Navy HPSP Residency: fact checking, questions and advice

[helpume]

TL;DR: I have a bunch of questions and need advice lol

Hello everyone. I am currently a second year dental student with a 4 year HPSP payback obligation. I am interested in pursuing a residency with the Navy after dental school, but am unfortunately very lost on how to do so. I have been reading up on the military forums on SDN for the past couple of days, (I really appreciate everyone for sharing their knowledge, experiences and advice), but I still have a list of questions. I also noticed that a lot of the posts were several years old, so I wanted to ascertain that the information I have is up to date. Thus, I am making this post to fact check the information I have gathered, ask my remaining questions and seek advice for my current situation.

I apologize in advance if some of the questions have already been addressed in older forums/if I didn’t do my research thoroughly enough (high probability, quarantine has made me lazy lol). If this is the case, I would really appreciate it if you could link me to the forum or website with the info.

Facts: This is some of the info I've gathered so far. Please let me know if I have anything wrong.

• Best to do residency w Navy aka FTIS bc of concurrent payback
  • However, to maximize concurrent payback you would have to be selected for residency straight out of school. I have also read that you will not get selected if your orders do not line up and that orders for a station usually last 2-3 years. In other words, you would not be able to apply again until 2-3 years later after your orders are complete. Therefore, it is best to apply as a D3 and hope to get selected as an ensign.
• Orders for each location last 2-3 yrs
• Mandatory to apply for 1yr AEGD/GPR
  • These spots are not very competitive and usu everyone who wants one gets one
• Must do a residency if you want to move up the ranks in the Navy; residency is used as consideration in promotion
• 2 yr AEGD is aka comprehensive dentistry residency; doing comprehensive dentistry residency will let you what a normal general dentist does. However, in the military, if you don’t do this residency, you will not be allowed to do anything other than simple restorations and general exams bc you will be the lowest on the totem pole.
• Residencies available in exodontia, clinical informatics, comp dentistry, dental research, endo, joint commission fellowship, operative and preventative dentistry, OMS, ortho, peds, perio, pros, public health according to the 2021 fiscal year
  • These are v competitive
  • Availability of these change every fiscal year depending on needs of Navy
  • Even if a residency is available, they may not fill the position depending on needs of the Navy
• 7 AEGD locations in the Navy 1) Bethesda, 2) Norfolk, 3) Camp Lejeune, 4) San Diego, 5) Camp Pendleton, 6) Great Lakers and 7) Okinawa
  • Okinawa AEGD is closed? But GPR is still open?
  • I’m assuming these are locations for 1 yr AEGDs?
  • This info was taken from a post that was several years old so idk if it’s correct anymore, esp since it doesn’t match the AEGD locations listed below
• Current GPR locations: Besthesda, San Diego, Portsmouth, Camp Pendleton
  • In a GPR, you work in a hospital and learn how to give dental care to medically complex patients. This program is usually used to help young dentist figure out if they want to specialize in oral surgery later.
  • Is there really no other purpose in doing an GPR?
• Current AEGD locations: Camp Pendleton (CA), Great Lakes (IL), Norfolk (VA), Sandiego (CA), Bethesda (MD), Camp Lejeune (NC)
  • Not sure if these places are referring to 1 yr or 2 yr AEGDs
  • Also, this info is different from the 7 locations listed above
• PGY-1 = post grad year 1
  • Options for PGY-1 include credentialing tour, GPR, AEGD, residency, don’t do any additional training and go straight into payback
  • Anything else?
• DUINS = duty under instruction; includes GPR, AEGD, residencies and credentialing tour?
  • Best time to apply if you want to get into residency straight out of school: D3 year
  • Materials needed to apply for a residency via DUINs: letter of request, endorsement letter, statement of motivation, application brief sheet, official dent school transcripts, NBDE results, dental license if current active duty dentist, class rank, GPA, (CBSE), max 3 letter of eval, fitness test records if dental officer, specialty leader interview
  • You do not need to take any extra exams (GRE, ADAT, etc) to apply for DUINs
    • GRE only required if your school doesn’t provide GPA/class rank
  • Application is submitted via email
  • Deadline is May 1st, board meets in June, board results emailed
• Goal of dental corps is to ensure that 95% of the Navy is dentally ready to be deployed. If you don’t do residency, then you are stuck doing general exams and restorations. Everything else is referred out to those with more training.
  • Even if you do a 1 yr AEGD, you’re likely to be stuck doing general exams bc those with more training don’t want to do these tasks.
• Must get re-licensed 5 years after graduating dental school. Some states won’t let you take the exam to get re-licensed but you can get re-licensed by credential after 5 years of active duty service.

