Residency Information

• The program will provide comprehensive clinical training in veterinary dentistry and oral surgery, including hands-on experience using a full range of dental products and instrumentation.
  
  
• The program will provide a review of the basic science areas of veterinary medicine as they pertain to dentistry, and of the applicable aspects of human dentistry as they pertain to animals.
  
  
• The program will provide instruction to the individual (1) while in clinics in the Dentistry and Oral Surgery Service of the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital (VMTH); (2) as a consultant to the Equine and Zoological Medicine Services of the VMTH or the California Regional Primate Research Center; (3) through elective course work at the UC San Francisco Dental School; (4) and through attendance of scientific meetings and continuing education courses.
  
  
• The program will provide the individual with the opportunity to instruct while in the Dental Operatory and in dental laboratory courses.
  
  
• The program will encourage clinical research and provide a basis for a Ph.D. program.
  

1. be a graduate of a college or school of veterinary medicine accredited or approved by A.V.M.A.
2. possess a certificate issued by the Educational Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduates (E.C.F.V.G.)
3. or be legally qualified to practice veterinary medicine in some state, province, territory or possession of the United States, Canada or another country.

The individual must have completed a rotating internship or have at least twelve months experience in small animal, mixed small animal/equine or mixed small animal/exotic animal clinical practice. The internship or equivalent must entail a full-service patient care program and must include small animal medicine, surgery.

The three-year residency program includes intensive training in veterinary dentistry and oral surgery and related disciplines under continuous supervision of the Residency Director and with the possible participation of other board-certified veterinary dentists. Attending continuing education programs during this period is encouraged.

A graduate degree program is not included in this dental residency training program, in accordance with VMTH policy. However, pursuing a Ph.D. program at the end of the residency program is encouraged.

On fulfillment of the requirements, the resident is expected to submit credentials to the A.V.D.C. Credentials Committee to determine eligibility for the A.V.D.C. examination.

• Fulfillment of the requirements for anesthesiology and radiology.
• Basic research or clinical investigation, and preparation of manuscripts.
• Attendance of lectures and seminars at the UCSF Dental School
• At a veterinary dental service at another university or at a private hospital with a dental program supervised by an A.V.D.C. Diplomate.

The clinical rotations will facilitate development of clinical proficiency, skills and knowledge of dentistry and related disciplines through:

• Exposure to a wide variety of cases representing all facets of dentistry and all levels of complexity as verified by the dental log and in accordance with A.V.D.C. guidelines with regard to minimum case requirements.
• Case management with the help of experienced staff and supervised by faculty.
• Case consultations with faculty in related disciplines.

Along with the faculty, the resident on clinical service will be responsible for:

• receiving clinic appointments
• supervising day-to-day patient care of animals admitted for dental treatment
• assisting with clinical teaching
• providing optimal client service and prompt, professional communications with referring veterinarians.

Patient care and specialty consultation

• The resident will have clinical patient client contact for routine dental procedures as well as referral cases. The degree of responsibility the resident assumes shall be determined by the nature of the dental procedure and training experience. During the last year of training the resident will be expected to make primary decisions for the care of most dental patients. A complete medical record will be maintained for each individual case and the records are retrievable.

• The resident will attain a level of competency in anesthesiology by spending at least 40 hours under the supervision of a board-certified veterinary anesthesiologist. The time will be spent in the Small Animal Anesthesia Section of the VMTH and will include handling routine and high-risk clinical patients.

• The resident will attain a level of competency in the interpretation of radiographs and the evaluation and techniques of special radiographic procedures and will spend at least 40 hours during the residency under the supervision of a board-certified veterinary radiologist, at the Radiology section of the VMTH.

• The resident will attain a level of competency in oral/maxillofacial surgery by spending at least 40 hours during the residency training program under the supervision of a board-certified veterinary surgeon or a board-certified human oral surgeon. The current Residency Director, Dr. F. Verstraete, is a Diplomate of the European College of Veterinary Surgeons and oral surgery forms a major part of the normal clinical activities of the Dentistry and Oral Surgery Service; hence no additional 40-hours rotation is included in the program.

• Clinical teaching (case supervision, rounds, etc.) of veterinary students assigned to the Dentistry Service forms a very important part of the activities of the resident.
• The resident will present a minimum of ten didactic lectures or formal seminars in the course of the residency.
• Occasional assistance with laboratory courses for veterinary students or veterinarians may be required.
• Given the fact that the resident assumes a leading role in the pre-operative and post-operative case discussions, no other case presentations are required.

• The resident will complete a research project that contributes to the advancement of veterinary dentistry during the residency program. Presentation of a paper at the annual House Officer Seminar Day is mandatory.
• The resident is expected to submit at least two first-author manuscripts to refereed journals during the residency program, one of which may be a case-report or review paper.

