all the brigade dentists (there are 5 at my base) are either 1yr. AEGD graduates or someone with at least 2 yrs of experience. One of the senior leaders in DENCOM has commented to me that the one of the major purposes of the 1 year AEGD is to provide a supply a ready source of brigade dentists. I have also noticed that all things being equal between a few applicants from the exact same dental school applying to the exact same residency, those with a 1 yr. AEGD tend to get picked up significantly more than those who did not do a 1 year.
No. Brigade dentists are only taken from the pool of general dentists (includes Special Forces Dentists). Comp dentists used to be the Division Dental Surgeon, but sometime around 2005 that went away. Now if you are a 63B there is one slot a piece in each of the dental companies (3 total) for a platoon leader. Additionally there is 1 special operations slot for a comp dentist. So a total of 4 positions for comp dentists. That being said, the Commanders of those 3 dental companies can be any type of a specialist including a comp dentist.
I believe it is. The nice thing about the comp program is if you decide later you want to specialize in something else, you can.