Questions: Apologies if these have been addressed elsewhere. If so, I would really appreciate it if you could link me to the info.

1. Max number of LORs is 3 letters. Do most people really provide 3 letters?
   1. a. I read that one of the letters must be from a military or ex-military dentist in the field that you want to do your residency in. What does this mean for the comprehensive dentistry residency? Do you just find a (ex-)military general dentist?
2. Deadline is May 1st. When is the opening date? Aka when is the earliest one can submit?
3. Even if my school has GPA/class rank, will taking the GRE make my application stronger or is it truly unnecessary?
4. Where do I find out which residency specialties are available for an upcoming fiscal year? Like is there a website link where this info is posted annually?
5. What are the chances of getting into the 2yr AEGD/comprehensive dentistry residency as a fresh grad? What about the prosthodontics residency/any of the other residencies for that matter?
   1. a. I looked at the list of FY20 DUINs selectees and there were basically no ensigns in any specialty besides OMFS. Does this mean that ensigns typically have a hard time getting selected?
6. What specifically are the differences btw GPRs/1 yr AEGDs/2 yr AEGDs/credentialing tour?
   1. a. I still don’t really understand what a credentialing tour is. I understand that you basically rotate through different specialties, but how is this different from an AEGD?
   2. b. How does your certification after doing a credentialing tour vs GPR vs AEGD differ?
   3. c. How does the application process differ for GPR vs AEGD vs credentialing tour vs residency? I understand that you apply for residency through DUINS. Do you also apply for GPR/AEGD/credentialing tour through DUINS as well?
7. If you do a 1 yr AEGD, is there any point in applying again for a 2 yr AEGD?
8. Can you apply for a GPR/1 yr AEGD at the same time as a 2 yr AEGD?
9. Are you able to apply for more than one residency at a time? For example, would I be able to apply for residency in comprehensive dentistry and pros in a single year?
10. Where do you typically do your residency training? Besthesda? What about GPR, 1 yr AEGD?
11. What kind of procedures do you typically do as a general dentist wo additional training? What about after GPR? After 1 yr AEGD? After 2 yr AEGD? After a specialty residency?

Questions specific to me:
Background: Navy; 2nd year dental student; 4 yr HPSP payback; have not yet done ODS, planning to do this after graduation; no dependents/spouse; have not decided if I want a career in the military or not; high GPA; no club leadership; minimal research; have not yet decided on a specialty but currently interested in doing the pros or perio or comprehensive dentistry residency; would like to be located in Okinawa at some point during my time in the Navy

1. What does the timeline look like? Apply 3rd year, graduate, ODS, residency?
   1. a. If I don’t plan to do ODS until after I graduate, will this affect the residency timeline?
   2. b. Supposing I don’t get selected: apply 3rd yr, graduate, ODS, 2-3 yrs of orders/payback as GD, apply again, residency?
2. What do you have to do to increase your chances of getting selected as an ensign for a residency?
3. What exactly does the detailer tell you in D4 year? I assume this is only if you didn't apply/get accepted for a residency during D3 year?

Sorry for being so clueless. Most ppl on HPSP at my school are air force which isn't the most helpful, since they do things differently. Idk if there was a handbook that I was supposed to read that I missed (like how does everyone know so much stuff?!), but if so please, please link me or tell me how to find it! Thanks in advance for any responses. I'll really appreciate it.

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[Big Time Hoosier]

Mandatory to apply for 1yr AEGD/GPR

I’m all but positive this is not the case for Navy. Different story for Army and AF, from my understanding.

Im too lazy right now to dive into all your questions. You seem to already have a good understanding of how it works. Don’t count on specializing right out of school, aside from OMFS. What this means is that if you’re not a lifer, just get out after your 4 year payback and specialize on your own using the GI Bill. Otherwise by the time you start residency you’ll have been in 3-4 years, add on time in residency, and the residency payback, you’ll find yourself halfway to retirement. Get the picture?

