My Comprehensive Review of 13 GPR/AEGD Programs

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Streax1

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I know firsthand how difficult it is to siphon through threads here in an attempt to find information on residencies, so I am going to try and do my part to contribute. I had a unique opportunity to either visit or receive detailed information on many AEGD/GPR programs as I was preparing for the application cycle. I’ll do my best to recall all of the things I have learned. I want to issue a disclaimer that this information is only based on my experiences and opinions and may be completely different for others. If I present any misinformation, I welcome any corrections from faculty or current/previous residents from these programs. I was highly interested in finding a program that has a lot of implant experience and gets me certified in IV sedation as well. If it had a strong endo component, that was absolutely a bonus.

Houston AEGD/GPR: I was in town visiting my sister-in-law so I decided to check out the program. I personally was not very impressed. The two programs are merged in the same clinic and it seemed that there was little distinction between them. I may be wrong, but that is just how it appeared at first sight. The clinic experience was set up pretty similar to my dental school experience where they would perform a comp exam, create a treatment plan, sit in the faculty’s office to review it, and proceed from there. The residents mentioned that they would be lucky if they got to place 2 implants by the end of the program, so it didn’t make it to my application list.

Salt Lake George E. Wahlen VA GPR: I liked this program. The day that I visited, only one resident was present. The others were all taking vacation time for the holidays. The staff and resident were all really kind. They let me sit in on case discussions in a conference room. It looked like they had some cool stuff going on. I think the resident was on track to place 30 or more implants by the end, as was well on his way to completing enough sedation cases to receive a permit. He seemed really happy and not too stressed out. I received an interview invite, but later declined it due to having several invites to higher priority programs.

University of Utah GPR: I toured this program thinking they offered IV sedation experience, but found out from the residents that the anesthesiologists at the hospital do everything, so I didn’t apply. I thought the program was okay. It seems that they have a pretty strong endo component. They are a small clinic tucked away in the hospital that looks pretty outdated. If I recall correctly, I think they reported numbers of residents placing about 20 or so implants. Nothing about the program particularly stood out to me other than the $60,000 stipend and that you get to attend the Whitecap Institute implant course. I would absolutely rank it above Houston.

Idaho State University Pocatello AEGD: I had a buddy at this program so I was able to get a lot of information as well as visit. It’s a great program and seems to really advocate for the residents’ clinical experience. The Program Director is able to approve financial discounts to patients from time to time if the resident really wants to take on a big case. They have an endo microscope, do IV sedation, get about 20 endos, and place 30+ implants, so a lot going for them. I applied but was accepted to a different program prior to interviewing. The stiped is around $40,000 and the cost of living is pretty low as it’s a smaller town. My concerns were that previous residents mentioned that it can be difficult to schedule certain procedures due to specialist availability. My biggest hesitation was that the procedure counts were on a downward trend. The implant and endo numbers were about half of what they were several years ago, but I still would have been happy with the current numbers that they were doing. A great option.

The Foundry AEGD in Bessemer, Alabama: I wasn’t able to make it to tour this program. The previous resident I spoke with stated that if I couldn’t visit, the chances of acceptance may be pretty limited, so I didn’t apply. They do A LOT of work here though. The previous resident mentioned that if you aren’t looking to limit your practice of dentistry to implants, this may be a little overkill. They are really, really busy all of the time from what it sounds like. If implants and IV sedation are your thing, this is definitely king. They are placing 100+ implants. I have a family so though I want to be busy, I didn’t want to be THAT busy. I also wanted a slightly broader clinical experience. Otherwise, sounds like an awesome residency.

Augusta, Georgia Charlie Norwood VA GPR: The Program Director Dr. Martin seems like a phenomenal guy! He was really inviting and open about his program. They do implant placement and IV sedation. My hesitation was that he stated that sometimes residents have to help out with hygiene. I wasn’t too on board with that, but everything else checked out! I received an interview invite but declined it due to having several invites to higher priority programs.

Prisma Health GPR in Columbia, SC (previously Palmetto Health): I really liked this program. Dr. Hicklin in one of the most relaxed and personable Program Directors that I met. I toured the program on the same trip that I toured the Georgia VA. The clinic is in its own building right next to the hospital, so you get a clinic feel, but they are going to the hospital all the time for different things. I’m not too keen on the prospect of hospital dentistry, but this program made it look really fun. Lots of trauma cases. You get a nice stipend, cost of living is low, the hospital provides scrubs, and best of all, the hospital feeds you 3 meals a day. They place 25+ implants, perform IV sedation, and perform several (5-10?) impacted third molar cases. I couldn’t quite get a feel for how strong or not their endo department was. I received an interview invite but declined it after being accepted to a different program.

New Horizon Dental Center AEGD in Tempe, AZ: I didn’t tour the actual program as it is new for the upcoming 2020-2021 cycle, but I shadowed at Implant Pathways and got some information on it. Implant pathways is an implant continuum that finishes with two days of live implant surgery. The doctors come and place around 15-20 implants ranging from single sites to denture cases in those two days. The issue is that they don’t have nearly enough resources to restore all of those cases, so they decided to create a residency to do just that. The stipend is $40,000. They are guaranteeing 50+ implant placements, and then something like 300 implant restorations. If that resonates with you, it sounds like it could be really cool, and you’ll be an implant restorative master! They don’t do IV sedation and I again wanted a broader clinical experience, so I didn’t apply.

