Confused between GPR and AEGD. Questions

[Frederico Albin]

Hi, guys.

I need an answer for this question ive had for awhile. I want to become a general dentist. I know what I need to do in order to get to dental school but these residencie programs are making me really confused.
I know that both of these programs give you hands on experience and extensive training on general dentistry, but the general practice residency seems to put a little more into their program. (I guess in the GPR you learn a little bit of everything, correct me if I'm wrong). Both of them are really good programs from what I heard.
Even after reading so much information about these two programs I'm still confused with which one would be better if you're just trying to become a general dentist. I know that it also depends on the persons interest, but I'm just asking which one would give better knowledge, and which would better help a person not specializing.
Another question I have is that I have looked at some GPR websites and I saw that they pay for your work/housing among other benefits, so the question is, whether to choose from GPR or AEGD. I think most GPR programs last for about 2 years and AEGD last for 1 year... so the question still remains... which one would better aid a person that just wants to become a general dentist?

I know that I seem lost, but thats how people stand until someone comes and explains things to them, so please help me hahahaha

Thanks guys
Fred

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[NileBDS]

Let me say this for everyone else; you're getting waaay ahead of yourself. Just make it to dental school first. As you develop your skills, you may or may not come to realize the discrepancies in your dental school training and where you actually want to be as a practitioner. Only then will you know which program/field/specialty/residency/... is good for you.

Just as a heads up, they are both pretty similar. In brief, AEGD's are usually geared more towards complex dentistry, whereas GPR's are more about dentistry in a hospital setting (medically compromised patients). And yes, GPR's typically have higher stipends.

 

[Frederico Albin]

You're right, I might be a little ahead, but thats just a few questions that I had, just wanted to know the difference between these two programs... Thanks for the answer anyway

 

[pietrodds]

Do a VA hospital residency and you get the best of both worlds...

you get the highest pay of all post-grad programs with the ability to do extensive dentistry from endo to implants and larger pros cases that neither AEGD or other non-VA hospital residents get to touch.

 

[Wayne Coronado]

Do a VA hospital residency and you get the best of both worlds...

you get the highest pay of all post-grad programs with the ability to do extensive dentistry from endo to implants and larger pros cases that neither AEGD or other non-VA hospital residents get to touch.

VA would seem to be the logical choice as their patients (with their unbeatable dental benefits) can get the cadillac treatment plans which would be sweet to treat . At least this is the case from what I have seen.

 

[Sparty300]

AEGD is more clinical dentistry for dentally complex patients
GPR is hospital based dentistry for medically complex patients.

They both have their pros and cons. AEGD has better hours (no on call), but pay is about 10K less than the GPR's.

 

[crane820]

Don't worry about NileBDS's comment.
Nile is correct that yous should not be worried or preoccupied at this point with post-dental school plans, but having in mind future goals is VERY important. The fact that you're already considering what you may want to do, specifically, in a dental career will help you in selecting a school, in networking, in weighing options with regard to timing and financing, etc. etc.

 

[VCUDDS]

I think Nile is right to say that it's still too early to decide this specifically about what you want to do post-grad. But it's also important to know what either programs would offer in terms of clinical experience.

I did a 2 yrs GPR so im no expert in AEGD, I've had classmates that did AEGD and when we compared what we did it seems very similiar in terms the general dentistry aspect with few exceptions, again each program will offer you slightly different exposure based on patient pool, program set up and independence to do things, faculty and ofcourse your willingness to be aggressive vs. conservative. My GPR was a VA baesd program, AEGD's are typically based off of dental schools.

-When it came to GP stuff, you know your bread and butter stuff restorative, simple pros, and straight forward endo both are very comparable.
-They did far more aesthetic cases than we did. but in general the basics were the same.
-We did far more complex prosth cases, both fixed and removable than they did, mostly bec of our patient population and our ability to tx pln cases without much worry about cost (you still have to convince the dept chair and PD why the VA should pay for this case).
-Advanced Endo (by that I mean, difficult molar endo, retreats, apico's) we did more cases, again by virtue of our pt population, but we had one endodontis coming in 1 day/week, they had the entire endo dept to consult with and help with difficult cases, so i thought it was kind of balanced.
-We did tons of perio and exo's with full gamut of flap and osseous, crn lenght, surgical exo's including thirds, grafts. They had minimum exposure and most resident did not get involved with perio sx due to the perio dept in DS.
- They had far better didactic/lab component than we did with scheduled classes/courses and they had to wax-up and work up thier complex cases for presnetation. this can be viewed as plus or minus depending on what you want to get out of it.
- We both restored implants, the difference was that thier implants were placed by perio or OS where as we placed most of our implants.
-we get certified to do IV sedation, in order to do that, we had to do 1 month of anesth, 1 month of Int Med, 1 month of EM, 2 weeks endoscopy again plus or minus depending on what you want do afterwards. they didnt do all of that.
- They had a better peds and ortho exposure but i think that is program dependant. there are GPR's that are non va with excellend ped's and ortho exposure. we had 0 ortho exposure.
-Almost 90% of our pts were medcially compromised and so we had to know a lot about managing pt's and know what drugs do and how consult with phyisicians.

