Ask any questions to a Navy Dentist!

[JamesNixon123]

So quick question guys I have been dealing with my recuiter since Dec 2009 about my HSPS scholarship. He has been takin his time with it.(lazy) But i was wondering if their are still scholarships left for the four yr. If so is it hard to get. He wants me to take some VIP trip but if seems like he up to somethin. I am thinkin that he has alot on his plate and is tryin to wait till the last min. Plus is the navy better than the army for dental. Please help some one

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[del Sol DOHC]

So quick question guys I have been dealing with my recuiter since Dec 2009 about my HSPS scholarship. He has been takin his time with it.(lazy) But i was wondering if their are still scholarships left for the four yr. If so is it hard to get. He wants me to take some VIP trip but if seems like he up to somethin. I am thinkin that he has alot on his plate and is tryin to wait till the last min. Plus is the navy better than the army for dental. Please help some one

The Navy is out of four year HPSP scholarships, but the Army still has some. They are both good. Go Navy if you want a better chance to see the world. Go Army if you want a better chance at being able to specialize.

 

[JamesNixon123]

Am still tryin to find out why I did get it. But am going to start an application with the Navy. But do u think that the army will change their mind and offer it to me. I have read through out the forum and hear some ppl was deined and later got it. Also should i replace my application to the army also.

 

[Tiankum]

The Navy is out of four year HPSP scholarships, but the Army still has some. They are both good. Go Navy if you want a better chance to see the world. Go Army if you want a better chance at being able to specialize.

I've been told that Army only has about 15 4-year HPSPs left and there are a good number of packets going to the April 13th boards...I'm kind of getting disheartened about the whole thing...I just have to keep reminding myself that I still got into dental school...so the hard part is over

Gotta laugh to keep from crying

 

[Tiankum]

I have a question about the 4 year HPSP...my recruiter told me about 3 weeks ago that I was professionally recommended for the 4 year scholarship, but since I'm lacking my most recent pap smear result, they are holding my application until they have received my medical documents. My recruiter made it sound like that since I was professionally recommended, they are going to hold a spot for me...does anyone know if this is true? I have to wait another 2-3 weeks to get my result back...so how is this going to impact my application? I'm really worried!

Navy ran out of funding for HPSP... if you haven't been selected already you don't have a spot

 

[baseballjunkie]

I have a question about the 4 year HPSP...my recruiter told me about 3 weeks ago that I was professionally recommended for the 4 year scholarship, but since I'm lacking my most recent pap smear result, they are holding my application until they have received my medical documents. My recruiter made it sound like that since I was professionally recommended, they are going to hold a spot for me...does anyone know if this is true? I have to wait another 2-3 weeks to get my result back...so how is this going to impact my application? I'm really worried!

Even if it is true that you wouldn't get accepted for this fiscal year, then you would be able to swear in 1 Oct 2010. This is the next fiscal year. Then what would happen is that the Navy would back pay for the first semester/quarter and your stipend would begin 1 Oct 2010.

 

[Ann998988]

Thank you so much for the information!!! I guess swearing in in October is not that bad...I would still get my sign on bonus...right?

I spoke with my recruiter again today...and he said that I have been selected for the scholarship, which means that they wouldn't take it and give it to someone else...but it's pending approval from the medical command (or something) and I cannot swear in/commission until I have all my documents in....i hope he means/knows what he's talking about :/

 

[Tiankum]

Thank you so much for the information!!! I guess swearing in in October is not that bad...I would still get my sign on bonus...right?

I spoke with my recruiter again today...and he said that I have been selected for the scholarship, which means that they wouldn't take it and give it to someone else...but it's pending approval from the medical command (or something) and I cannot swear in/commission until I have all my documents in....i hope he means/knows what he's talking about :/

I would go back and speficically ask if you were "recommended by the PRB or if you were "selected by the NRC...there's a big difference

 

[dentalmon]

I would go back and speficically ask if you were "recommended by the PRB or if you were "selected by the NRC...there's a big difference

yeaa. seriously. untill u get something in writing about your selection.. dont trust anything.

 

[mdterp724]

Thank you so much for the information!!! I guess swearing in in October is not that bad...I would still get my sign on bonus...right?

I just came back from a trip with a couple of recruiters in Atlanta. They said that if you swear in for 1 October then you will still get your sign on bonus of $20000 and they will back pay your tuition. Most schools will accept a letter from the Navy stating that your tuition will be paid on 1 October. The main difference of swearing in by 1 August versus 1 October is that you will lose two months of stipends.