UT San Antonio AEGD: I toured here beforehand and then interviewed and really loved it. They have the most faculty/specialists available out of anywhere that I visited. The Program Director is an Endodontist. They have multiple endo rotary systems as well as 3 microscopes. They have an IV sedation mannequin simulation room, a fantastic sedation instructor, and do a lot of cases. They are doing a bunch of soft tissue grafting and utilizing PRF all the time. They have multiple digital scanning systems, as well as an in-house 3D-printer. They do several wisdom teeth cases as well as aesthetic cases. There are 17 residents between first and second years and there seems to be a really great comradery among them. They have a lot going for them. There were a couple downfalls too though. The stiped is only $33,000 (the lowest of the residencies I investigated). Also, the implant experience varied greatly. One second-year I spoke with mentioned they had placed less than 10 implants, while another previous resident had placed around 50 in their one-year tenure. It seems to vary depending on your desire to seek out implants referral sources from the pre-doc program. That definitely worried me a little bit, but it seems that the harder you work to find them, the more implants you place.

San Antonio VA AEGD: This program is often regarded as the holy grail of one-year residencies. I applied but did not receive an interview. I did tour the program, but was left with somewhat of a sour taste in my mouth when the Program Director was not there on the day he told me to come meet him (mind you, I flew into town to tour the program). So I ended up just shadowing the residents for the morning. During that morning, they were definitely going pedal-to-the-metal with all sorts of procedures. Unfortunately, every resident seemed to me to be absolutely exhausted and over-worked. I was told by one resident that the Program Director has made VA dentistry his life, and essentially expects the residents to do the same for that year. I’m told they are there about 12 hours or so a day. I have also heard from many others that he is a very unique person in general. If you can look past that and you’re not afraid to be exhausted for a year, you’ll leave here a very competent and well-rounded clinician. Though not guaranteed, I hear a good class rank will certainly help you in receiving an interview invite.

Temple, Tx Olin E. Teague VA AEGD: Temple was a dark horse for me. I had heard that due to government funding issues, it had been shut down, so I had written it off and did not tour the program. I was surprised to see them on the PASS website while I was readying my application, so I went ahead and applied. I later found out that there were government funding issues, but that it only limited them to taking on 1 resident instead of 3 this year. Everything has been put in order though and they are taking on 3 residents again next year. I spoke with a previous resident that mentioned they placed 40 implants and a co-resident placed 65. There appears to currently be way more patients wanting implants than there are resources. So they do a lot of implants and surgery, as well as get quite a bit IV sedation including an anesthesia rotation with 100+ venipuncture encounters as well as a few intubations. That definitely appealed to me along with the fact that they still maintain a good workflow of general dentistry. The stipend is around $55,000 and cost of living is pretty low as it’s also a smaller town. My biggest concerns were that they don’t have any digital scanners for impressions or to fabricate surgical guides (though there was word that they may be getting one sometime in the near future), and that their endo department is somewhat lacking (there was also word that they may be bringing on an endo faculty). The faculty did mention that there is as much endo available as I would want to take on, so that was a little more comforting. Barring those things, the program seemed really strong. I interviewed here.

UNLV GPR: This was another unexpected program for me. I had heard some decent things but admittedly only applied as a backup since this is a Match program and most of the other programs to which I applied were Non-Match. I ended up touring the program shortly after applying and was really surprised. They have a beautiful clinic and are doing a lot of stuff. They have multiple endodontic microscopes, they are placing 30+ implants, they have a full-time dental anesthesiologist on staff for all things sedation, and it just had a pretty cool overall vibe. I was accepted to a different program before interview invites were extended, but I would have loved to attend here if I had the chance.


I was accepted to one of the two programs that I interviewed at and I’m really excited. I hope that this helps some future prospective residents in finding a program that fits their needs. Most of these programs are absolutely fantastic, it just depends on what you are looking for in a residency. Good luck!

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It would be nice if others could share their personal experiences
 
These are my experiences based on convos with residents and my visits there. Not claiming to bash or praise any program. Just what I witnessed during my visits/interviews.

ISU Boise Idaho AEGD
Pros:
Focused on comprehensive care. Lots of fixed and removable prosth. Residents do Perio surgery. Implant placement and restoring. They work with PRF on some cases. Seems to be a decent amount of surgical work to keep residents busy. Residents seemed challenged and enjoyed it. Lots of experience with IV sedation and residents have the opportunity to get IV certified if they want to. They present a portfolio at the end of the year to the Idaho board.
Cons:
It’s in Idaho and not very diverse. There seems to be a lot of competition with the other ISU site in pocatello. Numbers of implant and fixed cases seem to be going down.

UDM AEGD
Pros:
Everyone seemed nice. Residents seemed helpful. It’s in a major city. Good for those who feel they want an extra year Of training in a “school” environment. Definitely has lots of Faculty holding ur hand if you’re seeking that type of experience
Cons:
The AEGD is at the dental school. Residents basically refer any “specialist” procedures out. Residents do mostly easy fillings and simple extractions. Mostly using it as a way to boost their resumes to get into specializing. One of the weaker surgical and endo and programs I visited.


Roseman AEGD Utah
Seemed like a 5th year of dental school vibe since it’s at the main campus. They work side by side D3s and D4s and have many of the same Patients. Lots of variability btwn the residents..One resident claimed they placed several implants that month, while the other residents had yet to place or even plan a single implant since the program started. Same case with molar Endo and impacted 3rds. Overall one of the better NYU Langone ones I’ve seen. The PD was very honest. The opportunity is there to learn, but seems that the resident must be willing to go the extra mile to secure cases.
 
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Jacobi GPR - some of this info might not be 100% up to date.
Pros: Good variety of procedures. A lot of exposure to extractions due to rotations in the OMFS department. Ability to do implant fixed hybrid and other complex prosth procedures. Relatively light call (Around 3 times a month). Periodontist and endodontist comes weekly. The hospital also has a pediatric dentistry department, if you want exposure to pedo.
Cons: Occasional in-house call (around once a month). LImited exposure to implant placement.