Big Hoss

 

[FutureDent020]

You have a lot of info here. A lot is correct, some is not. Only do a GPR if you are interested in OMFS. But your detailer in your D4 year can help answer all your questions regarding a PGY1 year. And yea, unless you get into OMFS right out of dental school there is a 99% chance you don’t get into any other specialty. During my 5 years I saw 1 Endo out of school and he was either a CAPT or Admiral’s son. And I saw 1 perio who got in, but she still had to go through an AEGD. So she applied her D4 year. Realize that you are not only competing with people we were also top 10-20% of their class but also have 2/3/4+ years of military experience; building relationships, leadership experience, etc.

Exodontia does not exist anymore. They got rid of it a couple years ago.

Things are changing every day in the USN. You have done a lot of good research, but a lot could change by the time you activate. My best advice is keep doing your best in school and focus on grades and learning to be the best GP you can. Keep all your doors open for the future which it sounds like you are.
If you don’t want a career in the military, they’re going to sense that and it will show in your military CV. They want specialists that want to make a career. It’s a better investment for them. If you don’t want a career you won’t volunteer for the **** necessary to inflate your resume. Trust me. Everything that makes you a better candidate usually pulls you away from dentistry. And I’m talking about the actually specialties like Ortho/perio/pedo/Endo. Comp has is accepted a good number of applicants and the others don’t have that many applicants. Prosth also doesn’t have many applicants oddly enough. Which I think is a great specialty for military members.

I’m not going to address your concerns about ODS and transition into the military. Your detailer will do that. It will all work out though. You can do ODS in May and get to your PGY1 in June for check in

 

[Big Time Hoosier]

Exodontia does not exist anymore. They got rid of it a couple years ago.

They did get rid of it. But I looked at the newest DUINS announcement and it looks like they’re bringing it back. I wonder if that’s to help augment their oral surgery capabilities.

Also, OP, it looks like the military is going to significantly reduce its number of specialists, aside from OMFS. What that means is specializing just got that much harder.

Big Hoss

 

[averageasian]

@FutureDent020 @Big Time Hoosier

The Navy does not have its own ortho residency right? The only one I know of in the military is triservice.

Anyhow, I plan on serving 4 good years and learning/doing the most I can, then getting out.

 

[Big Time Hoosier]

@FutureDent020 @Big Time Hoosier

The Navy does not have its own ortho residency right? The only one I know of in the military is triservice.

Anyhow, I plan on serving 4 good years and learning/doing the most I can, then getting out.

Correct, the only program is the triservice one in Texas.

Big Hoss

 

[helpume]

Wow, thanks for your responses @FutureDent020 and @Big Time Hoosier! Here are my thoughts to some of your replies.

Don’t count on specializing right out of school, aside from OMFS. What this means is that if you’re not a lifer, just get out after your 4 year payback and specialize on your own using the GI Bill. Otherwise by the time you start residency you’ll have been in 3-4 years, add on time in residency, and the residency payback, you’ll find yourself halfway to retirement. Get the picture?

Hmm makes sense. However, I should still try to do a 1 yr AEGD or a credentialing tour after graduation just to get some authority to do more complex procedures, right? (tbh, still not sure what the diff is lol) I don't want to spend 4 years doing simple restorative and gen exams. I wonder if I'd even remember how to crown prep after that long, haha. Like won't I be subpar in terms of technical abilities compared to my peers after that long?

And I saw 1 perio who got in, but she still had to go through an AEGD. So she applied her D4 year.

What do you mean she still had to go through an AEGD? Like they wouldn't let her do the residency unless she already had a 1 yr AEGD under her belt?

Things are changing every day in the USN. You have done a lot of good research, but a lot could change by the time you activate. My best advice is keep doing your best in school and focus on grades and learning to be the best GP you can. Keep all your doors open for the future which it sounds like you are.

Is there a place where these changes are posted? A lot of what I've found is through these forums and some via official Navy websites, but the info seems to be all over the place and not consolidated at all. But maybe that's just the nature of the game. And yes, I'm definitely trying to keep all my options open rn! I guess I'm just worried that I might miss opportunities/deadlines due to my lack of info.

