Hospital Dentistry-General Practice Residency
About the Program
The University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics Hospital Dentistry Institute offers a one-year, fully accredited residency-training program. The General Dentistry Residency Program is designed to prepare the general dentist to provide a wide range of comprehensive dental services to all types of patients, with an emphasis on the medically and physically compromised.
Overall Goals
- To enhance didactic and clinical competence and confidence in the various clinical disciplines of general dentistry from the routine to advanced treatment modalities in and out of a hospital environment.
- To provide didactic and clinical experience in comprehensive oral health care, emergency dental care, and operating room care, instilling community service by providing care to those with special needs and those having difficulty accessing dental care.
- To provide clinical, general dentistry, didactic, and hospital experiences to interact and communicate with a multidisciplinary health care team, other dental professionals, and support staff to provide for patients with complex medical needs in a variety of care delivery situations (clinic, OR, ER, inpatient units).
Curriculum
The residency program is organized to provide a graduated educational experience with increasing responsibility over the year. The training program consists of formal teaching and clinical experiences on assigned rotations.
The primary care concept of health care delivery with the team approach involving other health professionals and specialists in dentistry is stressed.
The program provides an essential service in the hospital, supplying services to such diverse departments as:
- Cardiovascular surgery
- Orthopedic surgery
- Hematology oncology
- Organ transplant
- Radiation oncology
- Others with essential consultation services and delivery to dental care to those patients who are severely compromised
Patients are cared for in two primary locations: the main hospital dental clinic and the operating room. In addition, some cases are also seen in the wards when the patient’s condition warrants it.
Rotations
| Clinical Rotation | Length |
|---|---|
| Anesthesia | 4 weeks |
| Medicine Rotation | 2 weeks |
| Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery | 8 weeks |
| Hospital General Dentistry | 8 1/2 months |
In addition to the clinical work, the program is enhanced by monthly conferences, didactic courses, and journal club reviewing current literature.
As one of the largest university hospitals in the United States, University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics offers excellent educational and clinical opportunities for the resident.
Program Objectives
- To gain additional experience in providing comprehensive dental care to a variety of inpatient and outpatient populations in various hospital settings, such as the dental clinic, hospital wards, emergency and operating rooms.
- To gain experience in providing dental treatment to medically complex patients.
- Provide didactic and clinical experiences that enhance a resident’s diagnostic and treatment planning skills to meet the comprehensive dental needs of the patient, functioning as the primary care provider.
- To gain proficiency in medical risk management, as it relates to dental treatment through development of history taking and physical diagnosis skills.
- Educate the resident in different patient management techniques to competently select and utilize appropriate means of pain and anxiety control including oral and inhalation techniques.
- Instill in the residents how they can provide community service byarranging and managing pre-operative and post-operative care for patients requiring treatment in the operating room setting.
- To increase skills and knowledge in the management of medical emergencies and achieve certification in Advanced Cardiac Life Support skills.
- To treat residents to function as a member of a multidisciplinary healthcare team and communicate with other health care professional team, for treating medically compromised patients.
- To understand hospital administration, organization and delivery of care.
- To increase resident’s ability to retrieve and critically review scientific literature.
- To communicate and work effectively with all other healthcare professionals regarding care of patients.
Call
Call for the residents is at-home call, and is every fourth night. Primary call is taken by the E.R. staff and physicians, but in cases of trauma, infection, etc., the resident will be expected to come in to the E.R. to see the patient. In addition, phone calls to the hospital are triaged through the hospital's Integrated Call Center, so often times the residents will not have to answer unnecessary questions from patients. In addition, the GPR may be called in to assist with an Oral Surgery procedure, either in the E.R., clinic, or the operating room.
Certificate
Upon completion of the program, the resident will receive a certificate. The General Dentistry Residency Program is designed to prepare the general dentist to provide a wide range of comprehensive dental services to all types of patients, with an emphasis on the medically and physically compromised.
How to Apply
Deadlines
The application deadline is Sept. 1.
Applications
All applicants must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident and must be graduates of a dental school accredited by the American Dental Association. They also must be eligible for licensure to practice dentistry in the United States. Application deadline is September 1 for the following July 1.
The General Practice Residency Program at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics participates through the Postdoctoral Application Support Service (PASS). Applicants can also apply directly by 
submitting this form.
Interviews are held in person generally during the fall.
Blood-borne Pathogens Policy
Our People
At Iowa, you will be exposed to some of the best clinicians, researchers and teachers in our profession. Through formal mentoring programs as well as an open-door philosophy, we provide high-powered opportunities for you to learn career-long lessons from these dedicated professionals.
Additionally, we are committed to helping you achieve your training aims. Classmates in your residency class will share in the support and encouragement that will help you excel.
Residency Program Director
Alison Uhl, DDS
General Practice Residency Director
Hospital Dentistry Institute - 51371 PFP
University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics
200 Hawkins Drive
Iowa City, IA 52242
alison-uhl@uiowa.edu
Meet Our Residents
Mary DuBois, DDS
University of Iowa College of Dentistry, 2022
Bellevue University, Behavioral Science
Philip Nebres, DMD
University of Pittsburgh, 2022
University of Pittsburgh, Chemistry
Eric Portalatin, DMD
Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine School of Dental Medicine, 2022
University of Florida, MS of Public Health
University of Florida, Family and Consumer Sciences
Faculty
David G. Gratton, DDS
Prosthodontics
Associate Professor