Kings County - high patient volume, a lot of trauma, intense call, ability to do a lot of extractions, endo, implant placement. I wouldn't suggest living around the hospital, though.
 
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Lowly D2 here! I was wondering if anyone could weigh in on what GPA you should have to get in a GPR/AEGD of your choice!
 
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Lowly D2 here! I was wondering if anyone could weigh in on what GPA you should have to get in a GPR/AEGD of your choice!

Honestly depends what the GPR/AEGD of your choice is. San Antonio VA, pretty sure top 10% or be the son/daughter of a Congressman. To be competitive, I’d say top half of your class is a good spot to be in. GPA varies too much, so class rank is the best indicator for what kind of a student you are.

Best of luck
 
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I know firsthand how difficult it is to siphon through threads here in an attempt to find information on residencies, so I am going to try and do my part to contribute. I had a unique opportunity to either visit or receive detailed information on many AEGD/GPR programs as I was preparing for the application cycle. I’ll do my best to recall all of the things I have learned. I want to issue a disclaimer that this information is only based on my experiences and opinions and may be completely different for others. If I present any misinformation, I welcome any corrections from faculty or current/previous residents from these programs. I was highly interested in finding a program that has a lot of implant experience and gets me certified in IV sedation as well. If it had a strong endo component, that was absolutely a bonus.

Houston AEGD/GPR: I was in town visiting my sister-in-law so I decided to check out the program. I personally was not very impressed. The two programs are merged in the same clinic and it seemed that there was little distinction between them. I may be wrong, but that is just how it appeared at first sight. The clinic experience was set up pretty similar to my dental school experience where they would perform a comp exam, create a treatment plan, sit in the faculty’s office to review it, and proceed from there. The residents mentioned that they would be lucky if they got to place 2 implants by the end of the program, so it didn’t make it to my application list.

Salt Lake George E. Wahlen VA GPR: I liked this program. The day that I visited, only one resident was present. The others were all taking vacation time for the holidays. The staff and resident were all really kind. They let me sit in on case discussions in a conference room. It looked like they had some cool stuff going on. I think the resident was on track to place 30 or more implants by the end, as was well on his way to completing enough sedation cases to receive a permit. He seemed really happy and not too stressed out. I received an interview invite, but later declined it due to having several invites to higher priority programs.

University of Utah GPR: I toured this program thinking they offered IV sedation experience, but found out from the residents that the anesthesiologists at the hospital do everything, so I didn’t apply. I thought the program was okay. It seems that they have a pretty strong endo component. They are a small clinic tucked away in the hospital that looks pretty outdated. If I recall correctly, I think they reported numbers of residents placing about 20 or so implants. Nothing about the program particularly stood out to me other than the $60,000 stipend and that you get to attend the Whitecap Institute implant course. I would absolutely rank it above Houston.

Idaho State University Pocatello AEGD: I had a buddy at this program so I was able to get a lot of information as well as visit. It’s a great program and seems to really advocate for the residents’ clinical experience. The Program Director is able to approve financial discounts to patients from time to time if the resident really wants to take on a big case. They have an endo microscope, do IV sedation, get about 20 endos, and place 30+ implants, so a lot going for them. I applied but was accepted to a different program prior to interviewing. The stiped is around $40,000 and the cost of living is pretty low as it’s a smaller town. My concerns were that previous residents mentioned that it can be difficult to schedule certain procedures due to specialist availability. My biggest hesitation was that the procedure counts were on a downward trend. The implant and endo numbers were about half of what they were several years ago, but I still would have been happy with the current numbers that they were doing. A great option.

The Foundry AEGD in Bessemer, Alabama: I wasn’t able to make it to tour this program. The previous resident I spoke with stated that if I couldn’t visit, the chances of acceptance may be pretty limited, so I didn’t apply. They do A LOT of work here though. The previous resident mentioned that if you aren’t looking to limit your practice of dentistry to implants, this may be a little overkill. They are really, really busy all of the time from what it sounds like. If implants and IV sedation are your thing, this is definitely king. They are placing 100+ implants. I have a family so though I want to be busy, I didn’t want to be THAT busy. I also wanted a slightly broader clinical experience. Otherwise, sounds like an awesome residency.

Augusta, Georgia Charlie Norwood VA GPR: The Program Director Dr. Martin seems like a phenomenal guy! He was really inviting and open about his program. They do implant placement and IV sedation. My hesitation was that he stated that sometimes residents have to help out with hygiene. I wasn’t too on board with that, but everything else checked out! I received an interview invite but declined it due to having several invites to higher priority programs.

Prisma Health GPR in Columbia, SC (previously Palmetto Health): I really liked this program. Dr. Hicklin in one of the most relaxed and personable Program Directors that I met. I toured the program on the same trip that I toured the Georgia VA. The clinic is in its own building right next to the hospital, so you get a clinic feel, but they are going to the hospital all the time for different things. I’m not too keen on the prospect of hospital dentistry, but this program made it look really fun. Lots of trauma cases. You get a nice stipend, cost of living is low, the hospital provides scrubs, and best of all, the hospital feeds you 3 meals a day. They place 25+ implants, perform IV sedation, and perform several (5-10?) impacted third molar cases. I couldn’t quite get a feel for how strong or not their endo department was. I received an interview invite but declined it after being accepted to a different program.