Hope this helps.

 

[mdterp724]

So quick question guys I have been dealing with my recuiter since Dec 2009 about my HSPS scholarship. He has been takin his time with it.(lazy) But i was wondering if their are still scholarships left for the four yr. If so is it hard to get. He wants me to take some VIP trip but if seems like he up to somethin. I am thinkin that he has alot on his plate and is tryin to wait till the last min. Plus is the navy better than the army for dental. Please help some one

Have you taken your DAT and started applying for dental school? Have you been accepted? Many recruiters seem to only get interested once people take their DAT and are already accepted. If that recruiter is giving you the run around, you can try a different recruiter. It is frowned upon but hey this is your tuition that he is playing around with. You do not have to do the VIP to my knowledge but if you want to see what Navy dentistry is like, take the VIP trip.

I find that the main difference between Navy and Army and Air Force is the possible deployments. My Air Force deployed for 4 months. Navy deployed for 6 months and my Army friends deployed for 12 months. I am not sure if that is they way now but that was as of last year.

The Navy has bases near the water so if you rather be stationed in San Diego, Bremerton, Virginia Beach, Jacksonville, Key West, Okinawa (Japan), Naples (Italy) then try the Navy. Also, with the Navy, you can be attached to either a Ship, Land base, or with the Marines.

If you want to try the Army or Air Force, most of their bases are more inland. It is the same scholarship for all three branches.

Hope this helps

 

[mdterp724]

So, how difficult is it for someone to be selected for the 2 yr Comprehensive Dentistry Residency right out of dental school? What kind of assignments will a comprehensive dentist be likely to fill? Also, Is it possible to apply to a residency program at an Army or Air Force facility?

For summer 2010, only one person came directly from dental school to go to comprehensive dentistry. He was top 2% in his class. I think going to any residency will add more pay back years meaning you will now owe 6 years if you took the HPSP scholarship or the direct accession bonus ($150000)

 

[mdterp724]

No clue man... but I was just notified today by LT Rhodes from NRC that I'm on the alternate list and I was moved up to #7 today...

Did you ask your recruiter if you do not get picked up for this year if you would be bumped into next fiscal year (which starts 1 October 2010). If that is so then you will only lose two months of stipends but everything else will be paid for. Save those receipts and submit all claims that involve your dental education like lab coats, scrubs, instruments, licensing exam fees, etc.

 

[Tiankum]

For summer 2010, only one person came directly from dental school to go to comprehensive dentistry. He was top 2% in his class. I think going to any residency will add more pay back years meaning you will now owe 6 years if you took the HPSP scholarship or the direct accession bonus ($150000)

the two year comp residency does not add on additional "payback" time..it just doesn't count toward your 4 year "payback" for taking the accession bonus.

 

[del Sol DOHC]

the two year comp residency does not add on additional "payback" time..it just doesn't count toward your 4 year "payback" for taking the accession bonus.

Technically, a residency does incur an additional obligation; it is just paid concurrently with any other obligation, so it gets counted down at the same time. You serve your original obligation or the residency obligation, whichever is longer. If you owed 1 year left on your original obligation and then did a 3 year residency, you would owe 3 years upon its completion. Most residencies incur a 1:1 obligation, except for ortho, OMFS, and maybe one other specialty.

 

[mdterp724]

Technically, a residency does incur an additional obligation; it is just paid concurrently with any other obligation, so it gets counted down at the same time. You serve your original obligation or the residency obligation, whichever is longer. If you owed 1 year left on your original obligation and then did a 3 year residency, you would owe 3 years upon its completion. Most residencies incur a 1:1 obligation, except for ortho, OMFS, and maybe one other specialty.

I do not know how long residencies will be concurrent payback. One of my captains is talking about the Navy possibly talking of consecutive payback for residencies. So before you try to apply make sure you verify the payback period if it is concurrent or consecutive. Concurrent means that as you pay back HPSP, you can pay back for the residency whichever one is longer.

Consecutive means that you will tack on additional years of payback.

 

[del Sol DOHC]

One of my captains is talking about the Navy possibly talking of consecutive payback for residencies.

I really hope that will not happen... I imagine that will probably hurt recruiting/retention.