If you don’t want a career in the military, they’re going to sense that and it will show in your military CV. They want specialists that want to make a career. It’s a better investment for them. If you don’t want a career you won’t volunteer for the **** necessary to inflate your resume. Trust me. Everything that makes you a better candidate usually pulls you away from dentistry. And I’m talking about the actually specialties like Ortho/perio/pedo/Endo. Comp has is accepted a good number of applicants and the others don’t have that many applicants. Prosth also doesn’t have many applicants oddly enough. Which I think is a great specialty for military members.

Yes, that makes sense from the military's standpoint. What kind of things do you need to do to inflate your resume in the Navy? I'm not opposed to having a military career. In fact, I like how the career path is relatively straight-forward meritocracy. However, I have no idea what the military life-style is like so I need an alternative plan in case I hate it. On the other hand, idk what my path will look like in the civilian world. Here are some scenarios I've thought of:

• Assuming I still want to specialize after payback:
  • Graduate, ODS, 4 yr payback, residency using GI bill, associate specialty dentist, co-own specialty practice
• Assuming I don't want to specialize after payback:
  • Graduate, ODS, (PGY-1)?, 4 yr payback (or is it now 5 yrs due to the PGY-1?), corporate dentistry to gain experience, associate general dentist, co-own general practice
• Assuming I have a military career:
  • Graduate, ODS, (PGY-1)?, 2 yrs payback, residency via Navy, 2 yrs concurrent payback, remaining years of residency payback, hopefully promoted along the way

Are these timelines accurate/realistic? I put PGY-1 in parenthesis bc idk if it's recommended to do it still given the timeline. If you have advice, please let me know!

Also, OP, it looks like the military is going to significantly reduce its number of specialists, aside from OMFS. What that means is specializing just got that much harder.

Oof, well that's not good for me. If only I were interested in OMFS, huh. I guess I'll apply for a residency spot still just so I don't have regrets and just plan on not getting in lol.

Also just for some last bit of clarity, are the 1 yr AEGD/GPR/credentialing tour what PGY-1 refers to? And you don't have to apply to any of these three until D4 year? And your detailer will tell you all about the application process?

 

[Big Time Hoosier]

I don't want to spend 4 years doing simple restorative and gen exams.

90% or more of dental readiness is exams and fillings. You will not escape this by doing an AEGD/GPR. It’s the nature of the beast. Your day to day will be dictated by your duty station. Your skills as a general dentist are likely to atrophy in the military, plain and simple.

I like how the career path is relatively straight-forward meritocracy.

Yeah...”meritocracy.” Promotions are based largely on time in service. You’ll have incompetent senior officers and you’ll wonder how they got there. It’s simple. They didn’t leave. The other part that’s not based on time in service, is how well you play their games. It’s a large part of why I couldn’t make the Navy a career. In fact it’s a large part of why top performers leave the military as a whole, they can’t put up with it.

Why Our Best Officers Are Leaving

Why are so many of the most talented officers now abandoning military life for the private sector? An exclusive survey of West Point graduates shows that it’s not just money. Increasingly, the military is creating a command structure that rewards conformism and ignores merit. As a result, it’s...

www.theatlantic.com

That said, I have absolutely no regrets and am proud to have served those that serve!

Big Hoss

 

[Lil Norkii the Supreme]

Wow, thanks for your responses @FutureDent020 and @Big Time Hoosier! Here are my thoughts to some of your replies.


Hmm makes sense. However, I should still try to do a 1 yr AEGD or a credentialing tour after graduation just to get some authority to do more complex procedures, right? (tbh, still not sure what the diff is lol) I don't want to spend 4 years doing simple restorative and gen exams. I wonder if I'd even remember how to crown prep after that long, haha. Like won't I be subpar in terms of technical abilities compared to my peers after that long?



What do you mean she still had to go through an AEGD? Like they wouldn't let her do the residency unless she already had a 1 yr AEGD under her belt?


Is there a place where these changes are posted? A lot of what I've found is through these forums and some via official Navy websites, but the info seems to be all over the place and not consolidated at all. But maybe that's just the nature of the game. And yes, I'm definitely trying to keep all my options open rn! I guess I'm just worried that I might miss opportunities/deadlines due to my lack of info.


