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What is your typical day like? How much do you work per week, typical patient load?

About how many of the general dentists are stationed on ships and how does that work? Are you on a ship for a few months and then at a base for a few months?
 
Do people with families have priority over others on selecting base instead of ship assignments?
 
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Is it true that those who don't do an AEGD/GPR are stuck doing amalgams and composites while crowns, bridges, veneers, dentures etc. are sent to those with more training?
 
Deep Impact said:
Hey guys,

As the title says, if you have any questions for an active duty Navy dentist, please ask away. I'm not sure if I'm the best source for HPSP/HSCP related questions, but if you want to find out what it's like for a typical Navy dentist, I may have that answer for you. Many on the forum are potential HPSP/HSCP scholars or those already accepted who may want to find out more about what it really is like to be a Navy dentist. I may not have all the answers, but I will try my best to steer you in the right direction (It help that I work with about 30 Navy dentists). Other active duty guys, please help out and chime in. Thanks!

As for my background:
HPSP 3 yr scholar
Graduated dental school 2004
Navy GPR trained
OCONUS tour
Starting Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery residency
Click to expand...


Where was your OCONUS tour? Also if my first assignment out of D-school is with the Marines will the rest of my assignments be "green" or can one switch back and forth between green and blue tours? Is it true that carrier tours can be hard to get? Grats on your residency selection by the way!
 
Deep Impact said:
Hey guys,

As the title says, if you have any questions for an active duty Navy dentist, please ask away. I'm not sure if I'm the best source for HPSP/HSCP related questions, but if you want to find out what it's like for a typical Navy dentist, I may have that answer for you. Many on the forum are potential HPSP/HSCP scholars or those already accepted who may want to find out more about what it really is like to be a Navy dentist. I may not have all the answers, but I will try my best to steer you in the right direction (It help that I work with about 30 Navy dentists). Other active duty guys, please help out and chime in. Thanks!

As for my background:
HPSP 3 yr scholar
Graduated dental school 2004
Navy GPR trained
OCONUS tour
Starting Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery residency
Click to expand...

My wife is a practicing hygienist. From what you have seen is there much chance she could pick-up a contract to practice hygiene on the base where we are stationed? Overseas would there more or less chance of her getting a hygiene job on base from your experience? Lastly do you know how she would go about applying for such a position once we recieved orders? Thanks for your time.
 
Generally speaking do you think going the military route gives you a leg up if you were interested in specializing down the road?

EDIT: Meaning after you have gone to D-School, served your time and you want to specialize in say Oral Surgery or Ortho. Does having served in the miltary help in terms of getting into a school for residency?
 
Hey,
I realize that everything is very cicumstantial, but after one serves 3 or 4 years of active duty, what is it like serving inactive duty...will you be called out a lot? are the calls for weekends, or weeks at a time?
thanks
 
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1. When a ship is "in port" and you leave the ship to have some fun, does it charge against you 30-day leave time?

2. The Air Force HPSP recruiter said they "require you to apply for GPR or specialty, but don't require you to take it". Does the Navy do this as well?

3. What type of ship is considered to be the "best" to be assigned to? Carriers?
 
NAVY DDS 2010 said:
3. Which type pf ship is best? I cannot answer that. I have onl been on a carrier and ahve nothing to compare it to as far as what life as a dentist is like.
Click to expand...

My recruiter told me that dentists are only on carriers and amphibs. Has anyone ever been on an amphib? I want to go with the Marines when I go on operational tour.
 
Hey, any idea what percent of dentists get clinic stations that don't involve months on ship? I'm trying to decide what branch to go with, and the wife wouldn't be too pumped about me being gone months at a time at sea.

It seems like all 3 branches are not very willing to talk numbers as far as percent of people deployed, and for how long. Any information you could give would be very appreciated. Thanks!
 
I am applying for the Navy HPSP and am putting together everything for my kit. In the App for Commission there is a section for a Motivational Statement, which I am assuming is a personal statement much like the one we all wrote for dental school applications. Any advice? I am having trouble getting started. Is there someone that would be willing to PM me their essay? Thanks.
 
Would anyone happen to know the size of the Dental clinics at Bangor, Bremerton and Widby Island and how hard they are to get as a duty assingment? Thanks
 
O
jim85213 said:
I am applying for the Navy HPSP and am putting together everything for my kit. In the App for Commission there is a section for a Motivational Statement, which I am assuming is a personal statement much like the one we all wrote for dental school applications. Any advice? I am having trouble getting started. Is there someone that would be willing to PM me their essay? Thanks.
Click to expand...