 

[Jack Worthing]

Your first year out of school will be a credentialing tour or an AEGD if you opted for one. So in that sense you should be "safe" your first year. After that, its really hard to say where you will be stationed, but these days you can usually count on some sort of an operational tour that second year (ship, or assigned to a Marine unit). With either of those options you will be able to live with your family but will be seperated from them if/when you deploy. Most deployments to the Mideast occur when you are assigned to a stateside clinic and depoly as an IA (individual augmentee) for 6-9 months. These may be the voluntary deployments he's talking about. It is true that a command may call for volunteers to go on a deployment when the requirement comes up but if no one volunteers someone will be voluntold that they are going. If you are told you have to deploy you can't say "no thanks, I'd rather not" so that part is b.s. . The only way out is if the requirement gets cancelled (happens sometimes) or if you have some health issue that makes you unqualified.

If you want a real-life example - just look at what happened to that Army psychiatrist in Fort Hood. He wanted to back out of a deployment to the Desert and the Army wouldn't let him back out that easy. He was trying to go for a "Conscientious Objector" status...

I had seven friends from my hospital get tapped to go to Haiti in the past 3 months. Only 1 or 2 of them actually went, one to a ground treatment facility and one on the USNS Mercy. The rest got cancelled. I've seen 2 or 3 people I know go to Iraq or Afghanistan. Most of these people have felt honored for the opportunity. Once in a lifetime opportunity.

 

[Jack Worthing]

1)In my experience you can call military dentists and physicians either by their rank or Dr. Some you can call them by their first name.

2) I always go by the old rank until they put the new one on which could take a year or so. CAPT(select) is not an official rank.

Good question. From a military etiquette handbook:

Officers of the Medical or Dental Corps, and officers of the Medical Service Corps having a doctoral degree, may be addressed as "doctor." Likewise, an officer of the Chaplain Corps may be addressed as "chaplain." However, if a doctor or chaplain prefers to be addressed by the title of his or her grade, such preference should be honored. When you are addressing an officer whose grade includes a modifier (for example, lieutenant commander), the modifier (lieutenant) may be dropped. As a general rule, use the officer's title and name. It is better to say, "Yes, Ensign Smith"; "No, Doctor Brown"; or "Yes, Lieutenant Jones"; than to say, "Yes, sir" or "No, ma'am." However, in prolonged conversation where repetition would seem forced or awkward, the shorter "sir" or "ma'am" is used more often.

 

[L1L2]

Baseballjunkie is correct, the Navy fiscal year begins on October 1st, so you can complete the paperwork from your recruiter and be commissioned sometime around October 1st when next years goals become active.Here is link with some more info about Navy Dentistry:http://www.navy.com/healthcare/dentists/

 

[Smills91]

I really hope that will not happen... I imagine that will probably hurt recruiting/retention.

That would likely KILL recruiting and retention, especially if the other 2 branches still have concurrent years.

 

[JamesNixon123]

Well i took the DAT and got into dental school. that is why I don't understand why he would do that. But I should have went with the army. But quick question these situation happen to my friend. She sent her application to the air force and didn't get accepted but they appealed it. How long will it take to know the results and what r the chances of her getting the appeal over turn. And I did know her stats.

 

[JamesNixon123]

Have you taken your DAT and started applying for dental school? Have you been accepted? Many recruiters seem to only get interested once people take their DAT and are already accepted. If that recruiter is giving you the run around, you can try a different recruiter. It is frowned upon but hey this is your tuition that he is playing around with. You do not have to do the VIP to my knowledge but if you want to see what Navy dentistry is like, take the VIP trip.

I find that the main difference between Navy and Army and Air Force is the possible deployments. My Air Force deployed for 4 months. Navy deployed for 6 months and my Army friends deployed for 12 months. I am not sure if that is they way now but that was as of last year.

The Navy has bases near the water so if you rather be stationed in San Diego, Bremerton, Virginia Beach, Jacksonville, Key West, Okinawa
(Japan), Naples (Italy) then try the Navy. Also, with the Navy, you can be attached to either a Ship, Land base, or with the Marines.

If you want to try the Army or Air Force, most of their bases are more inland. It is the same scholarship for all three branches.

Hope this helps

Well i took the DAT and got into dental school. that is why I don't understand why he would do that. But I should have went with the army. But quick question these situation happen to my friend. She sent her application to the air force and didn't get accepted but they appealed it. How long will it take to know the results and what r the chances of her getting the appeal over turn. And I did know her stats.

 

[mdterp724]

Well i took the DAT and got into dental school. that is why I don't understand why he would do that. But I should have went with the army. But quick question these situation happen to my friend. She sent her application to the air force and didn't get accepted but they appealed it. How long will it take to know the results and what r the chances of her getting the appeal over turn. And I did know her stats.