New Horizon Dental Center AEGD in Tempe, AZ: I didn’t tour the actual program as it is new for the upcoming 2020-2021 cycle, but I shadowed at Implant Pathways and got some information on it. Implant pathways is an implant continuum that finishes with two days of live implant surgery. The doctors come and place around 15-20 implants ranging from single sites to denture cases in those two days. The issue is that they don’t have nearly enough resources to restore all of those cases, so they decided to create a residency to do just that. The stipend is $40,000. They are guaranteeing 50+ implant placements, and then something like 300 implant restorations. If that resonates with you, it sounds like it could be really cool, and you’ll be an implant restorative master! They don’t do IV sedation and I again wanted a broader clinical experience, so I didn’t apply.

UT San Antonio AEGD: I toured here beforehand and then interviewed and really loved it. They have the most faculty/specialists available out of anywhere that I visited. The Program Director is an Endodontist. They have multiple endo rotary systems as well as 3 microscopes. They have an IV sedation mannequin simulation room, a fantastic sedation instructor, and do a lot of cases. They are doing a bunch of soft tissue grafting and utilizing PRF all the time. They have multiple digital scanning systems, as well as an in-house 3D-printer. They do several wisdom teeth cases as well as aesthetic cases. There are 17 residents between first and second years and there seems to be a really great comradery among them. They have a lot going for them. There were a couple downfalls too though. The stiped is only $33,000 (the lowest of the residencies I investigated). Also, the implant experience varied greatly. One second-year I spoke with mentioned they had placed less than 10 implants, while another previous resident had placed around 50 in their one-year tenure. It seems to vary depending on your desire to seek out implants referral sources from the pre-doc program. That definitely worried me a little bit, but it seems that the harder you work to find them, the more implants you place.

San Antonio VA AEGD: This program is often regarded as the holy grail of one-year residencies. I applied but did not receive an interview. I did tour the program, but was left with somewhat of a sour taste in my mouth when the Program Director was not there on the day he told me to come meet him (mind you, I flew into town to tour the program). So I ended up just shadowing the residents for the morning. During that morning, they were definitely going pedal-to-the-metal with all sorts of procedures. Unfortunately, every resident seemed to me to be absolutely exhausted and over-worked. I was told by one resident that the Program Director has made VA dentistry his life, and essentially expects the residents to do the same for that year. I’m told they are there about 12 hours or so a day. I have also heard from many others that he is a very unique person in general. If you can look past that and you’re not afraid to be exhausted for a year, you’ll leave here a very competent and well-rounded clinician. Though not guaranteed, I hear a good class rank will certainly help you in receiving an interview invite.

Temple, Tx Olin E. Teague VA AEGD: Temple was a dark horse for me. I had heard that due to government funding issues, it had been shut down, so I had written it off and did not tour the program. I was surprised to see them on the PASS website while I was readying my application, so I went ahead and applied. I later found out that there were government funding issues, but that it only limited them to taking on 1 resident instead of 3 this year. Everything has been put in order though and they are taking on 3 residents again next year. I spoke with a previous resident that mentioned they placed 40 implants and a co-resident placed 65. There appears to currently be way more patients wanting implants than there are resources. So they do a lot of implants and surgery, as well as get quite a bit IV sedation including an anesthesia rotation with 100+ venipuncture encounters as well as a few intubations. That definitely appealed to me along with the fact that they still maintain a good workflow of general dentistry. The stipend is around $55,000 and cost of living is pretty low as it’s also a smaller town. My biggest concerns were that they don’t have any digital scanners for impressions or to fabricate surgical guides (though there was word that they may be getting one sometime in the near future), and that their endo department is somewhat lacking (there was also word that they may be bringing on an endo faculty). The faculty did mention that there is as much endo available as I would want to take on, so that was a little more comforting. Barring those things, the program seemed really strong. I interviewed here.

UNLV GPR: This was another unexpected program for me. I had heard some decent things but admittedly only applied as a backup since this is a Match program and most of the other programs to which I applied were Non-Match. I ended up touring the program shortly after applying and was really surprised. They have a beautiful clinic and are doing a lot of stuff. They have multiple endodontic microscopes, they are placing 30+ implants, they have a full-time dental anesthesiologist on staff for all things sedation, and it just had a pretty cool overall vibe. I was accepted to a different program before interview invites were extended, but I would have loved to attend here if I had the chance.


I was accepted to one of the two programs that I interviewed at and I’m really excited. I hope that this helps some future prospective residents in finding a program that fits their needs. Most of these programs are absolutely fantastic, it just depends on what you are looking for in a residency. Good luck!

What residency did you end up doing and why? Was class rank a factor?
 
I applaud you for your effort, but this review was hardly what I would call comprehensive. Perhaps at some future date we can organize an online template and have current residents answer some comprehensive questions. At least for 6 months the info would be somewhat useful.
 
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What residency did you end up doing and why? Was class rank a factor?
To maintain anonymity I'm not going to answer that. I was really happy with both programs I interviewed at though. Not sure if class rank was a factor or not.

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This is a fantastic thread. Bump.
 
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Bump. Anyone have info on well rounded East Coast AEGD/GPR programs?
 
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When do they start sending rejection emails? Or do they ever?
 
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When do they start sending rejection emails? Or do they ever?

Yes some programs do send rejection emails. I’ve gotten one from Colorado - Boulder unfortunately.
 
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Can you still apply to post-match at the program you get rejected from?
 
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anybody know if OSU GPR places implants?
 
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I know firsthand how difficult it is to siphon through threads here in an attempt to find information on residencies, so I am going to try and do my part to contribute. I had a unique opportunity to either visit or receive detailed information on many AEGD/GPR programs as I was preparing for the application cycle. I’ll do my best to recall all of the things I have learned. I want to issue a disclaimer that this information is only based on my experiences and opinions and may be completely different for others. If I present any misinformation, I welcome any corrections from faculty or current/previous residents from these programs. I was highly interested in finding a program that has a lot of implant experience and gets me certified in IV sedation as well. If it had a strong endo component, that was absolutely a bonus.

