Ask an Air Force Dentist

[dudeitsme]

my recruiter told me the same thing (i'm wondering if we have the same recruiter)....

but anyways, i was told before applying that because i have a 4 year acceptance- i could apply for the air force. however, if i get into UOP i could try and convert it into a 3 year scholarship... but this is so extremely confusing because to my knowledge, the 3 year scholarship are taken by 1st year dental students.

however, when i went to UOP, the financial aid person told us that there are a handful of students in the UOP class that have scholarships....

i'm so lost!

and when i had my interview with the air force dentist, he told me that there are more 3-year scholarships than 4-year scholarships? and people who aren't offered 4-year scholarships will be offered 3-year scholarships?


can i get some clarification please???

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[oudentist]

I'm in the AEGD-1 and going on a humanitarian trip in April.

What base are you stationed at and where are you going on your trip?

 

[DMDWTF]

My wife is a trained physician, but not in the AF. If we get stationed overseas, would she be eligible to work in the affiliated AF hospital?

 

[flin5845]

I am on the 3-year HPSP. I wanted to know what the average stats are for the AEGDs are. Since now boards are pass/fail, will GPA be the main factor? Do you know what the average GPA is for those selected? Thanks!

 

[AFDDS]

AFDDS,

I just wanted to thank you for your service to our country, and your service to students interested in the Air Force. I is obvious that many folks have benefited from your words, and for that, I thank you greatly.

Also, I am seeing a lot of info pertaining to post DDS, but I have a couple questions regarding the initial phase of the HPSP application.

1) I'm wondering if applicants who are denied the 4 year HPSP receive any type of preference for the following 3 year HPSP? After speaking with my Army recruiter, I discovered if you are not accepted for the 4 yr HPSP, you receive preferential standing for the 3 yr HPSP the following year. Is this the same case with the AF, or must students re-apply the following year with a completely clean slate? This is in the process of changing. In the past, you did not receive any preferential treatment. Now they are looking to make a change in this policy. You would still have to meet the minimum requirements and be above the cut line set by the HPSP board and recruiting service. Not sure what the final outcome has been set to yet.

2) This may have been answered previously, but I can't seem to find a definite yes or no regarding a signing bonus. From what I understand, the accepted Army/Navy HPSP applicants receive an approximate $20,000 signing bonus. Is this also the case with the AF? If so, can you please provide some details in regards to the payment schedule? For example, is it one lump sum, or do students receive the bonus throughout the four years of dental school. The AF does not pay the bonus.

Thank you in advance for you help, and thanks again for your service to our country and fellow individuals seeking advice.

Have a wonderful day.

Thanks and I hope these answers clear some things up for you. Good luck.

 

[AFDDS]

my recruiter told me the same thing (i'm wondering if we have the same recruiter)....

but anyways, i was told before applying that because i have a 4 year acceptance- i could apply for the air force. however, if i get into UOP i could try and convert it into a 3 year scholarship... but this is so extremely confusing because to my knowledge, the 3 year scholarship are taken by 1st year dental students.

however, when i went to UOP, the financial aid person told us that there are a handful of students in the UOP class that have scholarships....

i'm so lost!

and when i had my interview with the air force dentist, he told me that there are more 3-year scholarships than 4-year scholarships? and people who aren't offered 4-year scholarships will be offered 3-year scholarships?


can i get some clarification please???

There are significantly more 3-year scholarships than 4 year. If you are applying for a 4-year scholarship, you need acceptance to a 4-year school. If you are going to UOP (a 3-year school), you need to apply for a 3-year scholarship.

 

[AFDDS]

My wife is a trained physician, but not in the AF. If we get stationed overseas, would she be eligible to work in the affiliated AF hospital?

If she meets all the criteria for an open job and most importantly, if there is an open job.

 

[AFDDS]

I am on the 3-year HPSP. I wanted to know what the average stats are for the AEGDs are. Since now boards are pass/fail, will GPA be the main factor? Do you know what the average GPA is for those selected? Thanks!