Yes, that makes sense from the military's standpoint. What kind of things do you need to do to inflate your resume in the Navy? I'm not opposed to having a military career. In fact, I like how the career path is relatively straight-forward meritocracy. However, I have no idea what the military life-style is like so I need an alternative plan in case I hate it. On the other hand, idk what my path will look like in the civilian world. Here are some scenarios I've thought of:

• Assuming I still want to specialize after payback:
  • Graduate, ODS, 4 yr payback, residency using GI bill, associate specialty dentist, co-own specialty practice
• Assuming I don't want to specialize after payback:
  • Graduate, ODS, (PGY-1)?, 4 yr payback (or is it now 5 yrs due to the PGY-1?), corporate dentistry to gain experience, associate general dentist, co-own general practice
• Assuming I have a military career:
  • Graduate, ODS, (PGY-1)?, 2 yrs payback, residency via Navy, 2 yrs concurrent payback, remaining years of residency payback, hopefully promoted along the way

Are these timelines accurate/realistic? I put PGY-1 in parenthesis bc idk if it's recommended to do it still given the timeline. If you have advice, please let me know!



Oof, well that's not good for me. If only I were interested in OMFS, huh. I guess I'll apply for a residency spot still just so I don't have regrets and just plan on not getting in lol.

Also just for some last bit of clarity, are the 1 yr AEGD/GPR/credentialing tour what PGY-1 refers to? And you don't have to apply to any of these three until D4 year? And your detailer will tell you all about the application process?

Meritocracy? You must be drunk or high or both or first case of covid induced delusion

 

[averageasian]

@Lil Norkii the Supreme @FutureDent020 @Big Time Hoosier

I think me and @helpume are both rising 3rd year students. Imagine you're in our shoes. Would you have done the navy HPSP program again? What do you wish you knew before starting your time in the navy.?

 

[Big Time Hoosier]

@Lil Norkii the Supreme @FutureDent020 @Big Time Hoosier

I think me and @helpume are both rising 3rd year students. Imagine you're in our shoes. Would you have done the navy HPSP program again? What do you wish you knew before starting your time in the navy.?

Absolutely would take the HPSP again. Always look after your junior enlisted and help them grow. They have to put up with far more crap than you ever will.

Big Hoss

 

[mrbunrieu]

If you want to specialize down the road after an AEGD + a few years of service, how significant are your GPA/class rank during selections?

Also thank you Helpume for this post. I have been wondering the exact same questions for the past week or so. Definitely saved for future reference lol.

 

[Big Time Hoosier]

If you want to specialize down the road after an AEGD + a few years of service, how significant are your GPA/class rank during selections?

It’s probably specialty dependent, just like in the “real world.”

Big Hoss

 

[helpume]

Thank you for linking the article @Big Time Hoosier and for pointing out my delusions @Lil Norkii the Supreme lol. I really thought that the military was known for being a meritocracy, but I guess this isn't the reality and I was being too naive.

Your skills as a general dentist are likely to atrophy in the military, plain and simple.

If skill atrophy is inevitable, then what can I do to gain back the skills lost? Like, it would be hard to join a private practice as a GD associate right after the military since I won't be as capable, right? If this isn't too much personal information, what did you do immediately after separating from the Navy? What do you do now (i.e. what is your job)?

On a separate, but related note: are the skills of specialists in the Navy comparable to that of specialists in the civilian world?

 

[Big Time Hoosier]

If this isn't too much personal information, what did you do immediately after separating from the Navy?

I entered a civilian specialty program. This is what the vast majority of my Navy friends did or plan to do.

Big Hoss

 

[mrbunrieu]

It’s probably specialty dependent, just like in the “real world.”

Big Hoss

Would you know what kind of lifestyle a prosthodontist has in the Navy? I can't imagine them deployed very often as they are attached to the dental lab. Why is it that people often say prosthodontists have it good in the military or is it all specialists in general?

 

[FutureDent020]

@Lil Norkii the Supreme @FutureDent020 @Big Time Hoosier

I think me and @helpume are both rising 3rd year students. Imagine you're in our shoes. Would you have done the navy HPSP program again? What do you wish you knew before starting your time in the navy.?

yea, I would absolutely do it again. Some ups and down during it, but I feel like it was worth it. It’s definitely worth it if your goal is to specialize. As for advice, Big Hoss is definitely spot on about the younger enlisted. They look up to you and envy your position. Treat them with respect and they’ll most likely do the same. I could talk a lot about this, but this isn’t the place. Just don’t get let being an officer go to your head. Otherwise, work hard, keep your head low, if you don’t like something deal with it, and realize that you are part of something much bigger. You’re going to face a lot of things and people you don’t like, the quicker you realize it’s out of your control the better.

