Advanced Education in General Dentistry

Program Director

Jan Mitchell, DDS,

Associate Professor

Admission Requirements:
Dentists graduated from accredited United States and Canadian or other international dental schools that possess equivalent educational background and standing are eligible for admission to the Advanced Education Program in the Advanced Education in General Dentistry Program.  Applicants must be a citizen, a non-citizen national or a foreign national having in his/her possession a visa permitting permanent residence in the United States.

The Certificate Program
The Advanced Education in General Dentistry Program at the Medical College of Georgia is a one-year educational program leading to a certificate.  The program is designed to provide clinical and didactic experience at the postdoctoral level.  The instruction and experience provided are intended to prepare residents to meet the oral health needs of a broad range of patients. 

Goals and Objectives
This Advanced Education in General Dentistry Program is designed to provide training beyond the level of pre-doctoral education in oral health care, using applied basic and behavioral sciences.  Education in this program is based on the concept that oral health is an integral and interactive part of total health.  This program is designed to expand the scope and depth of the graduates’ knowledge and skills to enable them to provide comprehensive oral health care to a wide range of population groups.

The goals of this program include preparation of the graduate to:

1. Develop treatment plans for patients with complex, multidisciplinary dental needs; act as primary care provider for all but specialty level care; work within interdisciplinary health care teams while maintaining overall coordinating responsibility for care. 
2. Develop the ability to select materials and procedures based on an understanding of rationales and evidence.
3. Apply concepts of practice management and quality improvement to provide care in an efficient, caring, and successful practice. 
4. Continue to develop clinical expertise by using critical thinking and evidence based clinical decision-making by treating patients with a wider variety of materials and techniques.
5. Utilize the values of professional ethics, lifelong learning, patient centered care, adaptability, and acceptance of cultural diversity in professional practice.
6. Understand the oral health needs of communities and engage in community services.

Tuition, Stipends, Equipment and Benefits

Tuition:  There is no tuition associated with the Certificate Program in general dentistry.  If the resident is enrolled in the Master of Science in Oral Biology degree program, he/she must pay tuition for courses taken through the School of Graduate Studies.  Information concerning the Graduate School is available at: http://www.mcg.edu/gradstudies/oral.htm

Stipends:  This varies from year to year.

Equipment:  All supplies and equipment associated with the clinical program are provided by the institution.

Benefits:  The School of Dentistry provides malpractice insurance coverage for residents while providing patient care at the Medical College of Georgia.  This insurance does not cover any outside dental practice.  Residents are eligible for health care insurance if they pay a monthly co-premium.  General practice residents are entitled to MCG employee holidays, though assignments for emergency coverage must be maintained.  Residents are entitled to 10 days vacation/personal leave.  Residents may be eligible for other MCG benefits.

The Facilities
There are resident offices and clinics dedicated to the program with access to laboratory facilities on site. Other clinical sites may also be used to expand the patient base. Full time dental assistants are assigned to the residents in the clinic.

The Curriculum
The Advanced Education in General Dentistry Program includes didactic training and advanced clinical experience in diagnostic sciences, endodontics, implant dentistry, oral surgery, pediatric dentistry, periodontics, preventive dentistry, prosthodontics (fixed and removable), restorative dentistry and special needs dentistry. The majority of the resident’s time is devoted to advanced clinical training in ambulatory care settings.  

Selection and Admissions Policies
Following the submission of a completed application and the required supporting materials, candidates files are reviewed by the AEGD Selection Committee.  This committee consists of the Program Director and other faculty members. Only graduates of a dental school which is accredited by the American Dental Association are considered.  Selection will be based on the following criteria:

1. GPA/Class Rank in dental school
2. Candidate Essay
3. Letters of recommendation which address the individual’s scholastic potential, clinical abilities and personal characteristics.

Candidates who are ultimately considered for the AEGD are required to participate in a personal interview.  Final selection will be based upon these criteria.

The Medical College of Georgia is an affirmative action/equal opportunity educational institution that prohibits discrimination on the basis of age, disability, gender, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, or status as a Vietnam War Era veteran.