I don't think they publish that information. I will try to find out if possbile.

 

[r4nb]

Hi AFDDS,

Thank you for being such a valuable resource for many of us!

I will begin my first year in dental school this fall, and am very interested in applying for the 3 year USAF HPSP - to commence when I am a D2. Is it too early to apply for this? I'm sorry if I'm being redundant. I glanced over a few posts that stated the 3 year HPSP are all full, but I wasn't sure if that was for scholarships beginning this year.

Any advice is much appreciated!

Thank you!

 

[pachinko]

Hello!

When will applicants for the 4 year scholarship hear back, and how do they hear back (phone, e-mail, mail)?

Thank you very much! (As everyone has been saying, it's really great that you're here to answer our questions!!! I wish I had gone through this earlier.)

 

[AFDDS]

Hi AFDDS,

Thank you for being such a valuable resource for many of us!

I will begin my first year in dental school this fall, and am very interested in applying for the 3 year USAF HPSP - to commence when I am a D2. Is it too early to apply for this? I'm sorry if I'm being redundant. I glanced over a few posts that stated the 3 year HPSP are all full, but I wasn't sure if that was for scholarships beginning this year.

Any advice is much appreciated!

Thank you!

It's never too early to start the process. The scholarships that are full should be for those getting them this next school year. You would be early, but I think that's a good thing. Contact a recruiter now to get the ball rolling.

 

[AFDDS]

Hello!

When will applicants for the 4 year scholarship hear back, and how do they hear back (phone, e-mail, mail)?

Thank you very much! (As everyone has been saying, it's really great that you're here to answer our questions!!! I wish I had gone through this earlier.)

To be honest, I'm not sure when you will hear. The process has changed a few times over the last year and I'm not sure anymore how it all works. I have a contact at recruiting that I will try to get some clarification from.

Notification is usually by phone and/or email.

 

[kmon]

Hey I know the HPSP scholarship covers tuition and books but does it cover equipment fees (instruments, loupes, etc) while in school? Also, if I receive the scholarship will my wife and child be covered with health insurance?

 

[jctohio]

AFDDS and Others

When I started looking into this scholarship I asked the Army and Air Force recruiters why their specific branch over the other. Neither was able to really give me a good answer. Simply that I should choose the branch that I felt would best fit me and my family. Well, I had absolutely no clue what that meant as I had no understanding of the true differences, if any, between the branches. Do you know of any differences that would entice someone to gravitate in a specific direction? I have done my best to research this as much as possible but it is hard to find good credible information that I can count on. I keep hearing that the Air Force is more family friendly, more laid back, they have better living condition, equipment and labs. I have heard that due to the "job" of the Air Force, you have a lesser chance of being put into harms way in deployment. (I understand deployment can happen in any branch - its the military, and I am ok with that. However, there must be some data or evidence on if one happens more than another or if one is sent in harms way more than another in general) Do you know if there is any truth to these statements or are they just random statements I have come across?

I originally always thought I would enter the Air Force if I decided to take this scholarship. When I heard that the Army had the $20,000 sign on bonus, I was pulled in that direction because I couldn't figure out any substantial differences. Ultimately, the $20,000 bonus isn't what is important, the main thing is that if I may have a completely different experience in one branch over another that I choose the one thats best for me and my family.

As always any information you can provide is greatly appreciated.

 

[Domalana]

I have been trying to contact a recruiter in my area for awhile now but keep getting the voicemail and have left a few messages and sent an email and still have not gotten a response. I will be applying for dental school this summer, so if anyone can help tell me more about the HPSP application process and more about the program it will be greatly appreciated!

Also, who would I need letter of recommendations for? I am currently collecting them for dental school applications so it might be easier to ask for one for HPSP at the same time.

 

[THtoothdoctor]

Hey I know the HPSP scholarship covers tuition and books but does it cover equipment fees (instruments, loupes, etc) while in school? Also, if I receive the scholarship will my wife and child be covered with health insurance?