 

[FutureDent020]

Would you know what kind of lifestyle a prosthodontist has in the Navy? I can't imagine them deployed very often as they are attached to the dental lab. Why is it that people often say prosthodontists have it good in the military or is it all specialists in general?

They don’t deploy unless they are Department Heads on carriers. Prothodontists are often AEGD directors, clinic directors, branch directors, directors of dental services, and even XO’s/ CO’s. I don’t know why, but they are often in big time administrative roles. The reason we always say prosthodontics is a good Navy specialty is because if you want to get out eventually and do general dentistry type work, it’s the only one that will have you ready to really hit the ground running in the real world. And plus while in the military you get the fun cases while getting paid a bit extra.

 

[helpume]

I entered a civilian specialty program. This is what the vast majority of my Navy friends did or plan to do.

Big Hoss

Gotchaa. Thanks for the reply!

 

[LFA20]

I’m finishing up my second year in the navy. So far it has been great. Agree with futuredent020 and big hoss said.
if you have any questions you can post it here or shoot me a pm

 

[helpume]

@AVB2104 Thanks for agreeing to answer questions! Here are a few to start with:
What educational path did you take? (i.e. did you do a PGY-1, apply for residency, etc.)
Where are you currently located? (And which locations have you been sent before?)
What has been great? What is not so great?

 

[mrbunrieu]

@AVB2104 Thank you for taking the time to help answer questions! I'm glad you're enjoying your time in the navy thus far.

1. I'm from CA so it'd be ideal to do an AEGD in San Diego or Camp Pendleton. Would you say those spots are competitive to obtain? Does GPA/class rank factor greatly in the selection process?

2. Could you talk a bit about your officer housing situation (Pros/Cons)?

 

[chompsss]

TL;DR: I have a bunch of questions and need advice lol

Hello everyone. I am currently a second year dental student with a 4 year HPSP payback obligation. I am interested in pursuing a residency with the Navy after dental school, but am unfortunately very lost on how to do so. I have been reading up on the military forums on SDN for the past couple of days, (I really appreciate everyone for sharing their knowledge, experiences and advice), but I still have a list of questions. I also noticed that a lot of the posts were several years old, so I wanted to ascertain that the information I have is up to date. Thus, I am making this post to fact check the information I have gathered, ask my remaining questions and seek advice for my current situation.

I apologize in advance if some of the questions have already been addressed in older forums/if I didn’t do my research thoroughly enough (high probability, quarantine has made me lazy lol). If this is the case, I would really appreciate it if you could link me to the forum or website with the info.

Facts: This is some of the info I've gathered so far. Please let me know if I have anything wrong.

