The dental residency program at FAHC emphasizes resident-patient interactions through the residents performing dental procedures on patients. The residents get their clinical training by working in two offices, the Dental Center and the private dental office of Dr. Richard Wollensak.

The Dental Center is a new seven chair office that includes two hygiene rooms, and five treatment rooms. One treatment room is designated for oral surgical procedures. It is equipped with a portable Nitrus Oxide Machine and a Kavo electric handpiece. Another room is designated for endodontic procedures. This room is equipped with an apex locator and a rotary endodontic handpiece. All seven rooms have x-ray units in them. A new Panoramic x-ray machine is also available. There are currently four dental assistants, two hygienists, a receptionist, and an office manager that staff The Dental Center. The Dental Center has over 4000 patient charts. A dental assistant will always be provided to the dental resident. The dental residents will spend over 60% of their residency training at The Dental Center.

Dr. Richard Wollensak is a faculty member and former resident of the GPR program. He practices in two locations in Vermont. The dental residents will be working out of his Barre, Vermont practice, a three chair practice in a more rural part of Vermont. An assistant will be provided for the dental resident. The residents will be working out of this office two days a week while on their AHEC/Rural rotation and one day a week while they are on their Anesthesia rotation.

General Objectives

1. Expose the residents to all clinical aspects of general dentistry including: periodontics, pedodontics, orthodontics, prosthodontics, endodontics, operative dentistry and oral surgery.

2. Increasing the knowledge base of the residents in a wide variety of general dentistry and hospital subjects by the end of the GPR program.

3. Residents will spend at least 60% of their time in a clinic setting, working on dental patients.

4. Patient records will be at least 90% accurate and complete.

5. Residents will be better able to diagnose and treatment plan simple to complex clinical cases by the end of the GPR program.

6. Residents will obtain timely proficiencies in identified areas of general dentistry.

7. Expose the residents to orthognathis and TMJ surgeries that are done in a hospital setting. This includes working up cases with the oral surgeons pre-operatively in their offices.

8. Residents will be exposed clinically and in the hospital to all forms of exodontia which include: extraction of wisdom teeth, full mouth extractions, surgical and simple extractions of single or multiple teeth.

9. Residents will learn and practice the basic principles of history taking so as to gain medical knowledge as is essential in treating the medically compromised patient.

10. Expose the residents to hospital in-patients so they are educated in hospital paperwork, consults, pharmacology, and pain control.

11. Residents will be able to diagnose, treatment plan and help treat dental trauma emergencies.

12. At least 75% of our GPR alumni will go into general practice.

13. At least 10 % of GPR alumni will maintain privileges at a hospital.

14. Residents will gain experience working in an under-served area, treating patients who would otherwise not receive dental treatment.

15. Complications will be 10% or lower for all dentistry performed in the clinic setting.

16. Review of the GPR program will take place every four months.

17. Residents will perceive that the program faculty are helpful and contribute in a positive way to the GPR program.

18. Residents will be able to present and possibly publish a unique clinic case that they worked on during their GPR training. These presentations may include slides taken by a resident and/or faculty member.

19. Suggestions will be made by the residents throughout the year. Some of these suggestions will be implemented to help further improve the residency program.

20. Residents will learn certain anesthesia skills such as intubating techniques, and starting IVs while on their anesthesia rotation.

21. Experience will be gained in an emergency room setting working up patients with medical problems while on their emergency room rotation.

22. Residents will gain experience in physical diagnosis though lectures and working with physicians and oral surgeons when a history and physical needs to be performed on a clinic patient, or a hospitalized patient.

23. Residents will work with dental assistants and dental hygienists at all times while they work in a clinical setting.

The average number of procedures listed below were done in residency years 1998-1999 and 1999-2000:

Root canal - 14 teeth/resident
Crown and Bridge - 13 units/resident
Extractions - 105 teeth/resident
Removable Prosthodontics - 20 arches/resident
Restorations - 360 restoration/resident (includes both amalgam and composite resin)

72 patients were admitted under Dentistry/Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery during 1999-2000.

136 patients were seen in the ER by the dental residents on call during 1999-2000.

The GPR is currently working to provide each resident with helping place and then restore two implant cases per year.