Houston AEGD/GPR: I was in town visiting my sister-in-law so I decided to check out the program. I personally was not very impressed. The two programs are merged in the same clinic and it seemed that there was little distinction between them. I may be wrong, but that is just how it appeared at first sight. The clinic experience was set up pretty similar to my dental school experience where they would perform a comp exam, create a treatment plan, sit in the faculty’s office to review it, and proceed from there. The residents mentioned that they would be lucky if they got to place 2 implants by the end of the program, so it didn’t make it to my application list.

Salt Lake George E. Wahlen VA GPR: I liked this program. The day that I visited, only one resident was present. The others were all taking vacation time for the holidays. The staff and resident were all really kind. They let me sit in on case discussions in a conference room. It looked like they had some cool stuff going on. I think the resident was on track to place 30 or more implants by the end, as was well on his way to completing enough sedation cases to receive a permit. He seemed really happy and not too stressed out. I received an interview invite, but later declined it due to having several invites to higher priority programs.

University of Utah GPR: I toured this program thinking they offered IV sedation experience, but found out from the residents that the anesthesiologists at the hospital do everything, so I didn’t apply. I thought the program was okay. It seems that they have a pretty strong endo component. They are a small clinic tucked away in the hospital that looks pretty outdated. If I recall correctly, I think they reported numbers of residents placing about 20 or so implants. Nothing about the program particularly stood out to me other than the $60,000 stipend and that you get to attend the Whitecap Institute implant course. I would absolutely rank it above Houston.

Idaho State University Pocatello AEGD: I had a buddy at this program so I was able to get a lot of information as well as visit. It’s a great program and seems to really advocate for the residents’ clinical experience. The Program Director is able to approve financial discounts to patients from time to time if the resident really wants to take on a big case. They have an endo microscope, do IV sedation, get about 20 endos, and place 30+ implants, so a lot going for them. I applied but was accepted to a different program prior to interviewing. The stiped is around $40,000 and the cost of living is pretty low as it’s a smaller town. My concerns were that previous residents mentioned that it can be difficult to schedule certain procedures due to specialist availability. My biggest hesitation was that the procedure counts were on a downward trend. The implant and endo numbers were about half of what they were several years ago, but I still would have been happy with the current numbers that they were doing. A great option.

The Foundry AEGD in Bessemer, Alabama: I wasn’t able to make it to tour this program. The previous resident I spoke with stated that if I couldn’t visit, the chances of acceptance may be pretty limited, so I didn’t apply. They do A LOT of work here though. The previous resident mentioned that if you aren’t looking to limit your practice of dentistry to implants, this may be a little overkill. They are really, really busy all of the time from what it sounds like. If implants and IV sedation are your thing, this is definitely king. They are placing 100+ implants. I have a family so though I want to be busy, I didn’t want to be THAT busy. I also wanted a slightly broader clinical experience. Otherwise, sounds like an awesome residency.

Augusta, Georgia Charlie Norwood VA GPR: The Program Director Dr. Martin seems like a phenomenal guy! He was really inviting and open about his program. They do implant placement and IV sedation. My hesitation was that he stated that sometimes residents have to help out with hygiene. I wasn’t too on board with that, but everything else checked out! I received an interview invite but declined it due to having several invites to higher priority programs.

Prisma Health GPR in Columbia, SC (previously Palmetto Health): I really liked this program. Dr. Hicklin in one of the most relaxed and personable Program Directors that I met. I toured the program on the same trip that I toured the Georgia VA. The clinic is in its own building right next to the hospital, so you get a clinic feel, but they are going to the hospital all the time for different things. I’m not too keen on the prospect of hospital dentistry, but this program made it look really fun. Lots of trauma cases. You get a nice stipend, cost of living is low, the hospital provides scrubs, and best of all, the hospital feeds you 3 meals a day. They place 25+ implants, perform IV sedation, and perform several (5-10?) impacted third molar cases. I couldn’t quite get a feel for how strong or not their endo department was. I received an interview invite but declined it after being accepted to a different program.

New Horizon Dental Center AEGD in Tempe, AZ: I didn’t tour the actual program as it is new for the upcoming 2020-2021 cycle, but I shadowed at Implant Pathways and got some information on it. Implant pathways is an implant continuum that finishes with two days of live implant surgery. The doctors come and place around 15-20 implants ranging from single sites to denture cases in those two days. The issue is that they don’t have nearly enough resources to restore all of those cases, so they decided to create a residency to do just that. The stipend is $40,000. They are guaranteeing 50+ implant placements, and then something like 300 implant restorations. If that resonates with you, it sounds like it could be really cool, and you’ll be an implant restorative master! They don’t do IV sedation and I again wanted a broader clinical experience, so I didn’t apply.

UT San Antonio AEGD: I toured here beforehand and then interviewed and really loved it. They have the most faculty/specialists available out of anywhere that I visited. The Program Director is an Endodontist. They have multiple endo rotary systems as well as 3 microscopes. They have an IV sedation mannequin simulation room, a fantastic sedation instructor, and do a lot of cases. They are doing a bunch of soft tissue grafting and utilizing PRF all the time. They have multiple digital scanning systems, as well as an in-house 3D-printer. They do several wisdom teeth cases as well as aesthetic cases. There are 17 residents between first and second years and there seems to be a really great comradery among them. They have a lot going for them. There were a couple downfalls too though. The stiped is only $33,000 (the lowest of the residencies I investigated). Also, the implant experience varied greatly. One second-year I spoke with mentioned they had placed less than 10 implants, while another previous resident had placed around 50 in their one-year tenure. It seems to vary depending on your desire to seek out implants referral sources from the pre-doc program. That definitely worried me a little bit, but it seems that the harder you work to find them, the more implants you place.