• Best to do residency w Navy aka FTIS bc of concurrent payback
  • However, to maximize concurrent payback you would have to be selected for residency straight out of school. I have also read that you will not get selected if your orders do not line up and that orders for a station usually last 2-3 years. In other words, you would not be able to apply again until 2-3 years later after your orders are complete. Therefore, it is best to apply as a D3 and hope to get selected as an ensign.
• Orders for each location last 2-3 yrs
• Mandatory to apply for 1yr AEGD/GPR
  • These spots are not very competitive and usu everyone who wants one gets one
• Must do a residency if you want to move up the ranks in the Navy; residency is used as consideration in promotion
• 2 yr AEGD is aka comprehensive dentistry residency; doing comprehensive dentistry residency will let you what a normal general dentist does. However, in the military, if you don’t do this residency, you will not be allowed to do anything other than simple restorations and general exams bc you will be the lowest on the totem pole.
• Residencies available in exodontia, clinical informatics, comp dentistry, dental research, endo, joint commission fellowship, operative and preventative dentistry, OMS, ortho, peds, perio, pros, public health according to the 2021 fiscal year
  • These are v competitive
  • Availability of these change every fiscal year depending on needs of Navy
  • Even if a residency is available, they may not fill the position depending on needs of the Navy
• 7 AEGD locations in the Navy 1) Bethesda, 2) Norfolk, 3) Camp Lejeune, 4) San Diego, 5) Camp Pendleton, 6) Great Lakers and 7) Okinawa
  • Okinawa AEGD is closed? But GPR is still open?
  • I’m assuming these are locations for 1 yr AEGDs?
  • This info was taken from a post that was several years old so idk if it’s correct anymore, esp since it doesn’t match the AEGD locations listed below
• Current GPR locations: Besthesda, San Diego, Portsmouth, Camp Pendleton
  • In a GPR, you work in a hospital and learn how to give dental care to medically complex patients. This program is usually used to help young dentist figure out if they want to specialize in oral surgery later.
  • Is there really no other purpose in doing an GPR?
• Current AEGD locations: Camp Pendleton (CA), Great Lakes (IL), Norfolk (VA), Sandiego (CA), Bethesda (MD), Camp Lejeune (NC)
  • Not sure if these places are referring to 1 yr or 2 yr AEGDs
  • Also, this info is different from the 7 locations listed above
• PGY-1 = post grad year 1
  • Options for PGY-1 include credentialing tour, GPR, AEGD, residency, don’t do any additional training and go straight into payback
  • Anything else?
• DUINS = duty under instruction; includes GPR, AEGD, residencies and credentialing tour?
  • Best time to apply if you want to get into residency straight out of school: D3 year
  • Materials needed to apply for a residency via DUINs: letter of request, endorsement letter, statement of motivation, application brief sheet, official dent school transcripts, NBDE results, dental license if current active duty dentist, class rank, GPA, (CBSE), max 3 letter of eval, fitness test records if dental officer, specialty leader interview
  • You do not need to take any extra exams (GRE, ADAT, etc) to apply for DUINs
    • GRE only required if your school doesn’t provide GPA/class rank
  • Application is submitted via email
  • Deadline is May 1st, board meets in June, board results emailed
• Goal of dental corps is to ensure that 95% of the Navy is dentally ready to be deployed. If you don’t do residency, then you are stuck doing general exams and restorations. Everything else is referred out to those with more training.
  • Even if you do a 1 yr AEGD, you’re likely to be stuck doing general exams bc those with more training don’t want to do these tasks.
• Must get re-licensed 5 years after graduating dental school. Some states won’t let you take the exam to get re-licensed but you can get re-licensed by credential after 5 years of active duty service.

Questions: Apologies if these have been addressed elsewhere. If so, I would really appreciate it if you could link me to the info.

1. Max number of LORs is 3 letters. Do most people really provide 3 letters?
   1. a. I read that one of the letters must be from a military or ex-military dentist in the field that you want to do your residency in. What does this mean for the comprehensive dentistry residency? Do you just find a (ex-)military general dentist?
2. Deadline is May 1st. When is the opening date? Aka when is the earliest one can submit?
3. Even if my school has GPA/class rank, will taking the GRE make my application stronger or is it truly unnecessary?
4. Where do I find out which residency specialties are available for an upcoming fiscal year? Like is there a website link where this info is posted annually?
5. What are the chances of getting into the 2yr AEGD/comprehensive dentistry residency as a fresh grad? What about the prosthodontics residency/any of the other residencies for that matter?
   1. a. I looked at the list of FY20 DUINs selectees and there were basically no ensigns in any specialty besides OMFS. Does this mean that ensigns typically have a hard time getting selected?
6. What specifically are the differences btw GPRs/1 yr AEGDs/2 yr AEGDs/credentialing tour?
   1. a. I still don’t really understand what a credentialing tour is. I understand that you basically rotate through different specialties, but how is this different from an AEGD?
   2. b. How does your certification after doing a credentialing tour vs GPR vs AEGD differ?
   3. c. How does the application process differ for GPR vs AEGD vs credentialing tour vs residency? I understand that you apply for residency through DUINS. Do you also apply for GPR/AEGD/credentialing tour through DUINS as well?
7. If you do a 1 yr AEGD, is there any point in applying again for a 2 yr AEGD?
8. Can you apply for a GPR/1 yr AEGD at the same time as a 2 yr AEGD?
9. Are you able to apply for more than one residency at a time? For example, would I be able to apply for residency in comprehensive dentistry and pros in a single year?
10. Where do you typically do your residency training? Besthesda? What about GPR, 1 yr AEGD?
11. What kind of procedures do you typically do as a general dentist wo additional training? What about after GPR? After 1 yr AEGD? After 2 yr AEGD? After a specialty residency?