I just had my AF interview after they complete your application and one thing that my interviewer said to me was that she was really impressed with the way that I brought in the military in my essay. She said she's in awe with the number of applicants that don't even mention the military in their future. So try to demonstrate concrete examples of why you would be a good candidate for the military. But honestly, if you're going for the Navy, you'll have absolutely zero problems obtaining the scholarship. they're desperately seeking candidates.
 
hi everybody...... can anyone help me ....... i am in the third year, dentistry what textbook can i used about the fixed prothetics.
thanx🙂
 
jim85213 said:
I am applying for the Navy HPSP and am putting together everything for my kit. In the App for Commission there is a section for a Motivational Statement, which I am assuming is a personal statement much like the one we all wrote for dental school applications. Any advice? I am having trouble getting started. Is there someone that would be willing to PM me their essay? Thanks.
Click to expand...

Hi there. Indeed you are correct, your motivational statement should detail your desire to enter dentistry and be a part of the Navy. You should mention your respect for the service, reasons for wanting to enter, and goals for the future...a lot like a personal statement. Don't get too worked up about this as the Navy really needs dentists so it shouldn't be a huge factor in your application. As long as you are doing this for the right reasons, you don't have anything to worry about.
 
Hi Doc,
I am currently a Second Class PO stationed in Oklahoma City, and am curious on any information you have concerning the Armed Forces Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP). I am in the aviation community, don't have many college credits, besides military and ERAU, but see this as a potential career option. I do have past experience in the medical field as a prosthetic technician.

V/R
 
I have a few questions.
What kind of bonus/benefits do they give you?
Do they pay for ALL of your dental school if you serve?
Whats the minimun amount of years you have to serve? 3-4?
How many days/week do you have to work if you serve part-time?
Can you choose from doing your residencie in the dental school or in the NAVY?

Thanks 😛
 
Through this program, ALL of the school tuition and school fees are paid. You must serve year for year, so it would be 4 for me. I would be on Inactive duty for the full 4 years, which would allow me to study and apply myself full time to school. I believe that I have to go to VA for 45 days a year which is paid at the 0-1 level. I would be allowed to do my residency where I choose.
My question is, how much of an opportunity is this? It seems to me, being able to get such a career without incurring any debt, and being able to be commissioned and retire with much more than my current rank, it seems like a no-brainer. However, I can't figure out why everyone isn't running for this program? Is there some HUGE catch I am Missing? Here is the actual program :

What is HPSP?
It is a program that will enable you to obtain a fully funded education in the field of Medicine,Dentistry, or Optometry all leading to a commission in the Navy. In addition, you will receive a monthly stipend of $1,319 (current as of July 2006) while enrolled in the program.
What are the financial benefits of this program?
100% of your tuition is paid.
Schools fees (minus housing and meals) are paid.
Full reimbursement for the required books and equipment
What does it take to qualify for this program?
Be accepted to or enrolled in an AMA or AOA school of medicine
Be accepted to or enrolled in an ADA school of dentistry
Be accepted to or enrolled in an accredited Optometry school
Be a U. S. citizen
Be physically qualified for commission as a Navy officer.
What will my obligation be if I am accepted into the program?
HPSP scholarship students must:
Serve 45 days of active duty in a Navy clerkship during each year in the program
Attend OIS prior to reporting to their first permanent duty station
Serve one year of active duty for each year of scholarship participation (time spent in internship or AEGD/GPR does not count toward your active duty obligation)

So, tell me what you think........
V/R
 
I've been out of dental school for almost 10 years, and I've done an AEGD and hold 2 state licenses. I'm 42, and I'm in private practice as a general dentist. I'm kind of bored with my current situation, and I'm really just asking out of curiosity, but I'm wondering if they would accept me. I have a couple of health problems and I take one medication. I am height/weight proportionate, but out of shape. I think I could get into shape, but would probably still need the med for my chronic, not life threatening condition.
 
Not sure about the specifics of your current situation but the Navy is really looking for a few (quite the understatement) good dentists. What did you do in private practice mostly? Did you like being a dentist? Just wondering...I am a second year dental student on the Navy HPSP scholarship.
 
I'll toss my hat into the ring as a boots-on-the ground source. I graduated in May 2007, spent June in Newport for OIS (which is now being called ODS, I think), started the AEGD at NDC, Norfolk in July. School was covered by a 3-year HPSP scholarship, but I was caught between the rule change that allowed a 1-year residency count as a payback year. That would be why Deep Impact mentioned that several of the AEGD/GPR programs have been put to sleep. Many people seem to want to put in their minumum time and get out, regardless of the aspect of being paid REALLY well while also being a resident. Thus far, my experience at the clinic has been way more positive than I expected. I'll follow this year with penciled in orders for 24-months to one of the carriers out of Norfolk, beginning in June 2008.