San Antonio VA AEGD: This program is often regarded as the holy grail of one-year residencies. I applied but did not receive an interview. I did tour the program, but was left with somewhat of a sour taste in my mouth when the Program Director was not there on the day he told me to come meet him (mind you, I flew into town to tour the program). So I ended up just shadowing the residents for the morning. During that morning, they were definitely going pedal-to-the-metal with all sorts of procedures. Unfortunately, every resident seemed to me to be absolutely exhausted and over-worked. I was told by one resident that the Program Director has made VA dentistry his life, and essentially expects the residents to do the same for that year. I’m told they are there about 12 hours or so a day. I have also heard from many others that he is a very unique person in general. If you can look past that and you’re not afraid to be exhausted for a year, you’ll leave here a very competent and well-rounded clinician. Though not guaranteed, I hear a good class rank will certainly help you in receiving an interview invite.

Temple, Tx Olin E. Teague VA AEGD: Temple was a dark horse for me. I had heard that due to government funding issues, it had been shut down, so I had written it off and did not tour the program. I was surprised to see them on the PASS website while I was readying my application, so I went ahead and applied. I later found out that there were government funding issues, but that it only limited them to taking on 1 resident instead of 3 this year. Everything has been put in order though and they are taking on 3 residents again next year. I spoke with a previous resident that mentioned they placed 40 implants and a co-resident placed 65. There appears to currently be way more patients wanting implants than there are resources. So they do a lot of implants and surgery, as well as get quite a bit IV sedation including an anesthesia rotation with 100+ venipuncture encounters as well as a few intubations. That definitely appealed to me along with the fact that they still maintain a good workflow of general dentistry. The stipend is around $55,000 and cost of living is pretty low as it’s also a smaller town. My biggest concerns were that they don’t have any digital scanners for impressions or to fabricate surgical guides (though there was word that they may be getting one sometime in the near future), and that their endo department is somewhat lacking (there was also word that they may be bringing on an endo faculty). The faculty did mention that there is as much endo available as I would want to take on, so that was a little more comforting. Barring those things, the program seemed really strong. I interviewed here.

UNLV GPR: This was another unexpected program for me. I had heard some decent things but admittedly only applied as a backup since this is a Match program and most of the other programs to which I applied were Non-Match. I ended up touring the program shortly after applying and was really surprised. They have a beautiful clinic and are doing a lot of stuff. They have multiple endodontic microscopes, they are placing 30+ implants, they have a full-time dental anesthesiologist on staff for all things sedation, and it just had a pretty cool overall vibe. I was accepted to a different program before interview invites were extended, but I would have loved to attend here if I had the chance.


I was accepted to one of the two programs that I interviewed at and I’m really excited. I hope that this helps some future prospective residents in finding a program that fits their needs. Most of these programs are absolutely fantastic, it just depends on what you are looking for in a residency. Good luck!
What is the process of acceptance in USA?
I thought that we have to wait for the Match process. But seems that programs can accept you without going through the Match.
 
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I know firsthand how difficult it is to siphon through threads here in an attempt to find information on residencies, so I am going to try and do my part to contribute. I had a unique opportunity to either visit or receive detailed information on many AEGD/GPR programs as I was preparing for the application cycle. I’ll do my best to recall all of the things I have learned. I want to issue a disclaimer that this information is only based on my experiences and opinions and may be completely different for others. If I present any misinformation, I welcome any corrections from faculty or current/previous residents from these programs. I was highly interested in finding a program that has a lot of implant experience and gets me certified in IV sedation as well. If it had a strong endo component, that was absolutely a bonus.

Houston AEGD/GPR: I was in town visiting my sister-in-law so I decided to check out the program. I personally was not very impressed. The two programs are merged in the same clinic and it seemed that there was little distinction between them. I may be wrong, but that is just how it appeared at first sight. The clinic experience was set up pretty similar to my dental school experience where they would perform a comp exam, create a treatment plan, sit in the faculty’s office to review it, and proceed from there. The residents mentioned that they would be lucky if they got to place 2 implants by the end of the program, so it didn’t make it to my application list.

Salt Lake George E. Wahlen VA GPR: I liked this program. The day that I visited, only one resident was present. The others were all taking vacation time for the holidays. The staff and resident were all really kind. They let me sit in on case discussions in a conference room. It looked like they had some cool stuff going on. I think the resident was on track to place 30 or more implants by the end, as was well on his way to completing enough sedation cases to receive a permit. He seemed really happy and not too stressed out. I received an interview invite, but later declined it due to having several invites to higher priority programs.

University of Utah GPR: I toured this program thinking they offered IV sedation experience, but found out from the residents that the anesthesiologists at the hospital do everything, so I didn’t apply. I thought the program was okay. It seems that they have a pretty strong endo component. They are a small clinic tucked away in the hospital that looks pretty outdated. If I recall correctly, I think they reported numbers of residents placing about 20 or so implants. Nothing about the program particularly stood out to me other than the $60,000 stipend and that you get to attend the Whitecap Institute implant course. I would absolutely rank it above Houston.

Idaho State University Pocatello AEGD: I had a buddy at this program so I was able to get a lot of information as well as visit. It’s a great program and seems to really advocate for the residents’ clinical experience. The Program Director is able to approve financial discounts to patients from time to time if the resident really wants to take on a big case. They have an endo microscope, do IV sedation, get about 20 endos, and place 30+ implants, so a lot going for them. I applied but was accepted to a different program prior to interviewing. The stiped is around $40,000 and the cost of living is pretty low as it’s a smaller town. My concerns were that previous residents mentioned that it can be difficult to schedule certain procedures due to specialist availability. My biggest hesitation was that the procedure counts were on a downward trend. The implant and endo numbers were about half of what they were several years ago, but I still would have been happy with the current numbers that they were doing. A great option.