I do not know about how long it takes to over turn. Does your friend want the army or navy? Maybe she can try then? The only thing that I can think is that your recruiter knew that all the HPSP scholarships are gone for this year. If you do apply, it will be for FY 11 which starts this October 1st. You get your freshman year tuition still paid for, you just lose two months of stipend (august and september). If you still unhappy with him, maybe try a new recruiter from a different area of the country (another state).

 

[mdterp724]

That would likely KILL recruiting and retention, especially if the other 2 branches still have concurrent years.

Usually the Navy will not change anything without the air force and army changing the requirement as well. Remember, the military is trying to get people to stay in as long as possible.

Again in the residencies from last year at Bethesda at most only 1 person came directly from dental school. These dental students graduated in the top 2% of their class. A person with a lower GPA but is in their 4th year of their commitment is more likely to get into residency with a slightly higher GPA in their 4th year of dental school.

My buddy got accepted to a Civilian Oral Surgery school and he got the Navy to delay his pay back until AFTER oral surgery school. So he only owed 4 years. (He took out some loans for Oral Surgery school to cover for extraneous expenses). That is a step that you can try to do IF the military are requiring consecutive pay back.

Recruitment has been steady mostly due to the current recession but once the recession is over, retention might be hard again unless they start increasing dramatically the bonuses to keep people already in the military to stay in the military.

Since I have been in the Navy, they already have raised the retention bonus by 2x-3x.

 

[JamesNixon123]

I do not know about how long it takes to over turn. Does your friend want the army or navy? Maybe she can try then? The only thing that I can think is that your recruiter knew that all the HPSP scholarships are gone for this year. If you do apply, it will be for FY 11 which starts this October 1st. You get your freshman year tuition still paid for, you just lose two months of stipend (august and september). If you still unhappy with him, maybe try a new recruiter from a different area of the country (another state).

So for the Navy i can still apply for the May boards and get put on for the FY 11 and recieve the stipend for October but will I know the answer after the boards. Plus my friend did the army and they rejected her but they appealed it. They said that it was MD over the selection and not Dentists. But I don't know will she get it. But am prayin to get into the May date

 

[mdterp724]

So for the Navy i can still apply for the May boards and get put on for the FY 11 and recieve the stipend for October but will I know the answer after the boards. Plus my friend did the army and they rejected her but they appealed it. They said that it was MD over the selection and not Dentists. But I don't know will she get it. But am prayin to get into the May date

According to the recruiters in Atlanta, they said that if you took the DAT already and got accepted already into a dental school, you stand a great chance of getting the HPSP scholarship starting October 2010. Those scholarships are not full yet. I do not about the army or anything about appeals sorry. When you are talking boards, are you a dental resident already?

 

[del Sol DOHC]

So, if someone is not selected for the Comprehensive Dentistry Residency right out of dental school, are they automatically considered for a 1 year AEGD?

 

[Smills91]

So, if someone is not selected for the Comprehensive Dentistry Residency right out of dental school, are they automatically considered for a 1 year AEGD?

I believe everyone applies for the 1 year AEGD or GPR, at which point, you can then accept or reject it.

 

[mdterp724]

So, if someone is not selected for the Comprehensive Dentistry Residency right out of dental school, are they automatically considered for a 1 year AEGD?

I am not sure about what is currently happening with the one year AEGD. Six years ago, I never actually applied to the one year AEGD, I just talked to my detailer and requested to do the AEGD.

Remember the one year AEGD is a neutral year and does not count towards payback. If you only want to do 4 years payback, you should choose to do a credentialing tour where you will be send to various specialty areas to get credentialed. This is not an AEGD but does count as one year of pay back.

 

[mdterp724]

I really hope that will not happen... I imagine that will probably hurt recruiting/retention.

I just found out that if you are planning to apply for residency and you are an HPSP scholar, you should apply in your junior year of dental school.

IF accepted by in-service, those years are neutral years and do not count as pay back. Your payback begins once you graduate and is concurrent payback for your residency. So if you do a two year residency out of dental school and it is run by the Navy (in Bethesda). You will end up doing six years active.

Year 1 Residency
Year 2 Residency
Year 3 Payback for Residency and HPSP
Year 4 Payback for Residency and HPSP
Year 5 Payback for HPSP
Year 6 Payback for HPSP


Now if you want to go straight to a two year residency, payback is consecutive so you end up doing eight years active.