To address some of the recent questions:
-Payback is year for year, with a minumum of 3 years payback. That is to say, if you took a scholarship after your second year and the Navy paid for years 3 & 4, you would still owe 3 in payback. (12 months or so for a credentialing tour, followed by 24-month orders).
-There is no such thing as 'part-time' service. You either are a Navy dentist or you're not. Young LTs like myself are not even allowed to moonlight.
-There is a process for notifying the Navy (BUMED) of your desire to apply for training outside the service. You are able to apply and be accepted, but the Navy also has to release you for out-service training. Essentially, they would be giving up a general dentist immediately for a specialist in a few years. Depending on the specialty, they may or may not release you if you are accepted. Also, the Navy has its own post-grad school in Bethesda for every specialty (except ortho, that's in Texas ), so you may be able to serve your credentialing tour (or AEGD/GPR) and first deployable billet, then go for specialty school.
 
NAVY DDS 2010 said:
dheav,

Also, don't forget about maxillofacial prosthetics fellowship (prosthodontics sub-specialty) which is also at Lackland AFB in San Antonio along with the Ortho program as you mentioned.
Click to expand...

I just finished a one week clerkship in Bethesda and spent a couple of days with the prostho program. They have a one year maxillofacial pros fellowship in Bethesda, perhaps it is a recent change?
 
NAVY DDS 2010 said:
dheav,

you might want to reverify that LTs aren't allowed to moonlight. Two of my friends whom are dentists moonlighted when they were LTs. The Navy doesn't allow dentists who are in an educational status as you are in moonlight so that they will concentrate their efforts in their studies and not in off hour work. The rules may have changed over the past 7 years, but I know that LTs could moonlight in the past with command approval.

Also, don't forget about maxillofacial prosthetics fellowship (prosthodontics sub-specialty) which is also at Lackland AFB in San Antonio along with the Ortho program as you mentioned.
Click to expand...

it must have changed over the last few years as the size of the corps has decreased. i knew as a resident i wouldnt be able to moonlight, but the other LTs on board who have done their operational tours are also unable to step outside the clinic to practice. it may be a local command decision for non-resident LTs, though, as some of the officers (actually, just one LCDR endo guy i can think of off the top of my head) are able to moonlight.

i was unaware of the maxillofacial prosthetics program down at Lackland (mostly cause i dont know anything about the AF dental post-grad programs), but i do know Bethesda has a program because one of our prosth guys is headed there for another year of training. woot for making prosthetic noses and ears!
 
dheav005:
Norfolk is probably my top choice if I decide to stay CONUS and do an AEGD. Can you comment on the base, surrounding area for things to do and the housing market if you wouldn't mind? Thanks!
 
eric275 said:
dheav005:
Norfolk is probably my top choice if I decide to stay CONUS and do an AEGD. Can you comment on the base, surrounding area for things to do and the housing market if you wouldn't mind? Thanks!
Click to expand...

Ha! I'm guessing it didn't earn the affectionately titled "armpit of America" for nothing within the naval ranks of discussions of where you DON'T want to be stationed. I guess that goes for Groton, CT as well...😱
 
eric275 said:
dheav005:
Norfolk is probably my top choice if I decide to stay CONUS and do an AEGD. Can you comment on the base, surrounding area for things to do and the housing market if you wouldn't mind? Thanks!
Click to expand...

Actually, I kind of like the Hampton Roads area. I moved from Memphis, though, so darn near anything was an upgrade in some departments. And while you can easily avoid Groton by staying away from subs, not so easy to avoid the the country's largest naval installation...especially if you factor in all the surrounding naval bases aside from NOB, Norfolk (Oceana, Dam Neck, Little Creek, Newport News, Yorktown, NNSY, NMCP, etc)

The area around Norfolk is really just a bunch of contiguous cities. Norfolk runs into Virgina Beach runs into Chesapeake runs into Suffolk runs into Portsmouth runs into Hampton runs into Newport News which almost gets to Williamsburg. The only division is the bay with its bridges and tunnels...but, its quite a division.

As for the base itself, I really dont go on base much, as the dental clinic is just outside the gates. There is a HUGE NEX and commissary next door to the clinic, near the Applebees and movie theatre. Inside the gates there is several gyms, bowling alley, rec center kind of stuff, car care, a smaller NEX, a couple of food courts, O-club, even a very small golf course. Norfolk has some great restaurants downtown and in the Granby district, a really nice mall downtown, waterfront stuff. Virginia Beach and Chesapeake are full of restaurants, bars, golf courses, beachfront (both bay and ocean) in Norfolk and Va Beach. This is a really populated area if you factor in all the cities together, so there is no lack of things to do.