The Hpsp scholarship covers only those things that are required by your school for everyone to buy in order to graduate. For example, if a book is required by a class, it is covered. If your school requires you to buy loupes, as some do, they are covered, same for health insurance. However you wont find a school that REQUIRES your family be on health insurance, therefore you should be prepared to purchase coverage for your family (many universities offer group policies for students that families can be added to). Therefore, depending on a schools requirements, one HPSP student can come away with loupes and a full library while another only a hand full of text books.

 

[pachinko]

Thank you very much for your response!!! And if it's not too much trouble, I definitely would appreciate hearing a bit more detail on when we might hear back.

Thanks again!

 

[cgurries]

my recruiter told me the same thing (i'm wondering if we have the same recruiter)....

but anyways, i was told before applying that because i have a 4 year acceptance- i could apply for the air force. however, if i get into UOP i could try and convert it into a 3 year scholarship... but this is so extremely confusing because to my knowledge, the 3 year scholarship are taken by 1st year dental students.

however, when i went to UOP, the financial aid person told us that there are a handful of students in the UOP class that have scholarships....

i'm so lost!

and when i had my interview with the air force dentist, he told me that there are more 3-year scholarships than 4-year scholarships? and people who aren't offered 4-year scholarships will be offered 3-year scholarships?


can i get some clarification please???

There are significantly more 3-year scholarships than 4 year. If you are applying for a 4-year scholarship, you need acceptance to a 4-year school. If you are going to UOP (a 3-year school), you need to apply for a 3-year scholarship.

Hey, I know this is a little late for some of you guys, but I hope I can try to clarify a few things on here about the AF HPSP and UOP. Im currently nearing the end of my 2nd year at UOP and I was granted the HPSP scholarship right out of undergrad like many of you are asking about.
There is one other AF guy in the class above me, an army and navy student in my class, and a few more in the other classes as well.
How it worked for me 2 years ago (not sure if it's changed since then, AFDDS may have the more recent protocols) was complicated. It took a lot of phone calls and a lot of pushing to finally get a recruiter that wanted to work for me. You have to remember that some of the recruiters (not all) don't know how it all works and sometimes only know the answers that are in the book given to them...I don't think there is a special chapter on UOP, so this situation is most likely not in the book. I went to Undergrad in the midwest so the recruiter had no experiece at all with UOP. What helped me some was to contact the recruiter in the San Francisco area who had a lot more experience with UOP and was able to get the ball rolling. Ultimately I had to transfer back to the recruiter in the midwest to sign all the paperwork, etc., but getting it started in SF i think helped.

The final realization was that to apply for the 4-year scholarship, it doesn't matter where your acceptance letter is from, as long as you have one. It can be from UOP, a 4-year school, 3-year, doesn't matter, it is only a prerequisite so they know you are in somewhere. Once they decide to give you the scholarship, then you decide where you want to apply it.
In my case, I both sent in a UOP acceptance, and applied it there. I double checked my paperwork and double checked again to make sure it said a 3-year scholarship with a 3-year payback. That is exactly what it said. They essentially took a 4-year scholarship and changed the numbers.

The problem with applying for a 3-year scholarship is that it was essentially impossible. A prerequisite for the 3-year scholarship is either a letter of good standing from you current dental school or an acceptance letter from the dental school. Neither of which is possible since the board for the 3 year scholarships meets in November and acceptance letters are not allowed to go out until December 1.

Unless something has changed, for UOP, which is a very expensive school and is nice to have it paid for, the way it worked for me was to apply for a 4-year and they switched it.

If you have any questions, im happy to answer them. Hope this clarifies a few things.