Say you do a two year residency at Texas

Year 1 Residency in Texas (civilian)
Year 2 Residency in Texas (civilian)
Year 3 Payback for HPSP
Year 4 Payback for HPSP
Year 5 Payback for HPSP
Year 6 Payback for HPSP
Year 7 Payback for Residency
Year 8 Payback for Residency

I ask my recruiter and they think that the air force does enforce the same payback requirements so ASK your detailers BEFORE once wants to apply for residency to inquire of how many totals years of active duty is expected if one does a residency.

Good Luck

 

[Smills91]

I am not sure about what is currently happening with the one year AEGD. Six years ago, I never actually applied to the one year AEGD, I just talked to my detailer and requested to do the AEGD.

Remember the one year AEGD is a neutral year and does not count towards payback. If you only want to do 4 years payback, you should choose to do a credentialing tour where you will be send to various specialty areas to get credentialed. This is not an AEGD but does count as one year of pay back.

How does a credentialing tour differ from an AEGD on a day-to-day basis?

 

[xhamburgersamx]

I just found out that if you are planning to apply for residency and you are an HPSP scholar, you should apply in your junior year of dental school.

IF accepted by in-service, those years are neutral years and do not count as pay back. Your payback begins once you graduate and is concurrent payback for your residency. So if you do a two year residency out of dental school and it is run by the Navy (in Bethesda). You will end up doing six years active.

Year 1 Residency
Year 2 Residency
Year 3 Payback for Residency and HPSP
Year 4 Payback for Residency and HPSP
Year 5 Payback for HPSP
Year 6 Payback for HPSP


Now if you want to go straight to a two year residency, payback is consecutive so you end up doing eight years active.

Say you do a two year residency at Texas

Year 1 Residency in Texas (civilian)
Year 2 Residency in Texas (civilian)
Year 3 Payback for HPSP
Year 4 Payback for HPSP
Year 5 Payback for HPSP
Year 6 Payback for HPSP
Year 7 Payback for Residency
Year 8 Payback for Residency

I ask my recruiter and they think that the air force does enforce the same payback requirements so ASK your detailers BEFORE once wants to apply for residency to inquire of how many totals years of active duty is expected if one does a residency.

Good Luck

It'll probably be very rare for someone to do a civilian residency prior to doing their payback. It's just not worth it lol

 

[mdterp724]

How does a credentialing tour differ from an AEGD on a day-to-day basis?

Credentialing tour involves no classwork or research papers. You also do not get a certificate at the end. With credentialing, you get rotated into all specialties to get permission to do certain dental procedures. You will work under a prosthodontist for one month to get permission to do crown and bridge. You will work under an endodontist to get permission to do root canals.

An AEGD involves classroom work and is more intensive. Getting an AEGD certificate may help with promotions later on vice no residency.

AEGD work in a clinic setting while GPR work in a hospital setting

 

[dentalmon]

for those who got accepted to hpsp......... are we all getting commissioned on Sept 1st or later??..

 

[benitz2]

Does anyone know how many HPSP students got into the Navy OMFS program straight out of school last year??? Info would be much appreciated.

 

[Nat426]

I am a little ignorant on how things work in the Navy as a dentist. I have been searching the forum, and i'll keep doing do, but i was wondering how things work for dentists regarding time. After graduation when you start work as a dentist, do you get assigned to a ship? If so, how long do you spend on the ship at a time? Are the deployments mentioned here the same as being deployed on a ship, or is this referring to being sent to a war zone? Do you spend 2 yrs of your time on a ship and 2 years on land? Just trying to sort out some of this. Thanks for your help.

 

[mdterp724]

I am a little ignorant on how things work in the Navy as a dentist. I have been searching the forum, and i'll keep doing do, but i was wondering how things work for dentists regarding time. After graduation when you start work as a dentist, do you get assigned to a ship? If so, how long do you spend on the ship at a time? Are the deployments mentioned here the same as being deployed on a ship, or is this referring to being sent to a war zone? Do you spend 2 yrs of your time on a ship and 2 years on land? Just trying to sort out some of this. Thanks for your help.

You will graduate and you can choose to do 1 year AEGD or 1 year GPR. Those years are called neutral years meaning they do not count towards payback. Now if you rather go straight to active duty. They usually send you to big clinic (San Diego, Norfolk, Okinawa, etc) to get credentialed meaning you will work under an experienced dentist who will oversee your dental work and clear you to work on patients on your own.

After this first year, you will usually take 2 years orders to either a ship
or with the Marines. Both are considered operational meaning you will deploy to the Persian Gulf sometime during those two years.