• Attendance of lectures, seminars and rounds at UCSF Dental School is strongly recommended.
• The VSR407R course consists of weekly 2-hour reviews of the current literature pertaining to comparative oral biology, surgery and medicine, and related basic sciences; half of the sessions are based on topics assigned by the Residency Director or Supervising Diplomate, while the other half consist of critical reviews of recent papers chosen by the participants. Active participation in the VSR407R course is required.
• An in-house dental technical laboratory is not available. However, commercial dental laboratories are available for the production of study models, prosthodontic and orthodontic appliances. The resident will spend 40 hours in a commercial dental laboratory, approved by the Residency Director.

1. pre-operative rounds, which include systemic health concerns and treatment planning
2. post-operative rounds which include procedures performed, aftercare and radiology.

The resident is encouraged to attend as many of the following conferences as can reasonably be scheduled depending on operating schedule, case load and other course work, e.g.

1. veterinary dental conferences
2. anesthesiology conferences
3. oral radiology conferences
4. oral surgery conferences
5. human dental conferences

• The UC Davis Health Sciences Library is available and contains most recent human and veterinary texts and current journals representing all recognized clinical disciplines and basic sciences, including dentistry. An excellent computer search system (Melvyl) is present. The resident will have access to all UC libraries, including the UCSF Library, through interlibrary loan facilities.
  
  
• The VMTH has a computerized retrievable record system. Dental records are filed as paper copies and duplicates are held in the Dental Operatory. Oral radiology reports are part of the computerized medical record system.
  
  
• At the VMTH there are state-of-the-art radiographic (including MRI and CT scan) and laboratory services in support of a full service patient care program for all species. Operating rooms are available for major oral surgery and for dental procedures on large and zoo animals.
  
  
• The Dentistry Service is housed in the Michael R. Floyd Dental Operatory Suite, a state-of-the-art facility. In addition, a Comparative Dentistry Laboratory and a eight-table wet lab facility are available to the resident. A list of all equipment was submitted to the A.V.D.C.
  

Dr. Frank J.M. Verstraete, a Diplomate of the A.V.D.C. and of European College of Veterinary Surgeons, is the Residency Director and will be responsible for the administration and continuity of the program.

Dr. Jamie G. Anderson and Dr. Milinda J. Lommer, both Diplomates of the A.V.D.C. are part-time involved in the residency program as Supervising Diplomates.

Other A.V.D.C. Diplomates may act as supervisors either when visiting UC Davis or when the resident visits their practice, either on a regular basis or occasionally.

The resident will meet with the Residency Director (and other A.V.D.C. Diplomates involved in the program on a regular basis, if applicable) at the end of each calendar quarter so their progress may be reviewed. The next quarter's program will be reviewed at this time.

An annual updated curriculum vitae will be provided to the Residency Director.

An annual report of training activities undertaken during that year, based on the quarterly reports and case log provided by the resident, must be submitted by the Residency Director to the A.V.D.C. Training Support Committee.

The resident will maintain a dental case log listing case number, patient identification, species, date, diagnosis, treatment, and involvement of the resident (unassisted, assisted by faculty, or assisting faculty). This log will be reviewed and signed by the Residency Director.

The Residency Director shall:

• assume responsibility for staff, facilities, equipment, supplies and case load
• verify pre-residency training; (2) provide case log and other A.V.D.C. required forms
• verify and sign case log and other required forms
• handle administrative matters with UC Davis, A.V.D.C. and other outside persons and institutions involved in the resident's training; and
• submit a letter of endorsement of the candidate's training program to the A.V.D.C. Credentials Committee following satisfactory completion of the residency.

Responsibilities of the resident

The resident shall:

• maintain a dental case log
• document training in radiology and anesthesiology (verified by the supervising board-certified specialist)
• maintain a record of didactic lectures, formal seminars and case presentations at dental rounds
• submit to the Residency Director quarterly reports of all training activities and case log, to be collated and forwarded to the A.V.D.C. Training Support Committee yearly by the Residency Director.

The VMTH is committed to building strong relationships with its constituents. A major part of the residents' duties, therefore, includes timely communication with referring veterinarians and clients.

For application procedures, salary and benefits, and other information about the residency program, please see GENERAL INFORMATION on the VMTH WEB SITE. Selection will be in accordance with the guidelines of the veterinary internship/residency matching program.

The University of California, Davis, and the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital are interested in candidates who are committed to the highest standards of scholarship and professional activities, and to the development of a campus climate that supports equality and diversity.

Residents must be able to arrive at the hospital withing 15 minutes of an emergency call, therefor, residents must plan to live within 15 miles of the hospital.

It is essential that new residents be available to begin their residency on August 1, 2008.