 

[Act0fgod]

Hey, I know this is a little late for some of you guys, but I hope I can try to clarify a few things on here about the AF HPSP and UOP. Im currently nearing the end of my 2nd year at UOP and I was granted the HPSP scholarship right out of undergrad like many of you are asking about.
There is one other AF guy in the class above me, an army and navy student in my class, and a few more in the other classes as well.
How it worked for me 2 years ago (not sure if it's changed since then, AFDDS may have the more recent protocols) was complicated. It took a lot of phone calls and a lot of pushing to finally get a recruiter that wanted to work for me. You have to remember that some of the recruiters (not all) don't know how it all works and sometimes only know the answers that are in the book given to them...I don't think there is a special chapter on UOP, so this situation is most likely not in the book. I went to Undergrad in the midwest so the recruiter had no experiece at all with UOP. What helped me some was to contact the recruiter in the San Francisco area who had a lot more experience with UOP and was able to get the ball rolling. Ultimately I had to transfer back to the recruiter in the midwest to sign all the paperwork, etc., but getting it started in SF i think helped.

The final realization was that to apply for the 4-year scholarship, it doesn't matter where your acceptance letter is from, as long as you have one. It can be from UOP, a 4-year school, 3-year, doesn't matter, it is only a prerequisite so they know you are in somewhere. Once they decide to give you the scholarship, then you decide where you want to apply it.
In my case, I both sent in a UOP acceptance, and applied it there. I double checked my paperwork and double checked again to make sure it said a 3-year scholarship with a 3-year payback. That is exactly what it said. They essentially took a 4-year scholarship and changed the numbers.

The problem with applying for a 3-year scholarship is that it was essentially impossible. A prerequisite for the 3-year scholarship is either a letter of good standing from you current dental school or an acceptance letter from the dental school. Neither of which is possible since the board for the 3 year scholarships meets in November and acceptance letters are not allowed to go out until December 1.

Unless something has changed, for UOP, which is a very expensive school and is nice to have it paid for, the way it worked for me was to apply for a 4-year and they switched it.

If you have any questions, im happy to answer them. Hope this clarifies a few things.

I think there is a good lesson in the above experience. The US military has to be one of the largest bureaucracies in the world. That being said the US military is the best in the world at what it does and the feats that are accomplished are amazing but the seemingly inefficient way things are often done can be equally as amazing and frustrating.

Most people know the policies in their area of expertise that apply to most situations. If you have a unique situation chances are the individuals you consider subject matter experts will give you the information that is the answer for largest number of scenarios, even if it doesn't fit your scenario. If you have a unique situation you either have to be persistent and locate one of the few individuals who has experience in the area you are concerned with or look up the right answer yourself and delicately inform the subject matter expert. Luckily with large bureaucracies all policies are written somewhere...it may take some effort to find the current policy but it is available. If you don't learn this you're going to repeatedly be frustrated with "the system."

 

[AFDDS]

Hey, I know this is a little late for some of you guys, but I hope I can try to clarify a few things on here about the AF HPSP and UOP. Im currently nearing the end of my 2nd year at UOP and I was granted the HPSP scholarship right out of undergrad like many of you are asking about.
There is one other AF guy in the class above me, an army and navy student in my class, and a few more in the other classes as well.
How it worked for me 2 years ago (not sure if it's changed since then, AFDDS may have the more recent protocols) was complicated. It took a lot of phone calls and a lot of pushing to finally get a recruiter that wanted to work for me. You have to remember that some of the recruiters (not all) don't know how it all works and sometimes only know the answers that are in the book given to them...I don't think there is a special chapter on UOP, so this situation is most likely not in the book. I went to Undergrad in the midwest so the recruiter had no experiece at all with UOP. What helped me some was to contact the recruiter in the San Francisco area who had a lot more experience with UOP and was able to get the ball rolling. Ultimately I had to transfer back to the recruiter in the midwest to sign all the paperwork, etc., but getting it started in SF i think helped.

The final realization was that to apply for the 4-year scholarship, it doesn't matter where your acceptance letter is from, as long as you have one. It can be from UOP, a 4-year school, 3-year, doesn't matter, it is only a prerequisite so they know you are in somewhere. Once they decide to give you the scholarship, then you decide where you want to apply it.
In my case, I both sent in a UOP acceptance, and applied it there. I double checked my paperwork and double checked again to make sure it said a 3-year scholarship with a 3-year payback. That is exactly what it said. They essentially took a 4-year scholarship and changed the numbers.