If you choose ship, you will only work on the ship and go home if the ship is docked in the US. Normal hours on a ship is 7-4pm. The ship usually goes to the Persian Gulf about once every 2-3 years or so where you have no choice but to live on the ship while it is on its way to the Persian Gulf.
During the rest of the time, you will probably go out to sea with the ship at around one week out of the month.

The main advantage of a ship is that if the ship goes to sea, they may make a port call where it will visit a port city such as the Florida Keys, New York, San Diego. If you are on an EAST COAST SHIP and you are heading or already in the Persian Gulf, you ship will go to Bahrain, Malta, Barcelona, Naples, Athens, Dubai. WEST COAST ships may make port calls to Honolulu, Sydney, Hong Kong, Bangkok.

You will be more away from your home but if you are single and you like to see different countries and cities then ship life might be for you. It is no luxury liner so be prepared to share a room with up to 7 other people with 4 sets of bunk beds.

You can choose to go be stationed with the Marines. This is basically a 7-4pm job where 75% of the time you will be on shore duty. The only time that you may leave your home is when the Marines get activated to go to the Persian Gulf area which is usually 7 months. With the Marines, you will most likely end up in the combat zone on land with them but most of the other time you are basically on shore.

The other choice is overseas. If you would like to work in Japan, you will be stationed there for 3 years if you want to move your family with you or 2 years unaccompanied meaning you move by yourself. You can also be on a ship and with the Marines as well in Japan.

You can try to get other countries like England, Iceland, Spain, Italy, Guam but they may be harder to get due to seniority.

After your 2-3 year operational tour, you will then negotiate to go back the US on a shore duty tour which can last 3 years BUT if you only owe one more year to the Navy, you should just extend at your last command.
ALL change of duty stations require usually a two year commitment.

So a sample duty tour, if you want to do an AEGD and owe 4 years for HPSP, the first year does not count towards payback.

Year 1 AEGD
Year 2 Ship
Year 3 Ship
Year 4 Norfolk
Year 5 Norfolk


If you want to only do 4 years, you would do this
Year 1 Norfolk for credentialing
Year 2 Marines
Year 3 Marines
Year 4 Marines (Extend by one year)

So remember do not take change of duty orders to a new command if you only owe one more year left to the Navy, just extend at your last command unless you are happy and want to stay an extra year.

You do have some negotiation powers. You will fill out a dream sheet to a detailer and you will list your top three choices. The detailer will then based on the needs of the Navy will call you to decide where to send you.

 

[mdterp724]

Does anyone know how many HPSP students got into the Navy OMFS program straight out of school last year??? Info would be much appreciated.

I am not exactly sure but it is low 1-2. If you have great grades then apply in your junior year for OMFS.

Remember, if you get accepted into the Navy's OMFS program and you are an HPSP student, you will do minimum 8 years active duty with the Navy

Year 1-4 OMFS at Bethesda
Year 5-8 Payback, you negotiate your duty station

If you plan to stay in pass those intial 8 years you will be eligible for lots of bonuses

ASP $12000 or $15000 (for over 10 years of service)
VSP $7000 or $10000 (for over 10 years of service)
Multiyear Retention $50000 per year for a 4 year contract
Board Pay
ISP

These bonuses will change soon but as an OMFS, you can get over $100,000 in annual bonuses.



Starting pay for new HPSP graduates
$3500 base pay
$200 food allowance
$1100-$2700 housing allowance depending on duty station
VSP $3000 per year payable at $250 per month
ASP $10000

Your base pay will increase every 2 years or so

Congress sometimes will approve an across the board raise. We have gotten a raise from Congress every year for the past 10 years but those raises are not guaranteed.

BAH and BAS (food) will increase from time to time due to cost of living adjustment

General Dentist coming from HPSP can be expected to get around $70,000-$85,000 depending on duty station. BAH is higher in the most expensive to live areas in the country. DC has higher BAH than Norfolk or Camp Lejeune.

 

[Smills91]

Credentialing tour involves no classwork or research papers. You also do not get a certificate at the end. With credentialing, you get rotated into all specialties to get permission to do certain dental procedures. You will work under a prosthodontist for one month to get permission to do crown and bridge. You will work under an endodontist to get permission to do root canals.

An AEGD involves classroom work and is more intensive. Getting an AEGD certificate may help with promotions later on vice no residency.

AEGD work in a clinic setting while GPR work in a hospital setting

when you say more intensive, what do you mean? Like how does it effect you on a daily basis? I understand your on-call at times, but I would think a credentialing tour would require the same thing.

After you do an AEGD are you given more free reign to do procedures during your payback years? Or does the credentialing tour get you up to snuff for Navy standards.