Housing in some places around here is grossly overpriced (at least I think so), but there is plenty of it available. There is a good variety of places though: neighborhoods, city life, suburbs, ex-urbs, lots of waterfront, condos, apartments, townhomes. Your commute to the base could be 10 minutes or it could be 45, depending on where you want to live. A lot of places tie rent prices to the prevailing BAH for their desired demographic. When my wife and I were looking at housing before even visiting here, websites like www.militarybyowner.com were really helpful in giving us an idea of what is available.
 
Does the Navy offer training in all dental specialties? If not, then does it at least support you going to a civilian residency for your training? I ask b/c I have heard that there is not much need/training for ortho or pedo in the military (Navy specifically?). Is this true? Is it true for any other specialties? If so, is the Navy not the right place for someone who wants to be an orthodontist or pediatric dentist? I am actually most interested in OMFS (which I know the Navy definitely has a need for) but should my interests change when I get to dental school it would be good to know about the Navy's need/support for the other specialties.
 
here's a link to NNMC Postgraduate Dental School http://www.bethesda.med.navy.mil/Careers/Postgraduate_Dental_School/... it should provide a nice overview of the specialty programs the Navy offers. there is some opportunity for out-service training, but it is very limited and allowed purely on the needs of the Navy.

you have to remember, our primary job is to provide dental care to active duty personnel, so that pretty much excludes kids and adolescent ortho. id have to check to be sure, but i think the Navy only has 8 active duty orthodontists. the CDR at Norfolk pretty much takes on only the toughest cases, provided the patient has certain pre-reqs. (non-smoker, 30+ months non-deployable shore duty, etc). likewise, not much use for peds CONUS. OCONUS is different, as the military provides dental care to dependants overseas, so there are more pediatric dentists OCONUS than CONUS.
 
I am currently serving Active Duty for the Navy at Monterey, Ca. I am in a six year contract to to be a linguist. I have a few years of college but not really any studies under biology/medical fields. From what I understand, there is a shortage of dentist in the USN reserve.(Was told this by a Capt. in the Reserve.) Would it be possible that the Navy would send me to finish my bachelors and complete dental school? I'd be willing to sign a long commitment if given this opportunity.
 
I have a question. After you served 4 years in military either deployment or at U.S base. Do they still make you to deploy? I mean like If you continue to serve for the military until you retired.
 
I have a couple of questions:

1. Did you feel well prepared or confident enough to open up a practice after serving in the military?

2. Are you exposed to a variety of cases and have access to the latest technology/instruments? Some dentists I know joked that you will be very proficient in doing extractions in the military and thats about it.

3. Do you have to use rubber dams all the time and must do certain procedures or protocols a certain way?

4. Are you required to do all your own dental lab work?

Thanks in advance 😀
 
Question:

What are the basic differences in Naval Dentistry in terms of being stationed with the Navy side of things vs. being stationed with the Marine side of things. I'm curious what the day to day life style would be like in one vs. the other and also what the perks/drawbacks are to either side for someone who has a family with little children. Thanks.
 
I'm currently in the HSCP program and I want to specialize in ortho. How do i find out if it's possible to defer my payback so i can specialize in ortho privately? Is it possible for the navy to tell me that i'm not allowed to specialize in ortho? Thanks
 
virginiabeach said:
I'm currently in the HSCP program and I want to specialize in ortho. How do i find out if it's possible to defer my payback so i can specialize in ortho privately? Is it possible for the navy to tell me that i'm not allowed to specialize in ortho? Thanks
Click to expand...


From what I understand, Needs of the Navy come first.
 
virginiabeach said:
I'm currently in the HSCP program and I want to specialize in ortho. How do i find out if it's possible to defer my payback so i can specialize in ortho privately? Is it possible for the navy to tell me that i'm not allowed to specialize in ortho? Thanks
Click to expand...

sometime in your third year of school, you should receive some information from NMETC regarding the process of informing the Navy of your intentions to apply for post-grad training. since i did not go through the process myself, i can only tell you what has been related to me. to wit, regardless of your acceptance in a civilian program, the Navy has to release you from your immediate active duty obligations for you to accept legally your spot in a civilian program.

i would email the good folks up at NMETC in Bethesda and ask for direction as to how that whole permission process works prior to going through the application cycle. keep in mind the need for ortho in the Navy is not huge by any means, since a vast majority of cases are more related to esthetics and less to functional improvements.

also, the Navy is much more likely to take someone currently on AD who has expressed interest in ortho and send them to ortho school (either in-service or out-service)...they are waaaay more likely to be making a career of it vs. the new dentist who got a deferment, went to ortho school and now has a mere 3 or 4 years to payback before striking out to the civilian world to make some real money.
 