The Foundry AEGD in Bessemer, Alabama: I wasn’t able to make it to tour this program. The previous resident I spoke with stated that if I couldn’t visit, the chances of acceptance may be pretty limited, so I didn’t apply. They do A LOT of work here though. The previous resident mentioned that if you aren’t looking to limit your practice of dentistry to implants, this may be a little overkill. They are really, really busy all of the time from what it sounds like. If implants and IV sedation are your thing, this is definitely king. They are placing 100+ implants. I have a family so though I want to be busy, I didn’t want to be THAT busy. I also wanted a slightly broader clinical experience. Otherwise, sounds like an awesome residency.

Augusta, Georgia Charlie Norwood VA GPR: The Program Director Dr. Martin seems like a phenomenal guy! He was really inviting and open about his program. They do implant placement and IV sedation. My hesitation was that he stated that sometimes residents have to help out with hygiene. I wasn’t too on board with that, but everything else checked out! I received an interview invite but declined it due to having several invites to higher priority programs.

Prisma Health GPR in Columbia, SC (previously Palmetto Health): I really liked this program. Dr. Hicklin in one of the most relaxed and personable Program Directors that I met. I toured the program on the same trip that I toured the Georgia VA. The clinic is in its own building right next to the hospital, so you get a clinic feel, but they are going to the hospital all the time for different things. I’m not too keen on the prospect of hospital dentistry, but this program made it look really fun. Lots of trauma cases. You get a nice stipend, cost of living is low, the hospital provides scrubs, and best of all, the hospital feeds you 3 meals a day. They place 25+ implants, perform IV sedation, and perform several (5-10?) impacted third molar cases. I couldn’t quite get a feel for how strong or not their endo department was. I received an interview invite but declined it after being accepted to a different program.

New Horizon Dental Center AEGD in Tempe, AZ: I didn’t tour the actual program as it is new for the upcoming 2020-2021 cycle, but I shadowed at Implant Pathways and got some information on it. Implant pathways is an implant continuum that finishes with two days of live implant surgery. The doctors come and place around 15-20 implants ranging from single sites to denture cases in those two days. The issue is that they don’t have nearly enough resources to restore all of those cases, so they decided to create a residency to do just that. The stipend is $40,000. They are guaranteeing 50+ implant placements, and then something like 300 implant restorations. If that resonates with you, it sounds like it could be really cool, and you’ll be an implant restorative master! They don’t do IV sedation and I again wanted a broader clinical experience, so I didn’t apply.

UT San Antonio AEGD: I toured here beforehand and then interviewed and really loved it. They have the most faculty/specialists available out of anywhere that I visited. The Program Director is an Endodontist. They have multiple endo rotary systems as well as 3 microscopes. They have an IV sedation mannequin simulation room, a fantastic sedation instructor, and do a lot of cases. They are doing a bunch of soft tissue grafting and utilizing PRF all the time. They have multiple digital scanning systems, as well as an in-house 3D-printer. They do several wisdom teeth cases as well as aesthetic cases. There are 17 residents between first and second years and there seems to be a really great comradery among them. They have a lot going for them. There were a couple downfalls too though. The stiped is only $33,000 (the lowest of the residencies I investigated). Also, the implant experience varied greatly. One second-year I spoke with mentioned they had placed less than 10 implants, while another previous resident had placed around 50 in their one-year tenure. It seems to vary depending on your desire to seek out implants referral sources from the pre-doc program. That definitely worried me a little bit, but it seems that the harder you work to find them, the more implants you place.

San Antonio VA AEGD: This program is often regarded as the holy grail of one-year residencies. I applied but did not receive an interview. I did tour the program, but was left with somewhat of a sour taste in my mouth when the Program Director was not there on the day he told me to come meet him (mind you, I flew into town to tour the program). So I ended up just shadowing the residents for the morning. During that morning, they were definitely going pedal-to-the-metal with all sorts of procedures. Unfortunately, every resident seemed to me to be absolutely exhausted and over-worked. I was told by one resident that the Program Director has made VA dentistry his life, and essentially expects the residents to do the same for that year. I’m told they are there about 12 hours or so a day. I have also heard from many others that he is a very unique person in general. If you can look past that and you’re not afraid to be exhausted for a year, you’ll leave here a very competent and well-rounded clinician. Though not guaranteed, I hear a good class rank will certainly help you in receiving an interview invite.

Temple, Tx Olin E. Teague VA AEGD: Temple was a dark horse for me. I had heard that due to government funding issues, it had been shut down, so I had written it off and did not tour the program. I was surprised to see them on the PASS website while I was readying my application, so I went ahead and applied. I later found out that there were government funding issues, but that it only limited them to taking on 1 resident instead of 3 this year. Everything has been put in order though and they are taking on 3 residents again next year. I spoke with a previous resident that mentioned they placed 40 implants and a co-resident placed 65. There appears to currently be way more patients wanting implants than there are resources. So they do a lot of implants and surgery, as well as get quite a bit IV sedation including an anesthesia rotation with 100+ venipuncture encounters as well as a few intubations. That definitely appealed to me along with the fact that they still maintain a good workflow of general dentistry. The stipend is around $55,000 and cost of living is pretty low as it’s also a smaller town. My biggest concerns were that they don’t have any digital scanners for impressions or to fabricate surgical guides (though there was word that they may be getting one sometime in the near future), and that their endo department is somewhat lacking (there was also word that they may be bringing on an endo faculty). The faculty did mention that there is as much endo available as I would want to take on, so that was a little more comforting. Barring those things, the program seemed really strong. I interviewed here.