As far as classwork goes how would it compare to the classwork in dental school?

Is the credentialing tour very similar to clinics in dental school in that you have to get most things approved/checked off at critical points of a particular procedure?

Are there any other benefits to doing an AEGD in the military other than promotions/residency for those that plan to do there commitment and get out other than added training.

Thanks for the 411.

 

[Smills91]

You will graduate and you can choose to do 1 year AEGD or 1 year GPR. Those years are called neutral years meaning they do not count towards payback. Now if you rather go straight to active duty. They usually send you to big clinic (San Diego, Norfolk, Okinawa, etc) to get credentialed meaning you will work under an experienced dentist who will oversee your dental work and clear you to work on patients on your own.

After this first year, you will usually take 2 years orders to either a ship
or with the Marines. Both are considered operational meaning you will deploy to the Persian Gulf sometime during those two years.

If you choose ship, you will only work on the ship and go home if the ship is docked in the US. Normal hours on a ship is 7-4pm. The ship usually goes to the Persian Gulf about once every 2-3 years or so where you have no choice but to live on the ship while it is on its way to the Persian Gulf.
During the rest of the time, you will probably go out to sea with the ship at around one week out of the month.

The main advantage of a ship is that if the ship goes to sea, they may make a port call where it will visit a port city such as the Florida Keys, New York, San Diego. If you are on an EAST COAST SHIP and you are heading or already in the Persian Gulf, you ship will go to Bahrain, Malta, Barcelona, Naples, Athens, Dubai. WEST COAST ships may make port calls to Honolulu, Sydney, Hong Kong, Bangkok.

You will be more away from your home but if you are single and you like to see different countries and cities then ship life might be for you. It is no luxury liner so be prepared to share a room with up to 7 other people with 4 sets of bunk beds.

You can choose to go be stationed with the Marines. This is basically a 7-4pm job where 75% of the time you will be on shore duty. The only time that you may leave your home is when the Marines get activated to go to the Persian Gulf area which is usually 7 months. With the Marines, you will most likely end up in the combat zone on land with them but most of the other time you are basically on shore.

The other choice is overseas. If you would like to work in Japan, you will be stationed there for 3 years if you want to move your family with you or 2 years unaccompanied meaning you move by yourself. You can also be on a ship and with the Marines as well in Japan.

You can try to get other countries like England, Iceland, Spain, Italy, Guam but they may be harder to get due to seniority.

After your 2-3 year operational tour, you will then negotiate to go back the US on a shore duty tour which can last 3 years BUT if you only owe one more year to the Navy, you should just extend at your last command.
ALL change of duty stations require usually a two year commitment.

So a sample duty tour, if you want to do an AEGD and owe 4 years for HPSP, the first year does not count towards payback.

Year 1 AEGD
Year 2 Ship
Year 3 Ship
Year 4 Norfolk
Year 5 Norfolk


If you want to only do 4 years, you would do this
Year 1 Norfolk for credentialing
Year 2 Marines
Year 3 Marines
Year 4 Marines (Extend by one year)

So remember do not take change of duty orders to a new command if you only owe one more year left to the Navy, just extend at your last command unless you are happy and want to stay an extra year.

You do have some negotiation powers. You will fill out a dream sheet to a detailer and you will list your top three choices. The detailer will then based on the needs of the Navy will call you to decide where to send you.

Great post here, you answered a lot of my questions from above. I didn't see this post until after i had posted that. THanks!

 

[Smills91]

I am not exactly sure but it is low 1-2. If you have great grades then apply in your junior year for OMFS.

Remember, if you get accepted into the Navy's OMFS program and you are an HPSP student, you will do minimum 8 years active duty with the Navy

Year 1-4 OMFS at Bethesda
Year 5-8 Payback, you negotiate your duty station

If you plan to stay in pass those intial 8 years you will be eligible for lots of bonuses

ASP $12000 or $15000 (for over 10 years of service)
VSP $7000 or $10000 (for over 10 years of service)
Multiyear Retention $50000 per year for a 4 year contract
Board Pay
ISP

These bonuses will change soon but as an OMFS, you can get over $100,000 in annual bonuses.



Starting pay for new HPSP graduates
$3500 base pay
$200 food allowance
$1100-$2700 housing allowance depending on duty station
VSP $3000 per year payable at $250 per month
ASP $10000

Your base pay will increase every 2 years or so

Congress sometimes will approve an across the board raise. We have gotten a raise from Congress every year for the past 10 years but those raises are not guaranteed.