As you can see, there are lots of things that can be compared, both will offer you great clinical experience, you can do 1 or 2 yrs for both depending on how much you want to get out of it. Have the end in mind, when you are in your third year of d school you will start to get a feel for everything.

Sorry about the long post and hope this info helps when it's time for you to decide.

 

[rarm1]

Hi, guys.

I need an answer for this question ive had for awhile. I want to become a general dentist. I know what I need to do in order to get to dental school but these residencie programs are making me really confused.


You have had many good answers and I agree with. Do the best you can in dental school, think of your future too. Speak to seniors entering a graduate program before they go and then when they are there.

I covered the reasons for GPR/AEGD on the dental page under the title - Why take a post-graduate general dental program - GPR/AEGD.

Most programs are 1 year. Each program is different - so check with the programs and residents... look for externships, a chance to visit. All program will give advanced experience but each concentrates on different areas.


GOOD LUCK

 

[dentalpr1234]

I think Nile is right to say that it's still too early to decide this specifically about what you want to do post-grad. But it's also important to know what either programs would offer in terms of clinical experience.

I did a 2 yrs GPR so im no expert in AEGD, I've had classmates that did AEGD and when we compared what we did it seems very similiar in terms the general dentistry aspect with few exceptions, again each program will offer you slightly different exposure based on patient pool, program set up and independence to do things, faculty and ofcourse your willingness to be aggressive vs. conservative. My GPR was a VA baesd program, AEGD's are typically based off of dental schools.

-When it came to GP stuff, you know your bread and butter stuff restorative, simple pros, and straight forward endo both are very comparable.
-They did far more aesthetic cases than we did. but in general the basics were the same.
-We did far more complex prosth cases, both fixed and removable than they did, mostly bec of our patient population and our ability to tx pln cases without much worry about cost (you still have to convince the dept chair and PD why the VA should pay for this case).
-Advanced Endo (by that I mean, difficult molar endo, retreats, apico's) we did more cases, again by virtue of our pt population, but we had one endodontis coming in 1 day/week, they had the entire endo dept to consult with and help with difficult cases, so i thought it was kind of balanced.
-We did tons of perio and exo's with full gamut of flap and osseous, crn lenght, surgical exo's including thirds, grafts. They had minimum exposure and most resident did not get involved with perio sx due to the perio dept in DS.
- They had far better didactic/lab component than we did with scheduled classes/courses and they had to wax-up and work up thier complex cases for presnetation. this can be viewed as plus or minus depending on what you want to get out of it.
- We both restored implants, the difference was that thier implants were placed by perio or OS where as we placed most of our implants.
-we get certified to do IV sedation, in order to do that, we had to do 1 month of anesth, 1 month of Int Med, 1 month of EM, 2 weeks endoscopy again plus or minus depending on what you want do afterwards. they didnt do all of that.
- They had a better peds and ortho exposure but i think that is program dependant. there are GPR's that are non va with excellend ped's and ortho exposure. we had 0 ortho exposure.
-Almost 90% of our pts were medcially compromised and so we had to know a lot about managing pt's and know what drugs do and how consult with phyisicians.

As you can see, there are lots of things that can be compared, both will offer you great clinical experience, you can do 1 or 2 yrs for both depending on how much you want to get out of it. Have the end in mind, when you are in your third year of d school you will start to get a feel for everything.

Sorry about the long post and hope this info helps when it's time for you to decide.

Sounds like an excellent program! Which is it?

 

[jellybean17]

Hi, guys.

I need an answer for this question ive had for awhile. I want to become a general dentist. I know what I need to do in order to get to dental school but these residencie programs are making me really confused.
I know that both of these programs give you hands on experience and extensive training on general dentistry, but the general practice residency seems to put a little more into their program. (I guess in the GPR you learn a little bit of everything, correct me if I'm wrong). Both of them are really good programs from what I heard.
Even after reading so much information about these two programs I'm still confused with which one would be better if you're just trying to become a general dentist. I know that it also depends on the persons interest, but I'm just asking which one would give better knowledge, and which would better help a person not specializing.
Another question I have is that I have looked at some GPR websites and I saw that they pay for your work/housing among other benefits, so the question is, whether to choose from GPR or AEGD. I think most GPR programs last for about 2 years and AEGD last for 1 year... so the question still remains... which one would better aid a person that just wants to become a general dentist?

I know that I seem lost, but thats how people stand until someone comes and explains things to them, so please help me hahahaha

Thanks guys
Fred

Hi-

I had the same question and there is a lot to choice from..
There are more GPR programs and they are hospital based. You can learn a lot about hospital dentistry there, and really some amazing cases. It can really help when looking for a job because most of the work is done by the resident and time management is huge. You also learn about insurances and are often treated as a knowledgeable person even when you are unsure of the answer. The hours a different and there is call- but if you like hands on learning then this probably the better choice.

The AED is slower paced, lots more hand holding. It is about the ideal dentistry and a lot of theory behind the application. If you enjoy a more school based experienced then this may be the better option. The down side is that you graduate as a GP, the same as if you did a GPR- the money and earning potential is still the same.

I would visit the 2 different styles of GP and interview them; see which ones suits you.