UNLV GPR: This was another unexpected program for me. I had heard some decent things but admittedly only applied as a backup since this is a Match program and most of the other programs to which I applied were Non-Match. I ended up touring the program shortly after applying and was really surprised. They have a beautiful clinic and are doing a lot of stuff. They have multiple endodontic microscopes, they are placing 30+ implants, they have a full-time dental anesthesiologist on staff for all things sedation, and it just had a pretty cool overall vibe. I was accepted to a different program before interview invites were extended, but I would have loved to attend here if I had the chance.


I was accepted to one of the two programs that I interviewed at and I’m really excited. I hope that this helps some future prospective residents in finding a program that fits their needs. Most of these programs are absolutely fantastic, it just depends on what you are looking for in a residency. Good luck!

What is the scoop on NYU Langone central AZ? Very confused... So there are 3 residencies (ASDOH, St. Vincent de Paul, and New Horizon). On pass it said 21 resident spots available, how many are available for New Horizon (this is the good one that gets to place and restore a ton of implants)?
 
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Just wanted to make some corrections on the University of Texas Houston AEGD program
Houston AEGD:
  • Restorative: AEGD resident will be able to do basic restorative, inlays, onlays, veneers, crowns, bridges, and implant crowns. No amalgams. Can use CAD/CAM for the same day delivery.
  • Endo: AEGD resident will be able to use their designated microscope to perform non surgical root canals on most anterior, posterior cases, and basic non surgical root canal retreatment. No apicoectomy.
  • Prostho: AEGD resident will be able to treat full mouth rehabilitations. Director is oromaxillofacial prosthodontist, so residents get a lot of full mouth cases.
  • Ortho: AEGD resident can do traditional basic ortho cases (brackets), and Invisalign cases. Ortho extrusion cases can be also done.
  • Pedo: No pediatric patients are seen in the AEGD clinic.
  • Perio: AEGD resident can plan and place all single implant cases except anterior teeth (can be done fully guided or free-hand). For multiple implants, AEGD will work with Graduate Perio department and be able to place with them. Also will do crown lengthening, gingivectomy, etc.
  • Digital Dentistry: AEGD resident will be able to use Simplant and Trios and other designing software. Clinic has CAD/CAM, 3D printer, intra-oral scanners, and 3D scanner available. AvaDent digital denture is available. Probably the strongest point of this program.
  • Oral surgery: AEGD resident will be able to perform simple/surgical extractions. Partial bony/full bony extractions can also be done with oral surgery faculty.
  • Laser: AEGD resident will be certified with Laser Dentistry during the program, and laser will be available in clinic for use. (Ex: gingivectomy, frenectomy, etc)
  • On-Call: AEGD residents are responsible for on-call for the AEGD patients and Dental School student patients. Assigned one week per every 7 weeks.
  • Overall: It is located in the United States' largest medical center. Houston is the country's 4th most populated city. Good vibe and food. It is worth it to apply to the program.
UTHEALTH-HOUSTON INSTAGRAM PAGE:
 
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Hi guys!
very helpful info!
any scoop on this aegd?
Looks like they only do implants(,mini) and IV?
New York - BuffaloBuffaloShatkin Dental Health

 
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Hi guys!
very helpful info!
any scoop on this aegd?
Looks like they only do implants(,mini) and IV?
New York - BuffaloBuffaloShatkin Dental Health
Shatkin is an evangelist for mini implants and has an almost cult like following and this looks like its basically his office.

You may end up doing most of the clean up after their cases and be on call for all the 'it hurts doc' calls one night after surgery.

I think that is similar to New Horizons AEGD in Tempe,AZ. It's a CE center and there is a 'resident' there for clean up.

You could possibly still have a great experience there, I don't know him personally or know anyone that has gone to this program, but I personally would look elsewhere. see if you can get in touch with recent residents to check on how things are at this program or any other
 
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th
Shatkin is an evangelist for mini implants and has an almost cult like following and this looks like its basically his office.

You may end up doing most of the clean up after their cases and be on call for all the 'it hurts doc' calls one night after surgery.

I think that is similar to New Horizons AEGD in Tempe,AZ. It's a CE center and there is a 'resident' there for clean up.

You could possibly still have a great experience there, I don't know him personally or know anyone that has gone to this program, but I personally would look elsewhere. see if you can get in touch with recent residents to check on how things are at this program or any other
Yes i looked in detail and that what it seems.
 
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Hello! I am a current D3 and will be in the San Francisco area this summer visiting some friends and am thinking about visiting some programs out there. I was wondering how you went about contacting the programs? Do they normally take visitors for a tour/to shadow?
 
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Hello! I am a current D3 and will be in the San Francisco area this summer visiting some friends and am thinking about visiting some programs out there. I was wondering how you went about contacting the programs? Do they normally take visitors for a tour/to shadow?
Email program directors. Some are quick, and some never respond back. If they don't respond after a few days, contact the program coordinators. Many programs do take visitors.
 
Shatkin is an evangelist for mini implants and has an almost cult like following and this looks like its basically his office.

You may end up doing most of the clean up after their cases and be on call for all the 'it hurts doc' calls one night after surgery.

I think that is similar to New Horizons AEGD in Tempe,AZ. It's a CE center and there is a 'resident' there for clean up.

You could possibly still have a great experience there, I don't know him personally or know anyone that has gone to this program, but I personally would look elsewhere. see if you can get in touch with recent residents to check on how things are at this program or any other

I hate his implants, many fail. I have quite a few patients who have his implants that I have to explant, graft and place proper implants on.

Steer clear of that residency and learn to place other types of implants.
 
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