BAH and BAS (food) will increase from time to time due to cost of living adjustment

General Dentist coming from HPSP can be expected to get around $70,000-$85,000 depending on duty station. BAH is higher in the most expensive to live areas in the country. DC has higher BAH than Norfolk or Camp Lejeune.

Lol. The times' they are a'changin....

 

[grmaster1]

Lol. The times' they are a'changin....

A very good post above, mdterp724, just some "minor" corrections:

England is closed for the Navy dentistry
Iceland is closed for the Navy dentistry
Spain will likely be closed for the Navy dentistry soon

You can always try for "joint service" at these locations but not as a first timer.

There are changes, which limit your chances of being stationed overseas.

Deployments with the Marines out of Japan (Okinawa) are usually short-term to Asian countries or, if you volunteer, to Afghanistan.

 

[JamesNixon123]

.

 

[mdterp724]

when you say more intensive, what do you mean? Like how does it effect you on a daily basis? I understand your on-call at times, but I would think a credentialing tour would require the same thing.

After you do an AEGD are you given more free reign to do procedures during your payback years? Or does the credentialing tour get you up to snuff for Navy standards.

As far as classwork goes how would it compare to the classwork in dental school?

Is the credentialing tour very similar to clinics in dental school in that you have to get most things approved/checked off at critical points of a particular procedure?

Are there any other benefits to doing an AEGD in the military other than promotions/residency for those that plan to do there commitment and get out other than added training.

Thanks for the 411.

Credentialing tour is like a clerkship. The Navy just wants to make sure that you are competent before they allow you to do dental procedures. After an AEGD, you would also be given free reign to do what
you want (provided you have the credentials for it).

A general dentist through their credentialing tour or AEGD can usually do single crowns, 3-4 unit bridges, endo, simple extractions, minor impacted 3rds extractions, dental exams


A general dentist can only restore implants if they have worked under a dentist who already can restore implants.

As far as crown lengthening, a general dentist needs to have worked under a periodontist for the credentially.

No general dentist to my knowledge, can place implants unsupervised. Usually the Oral Surgeon or Periodontist places the implants.

AEGD involves more classwork, involving tests, lectures, papers, etc. AEGD is basically dental school again. There is usually no check-offs for operative preps, they just check on the final restoration step and after they are satified, they just sign you off. Crowns involve a prep check and final impression check. They do not check temps. Endo, depends on the instructor. Most just look at the final x-ray. Oral Surgery tends to give you more free reign and only come if you need help. Oral Surgeons will TELL SHOW DO. They will tell you how to deal with impacted wisdom teeth, then show you, and then you do it yourself with them assisting.

Credentialing to my knowledge, does not involve classwork, test, lectures, etc. Credentialing is more like doing an apprenticeship or clerkship instead of dental school.

You might be able to get most of your credentially done in a few months on a credentialing tour while an AEGD might take up to a year to rotate through all the specialties.

 

[JamesNixon123]

So I did my interviews for the HPSP this weekend and all my paperwork should be done. Does the Navy have something call boards to see who gets the scholarship if so when is the next one and the dealine for it. I know that their are no more scholarships for this fiscal yr but could I still get accpeted and get the scholarship this October. I don't really know how the Navy does things but does the interview determine alot when gettin the scholarship.

 

[Tiankum]

Even if it is true that you wouldn't get accepted for this fiscal year, then you would be able to swear in 1 Oct 2010. This is the next fiscal year. Then what would happen is that the Navy would back pay for the first semester/quarter and your stipend would begin 1 Oct 2010.

Can anyone in Navy admin or someone who is already a Navy Dental Corps Officer verify this? (being accepted as soon as next fiscal year hits and then swearing in...)

 

[grmaster1]

Can anyone in Navy admin or someone who is already a Navy Dental Corps Officer verify this? (being accepted as soon as next fiscal year hits and then swearing in...)

Shoot a question to CAPT Rinaudo, he's on Facebook I believe, and should be of some help in finding the correct, not hearsay, answer...

 

[L1L2]

CAPT Rinaudo is on Facebook. You can ask him questions on the US Navy Healthcare page (http://www.facebook.com/NavyHealthcare). Check out the discussion tab and click on the ‘Ask a Navy Dentist’ topic.

 

[Smills91]

Can anyone in Navy admin or someone who is already a Navy Dental Corps Officer verify this? (being accepted as soon as next fiscal year hits and then swearing in...)

This is correct information. You'll get the semester/fees all paid for in that semester that you swear in, but your stipend won't start until Oct. 1st or the day that you swear in if it's later than that.