Questions specific to me:
Background: Navy; 2nd year dental student; 4 yr HPSP payback; have not yet done ODS, planning to do this after graduation; no dependents/spouse; have not decided if I want a career in the military or not; high GPA; no club leadership; minimal research; have not yet decided on a specialty but currently interested in doing the pros or perio or comprehensive dentistry residency; would like to be located in Okinawa at some point during my time in the Navy

1. What does the timeline look like? Apply 3rd year, graduate, ODS, residency?
   1. a. If I don’t plan to do ODS until after I graduate, will this affect the residency timeline?
   2. b. Supposing I don’t get selected: apply 3rd yr, graduate, ODS, 2-3 yrs of orders/payback as GD, apply again, residency?
2. What do you have to do to increase your chances of getting selected as an ensign for a residency?
3. What exactly does the detailer tell you in D4 year? I assume this is only if you didn't apply/get accepted for a residency during D3 year?

Sorry for being so clueless. Most ppl on HPSP at my school are air force which isn't the most helpful, since they do things differently. Idk if there was a handbook that I was supposed to read that I missed (like how does everyone know so much stuff?!), but if so please, please link me or tell me how to find it! Thanks in advance for any responses. I'll really appreciate it.

Super, impressively long post. Hope you find the answers you seek!

 

[Lil Norkii the Supreme]

@Lil Norkii the Supreme @FutureDent020 @Big Time Hoosier

I think me and @helpume are both rising 3rd year students. Imagine you're in our shoes. Would you have done the navy HPSP program again? What do you wish you knew before starting your time in the navy.?

Yes although navy(or military in general) is bs day after day its same bs you find in every large organization and as dentists we are naturally egomaniacal aholes and taking orders from another ego ahole can be a hard pill to swallow sometimes but you do get to make some good friends think of it as 4yr residency in bs-ology while getting full benefits and graduate with gi bill and disability and realization how tax money can be wasted if you accept hpsp strongly consider doing specialty residency after you get out odds are your skills will be behind new grads by then

 

[shinji]

Questions specific to me:
Background: Navy; 2nd year dental student; 4 yr HPSP payback; have not yet done ODS, planning to do this after graduation; no dependents/spouse; have not decided if I want a career in the military or not; high GPA; no club leadership; minimal research; have not yet decided on a specialty but currently interested in doing the pros or perio or comprehensive dentistry residency; would like to be located in Okinawa at some point during my time in the Navy

1. What does the timeline look like? Apply 3rd year, graduate, ODS, residency?
   • That's the typical timeline for people go into residency straight from dental schools.
     • The projected released date of DUINS FY2022 application will be in Feb-Mar 2021 through Weekly Dental Update, and the deadline is likely May 1st, 2021.
   • If I don’t plan to do ODS until after I graduate, will this affect the residency timeline?
     • Very unlikely.
   • b. Supposing I don’t get selected: apply 3rd yr, graduate, ODS, 2-3 yrs of orders/payback as GD, apply again, residency?
     • Most applicants don't get selected for the first time.
     • Plan B: apply 4th yr (again), graduate, ODS, 1 yr GPR/AEGD or credentialing, then residency.
2. What do you have to do to increase your chances of getting selected as an ensign for a residency?
   • Externship and get to know the specialty leaders (pros, perio, and comp)
3. What exactly does the detailer tell you in D4 year? I assume this is only if you didn't apply/get accepted for a residency during D3 year?
   • Timeline in your case: DUINS application released in 2-3/2021, DUINS results released in 6-7/2021, AEGD/GPR application released in 8-9/2021, AEGD/GPR results released in 12/2021, contact your detailer in 1/2022 if you didn't get selected for DUINS and AEGD/GPR.

You will have no problem to be assigned to Okinawa. Your detailer will be pleased to send you to Oki.

PM me if you have additional questions.

Take care.

 

[Big Time Hoosier]

What exactly does the detailer tell you in D4 year?

“Congratulations on a great set of orders to Twentynine Palms!”

Big Hoss

 

[SirBrotherJam]

Another thing to consider is that they are cutting not only billets across the board, but also the retention bonuses for most specialties are being reduced. Unless you really want to stay in(which is perfectly respectable) I would do your payback, use the GI Bill and get a free specialty training and live where you want too. If you still have a desire to serve after that you can do guard or reserves. Best of luck with whatever you decide!