I have a couple of questions:

1. Did you feel well prepared or confident enough to open up a practice after serving in the military?

still in my first year out of school...ask me in 3 more years.

2. Are you exposed to a variety of cases and have access to the latest technology/instruments? Some dentists I know joked that you will be very proficient in doing extractions in the military and thats about it.

at a big base like Norfolk, i have seen a huge variety in just a few months. (esp. with NATO HQ next door...foreign dentistry is sometimes HI-LARRY-US) we have a CEREC unit, use flexible retainer RPDs, microscopes for endo plus a variety of rotary instrumentation and obturation options, crown & bridge, i have two legit ortho cases going, multi-chair & expanded function assistants experience, implants, perio surgery, you name it...so am i proficient in surgery? you bet, especially with partial bony impactions done with only local. amalgams? also, yes, because a couple of fillings is all most folks need. but is that all ive done? heck no.

3. Do you have to use rubber dams all the time and must do certain procedures or protocols a certain way?

i understand the desire to put the RD away after dental school, but dont...it gets easier with an assistant and they make everything so much neater. obviously, endo must be done with proper isolation, but the long term success of direct restoratives is much greater with good moisture control. frankly, i like putting a bite block in and letting the patient relax while i work without worrying about cheeks, lips, tongues, saliva, etc. sorry, but i dont really understand the second part of the question...are you asking if we take shortcuts because we do 'free' dentistry on patients we may never see again? i hope that you are not.

4. Are you required to do all your own dental lab work?

no, we have a terrific lab just down the p-way from my operatory. you can pour up your own impressions if you are worried about alginate distortion and the lab has each doc trim their own dies so there are no questions about margins. other than that, you dont have to do much more lab work past surveying for RPDs. we have a mini-lab where we can do more if we want to, but nobody forces us to do so.

Thanks in advance 😀
Hope this helps...
 
Does anyone know if their are rumblings/rumors of the stipend for the HPSP going up again? I know a couple years ago it was roughly 1300 a month, it's currently 1600 a month and is scheduled to go up to 1900 a month this summer. Does anyone know if the stipend could go up again sometime over the next 4 years?
 
Smills91 said:
Does anyone know if their are rumblings/rumors of the stipend for the HPSP going up again? I know a couple years ago it was roughly 1300 a month, it's currently 1600 a month and is scheduled to go up to 1900 a month this summer. Does anyone know if the stipend could go up again sometime over the next 4 years?
Click to expand...

Not if "certain individuals" get elected. Sorry, couldn't help it. I haven't heard anything....not that I'm in the loop or anything.
 
NAVY DDS 2010 said:
I asked this of my recruiter today. He said that the funding for the HPSP stipend is written in such a way that it will increase at least a minimum of 3.5% per year. Luckily, it has increased by over 40% the last two year combined. I wouldn't expect raises like that.
Click to expand...


Interesting, so it gets 3.5% increase with the HPSP as well as the HSCP...
 
NAVY DDS 2010 said:
The HPSP increase is totally separate from the HSCP increase. The HSCP increase is what all active duty military members get at a particular rank and time in service when they give pay raises at the beginning of a calendar year. I have had as low as 2% and as high as 9% since I have been in. Plus, you get increases in BAH and BAS also when you have are in the HSCP program.

This year, the HSCP just happened to have a 3.5% increase in pay because that is what the military got. The HPSP is actually getting a 18-19% increase on JUL 1st which adds to the ~23% increase this last year for the stipend.
Click to expand...

So make sure I vote for McCain(lesser of the two evils) cuz he'll spend like a 'drunken sailor' on the military? 😉
 
If you receive an HPSP, what is the typical path to enter a specialty program, say endo or ortho (either via a civilian or military program). Do you serve your 4 years as a general and then go enter a program or possibly sooner? Also, how are you expected to also do the AEGD if you intend to eventually go into endo or ortho (given that you are a competitive candidate)? Finally, what are the issues for HPSP students specializing depending on whether career military vs. not?

I may not be framing my questions appropriately. In general, my question is ---what is the typical path(s) towards specializing if you get a Navy scholarship. Any direct or indirect answers are welcome!!
 
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