Milwaukee Veterans Affairs Medical Center General Dental Practice Residency:

The Milwaukee VA Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) Residency is a one-year post-doctorate dental education program designed to facilitate the professional growth of the recent dental graduate. It is designed to mentor competency, proficiency and confidence in various dental specialties; manage medically compromised dental patients and to help the resident function effectively in multiple dental settings including the hospital environment. For over 35 years the Clement J. Zablocki Medical Center in Milwaukee Wisconsin has provided excellence in post doctorate dental education. Our current educational staff is extremely proud of this heritage of excellence. Four talented residents are enrolled each year with a stipend of approximately $43,000 including benefits and vacation time.

The objective of this Residency is to enhance the professional growth and development of individuals who truly desire to be exceptional primary dental health care doctors and are not satisfied with simple procedural mechanics. The residency is patient oriented and clinically focused. Chair-side instruction is an educational priority. The teaching staff believes that its role is to help each resident refine raw clinical competencies and then challenge the resident’s clinical understanding and decision-making capabilities. The staff is comprised of a periodontist, 3 prosthodontists, 2 general dentists, and a maxillo facial oral surgeon. All training is conducted under the direction and supervision of full-time and part time staff. Interested residents may pursue program enhancements through in the departments of Anesthesia, Medicine and Emergency services. Attending instructors are educationally qualified and are present during clinic and lecture sessions for consultation.

Lectures are conducted throughout the year to build upon the knowledge gained from dental school. Residents will learn new and different clinical procedures, but training goes beyond the “how-to” focus of dental school and provides the opportunity to understand treatment rationales. New developments are explored through current literature review and comprehensive patient management seminars. Excellent library facilities are available at the Medical Center itself and through the Medical College of Wisconsin.

The program is demanding. Residents are expected to use non-clinic time to review journal articles, prepare treatment plans, and create presentations. This residency is neither a “fifth year” of dental school nor a year of unsupervised practice. The patients are complex and the standards are high. It is expected that residents will work efficiently as the needs of our veteran population are extensive, yet the overriding emphasis is on quality, not quantity. The dedicated and energetic resident will find unlimited opportunities to excel. The Milwaukee VA General Dentistry Residency is committed to our role in training the next generation of dental health care leaders

Applications

Applicants may apply during their senior year of dental school. The applicant must be enrolled in or a graduate of an American Dental Association accredited dental school and have passed parts I and II of the Dental National Board. Applicants must be United States citizens. A state license in not required but it is encouraged.

Applications may be filed through the Postdoctoral Applications Support Service (PASS) sponsored by the American Association of Dental Schools. This system relieves the applicant of completing multiple and repetitive applications to individual programs by allowing the applicant to file one standardized application with this centralized service. Applications should be received by PASS by October 15. Please note, this program simply facilitates the application process and has no impact upon the selection process. Information and PASS application forms and instructions can be obtained online at http://www.adea.org/.

A second application mechanism for interested candidates is to apply directly to the program.

Clement J. Zablocki
VA Medical Center
c/o Dental AEGD Program Director
5000 W. National Avenue
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53295
john.ramer@va.gov
(414) 384-2000 x42965

In addition to the material requested by PASS, please send the following materials directly to our dental service at the address listed above.

•  VA Residency Application Form 10-2650b
• Resume
• Head and shoulders photograph

Please note: This program does NOT participate in the National Matching Service (MATCH) sponsored by the American Association of Hospital Dentists.

Candidates are selected based upon academic records, letters of recommendation, and a personal interview.

The prospective resident is reminded that significant variation exists between accredited programs in terms of personnel, resources, and patient demographics. The prospective resident must assess programs on an individual basis to determine whether the program structure and personality will satisfy their objectives in seeking additional professional education. A personal visit and interview is essential to achieve this goal.