Advanced Education in General Dentistry - Westwood

Length of Program: 1 year

Number of Positions: 7 (6 for graduates of CODA accredited dental schools and 1 for graduates of non-CODA accredited dental schools)

Financial Arrangement: UC Salary Breakdown

Program Director: Dr. Thomas Lee

The Westwood AEGD Postgraduate Training Program is a one-year postgraduate certificate program with a major emphasis in clinical restorative and implant (restorative and surgical) dentistry. It is for those highly motivated dental school graduates who wish for additional intensive training in treating various complex and comprehensive cases. The program is designed to prepare each postgraduate to be ready for a private practice environment. A graduate of this program would be expected to have a wide and in-depth level of skills and knowledge to practice advanced general dentistry, and to be comfortable in having interactions with various dental specialties.

The didactic portion of the program, which includes various aspects of basic and clinical sciences in dentistry, extends throughout the academic year. Topics covered include all specialty areas of dentistry, physical diagnosis, hospital dentistry, treatment planning, medical emergencies, elements of sedation, oral pathology/medicine, pharmacology, orofacial pain and dysfunctions, implantology, oral radiology, literature review, practice management, etc.

All patient care provided by postgraduates is comprehensive. There are many opportunities for the postgraduates to enhance their clinical skills and knowledge in various dental disciplines such as prosthodontics, periodontal and oral surgery, esthetic dentistry, implant dentistry, simple orthodontics, endodontics, and care of the medically-complex patient. Faculty coverage is provided at all clinic sessions. The postgraduates also have access to full dental laboratory support. Each postgraduate's weekly schedule often involves 50+ hours in the clinic and classes. Postgraduates also have after-hour call responsibilities.

The majority of the postgraduates' clinical experiences occur in the AEGD clinic located at the Westwood site.

UCLA AEGD Westwood Residency Objectives

  1. Provide residents (postdoctoral students) with the necessary didactic and clinical experience that will enable them to provide comprehensive dental care to the broadest possible spectrum of the population.
  2. Provide residents with training in quality assurance protocols and risk management techniques.
  3. Motivate residents to be life-long students and to always strive for quality education and self-improvement.
  4. Enhance the graduate’s ability to make sound evidence-based and patient-centered clinical judgments in arriving at a diagnosis, treatment plan, and decision-making assessments during the course of treatment or post-treatment outcomes.
  5. Establish the general dentist’s function within the interdisciplinary health care team.
  6. Enhance the understanding of and provide experience in practice administration.
  7. Provide residents with an educational experience in understanding the oral health needs of communities by engaging in community service.

Upon completion of the training program, the graduate will be competent to:

  1. Serve as the patient’s first contact with the dental health care system and to facilitate the patient’s entry into that system with minimal specialty referral.
  2. Possess the knowledge and skills to appropriately apply risk assessment techniques and participate in a peer guided quality assurance program.
  3. Provide care in all aspects of general dentistry, including operative dentistry, fixed and removable prosthodontics, esthetic dentistry, implant surgery and restoration, periodontics, preventive dentistry, endodontics, oral surgery, anesthesia and pain control, and management of the medically compromised and geriatric patient.
  4. Manage a dental practice effectively.
  5. Possess the knowledge and skills to develop appropriate treatment plans that meet the comprehensive needs of patients.
  6. Appropriately coordinate with auxiliary personnel, including dental assistants, dental hygienists, receptionists, and dental laboratory technicians.
  7. Utilize clinical judgment to assess one’s own abilities and limits.
  8. Participate in interdisciplinary medical and dental treatment teams.
  9. Retrieve, review and assess scientific literature.
  10. Have a working understanding of general dentistry’s role in health care systems.  
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Selection Process & Factors

Application Due: October 16

Interviews: Mid-December

Acceptance Notifications: End of January

PASS Application: Yes

The admissions committee considers the following criteria in its decisions:

  • Academic achievements

  • Research Experience

  • Demonstrated interest in/commitment to general dentistry

  • Life experience

  • Content of recommendation letters (3 PPIs and 2 PEFs)

Applicants will be notified of acceptance through the Match service. To find out when results will be available, please consult the Match service. A letter of acceptance signed by the Program Director and Associate Dean of Academic Affairs will be issued upon acceptance.

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Accreditation Statement

The program in Advanced Education in General Dentistry - Westwood is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association and has been granted the accreditation status of "Approval without Reporting Requirements”. The Commission is a specialized accrediting body recognized by the United States Department of Education. The Commission on Dental Accreditation can be contacted at (312) 440-4653, by visiting www.ada.org/coda, or by mail at 211 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611-2678.

Notice to Trainees re: Professional Licensure and Certification

University of California programs for professions that require licensure or certification are intended to prepare the student for California licensure and certification requirements. Admission into programs for professions that require licensure and certification does not guarantee that students will obtain a license or certificate. Licensure and certification requirements are set by agencies that are not controlled by or affiliated with the University of California and licensure and certification requirements can change at any time.

The University of California has not determined whether its programs meet other states’ educational or professional requirements for licensure and certification. Students planning to pursue licensure or certification in other states are responsible for determining whether, if they complete a University of California program, they will meet their state’s requirements for licensure or certification. This disclosure is made pursuant to 34 CFR §668.43(a)(5)(v)(C).