The problem with applying for a 3-year scholarship is that it was essentially impossible. A prerequisite for the 3-year scholarship is either a letter of good standing from you current dental school or an acceptance letter from the dental school. Neither of which is possible since the board for the 3 year scholarships meets in November and acceptance letters are not allowed to go out until December 1.

Unless something has changed, for UOP, which is a very expensive school and is nice to have it paid for, the way it worked for me was to apply for a 4-year and they switched it.

If you have any questions, im happy to answer them. Hope this clarifies a few things.

According to the dental HPSP program manager at AFRS, if you are applying for a 4-year scholarship, you need an acceptance letter from a 4-year school. That may be new this year, I'm not sure. I know in the past there has been some issues with changing the 4 year scholarships to 3 year scholarships. If awarded a 4 year scholarship and you then decide to attend UOP, it can be converted. However, a 3-year scholarship cannot be converted to a 4-year.

 

[oclor]

Any idea when orders will be sent out? It's the middle of April, I'm supposed to attend COT in July and I still have absolutely no clue where I'm going...

 

[AFDDS]

Any idea when orders will be sent out? It's the middle of April, I'm supposed to attend COT in July and I still have absolutely no clue where I'm going...

They are still working assignments. I take it you are not doing an AEGD program.

 

[oclor]

They are still working assignments. I take it you are not doing an AEGD program.

Nope...but unfortunately not by choice

 

[AFDDS]

Nope...but unfortunately not by choice

I was told this morning, that you should get some info in the next few days.

 

[oclor]

I was told this morning, that you should get some info in the next few days.

I did today! I didn't get anything from my top 10 but I'm very relieved at finally finding out where I'm going. I'm not sure if you had anything to do with this but thank you!

 

[jmh018]

I read most of this forum but haven't seen this question asked yet unless I missed it.

If I apply and get accepted for the 3 year program, would it be an option to repay the first year for an additional commitment?

Thanks for your help

 

[Maka]

Hi AFDDS,

I also was wondering this. I did a 3 year HPSP and enter active duty July 1, however that 1 year of loans is still pretty heavy. Is there any sort of deal/agreement that can be made to get full or partial debt repayment in exchange for more service time?

Mahalo

 

[AFDDS]

I read most of this forum but haven't seen this question asked yet unless I missed it.

If I apply and get accepted for the 3 year program, would it be an option to repay the first year for an additional commitment?

Thanks for your help

After you were on active duty you would be able to apply for a 1 year HPLRP. It pays up to $40K per year or 72% of your loans. You would only be eligible for 1 year. However, if that payment significantly reduced your loans, it would be worth the commitment.

 

[AFDDS]

Hi AFDDS,

I also was wondering this. I did a 3 year HPSP and enter active duty July 1, however that 1 year of loans is still pretty heavy. Is there any sort of deal/agreement that can be made to get full or partial debt repayment in exchange for more service time?

Mahalo

You would be eligible to apply for 1 year of HPLRP. See my previous post to see how much it pays.

 

[jmh018]

Thanks a lot for clearing that up for us.

I read in a previous post that you made that there are a lot more 3 year scholarships than 4 year. Do you know the number of 3 year scholarships that are usually available and the number of people who usually apply?

Thanks for your help

 

[LogOff]

After you were on active duty you would be able to apply for a 1 year HPLRP. It pays up to $40K per year or 72% of your loans. You would only be eligible for 1 year. However, if that payment significantly reduced your loans, it would be worth the commitment.

So is it 1 more year of service for an additional 40k on top orf normal pay?

 

[AFDDS]

Thanks a lot for clearing that up for us.

I read in a previous post that you made that there are a lot more 3 year scholarships than 4 year. Do you know the number of 3 year scholarships that are usually available and the number of people who usually apply?

Thanks for your help

The number of 3 -year scholarships is usually around 45. We had almost 90 applications for those this year.

 

[iDDS]

I skimmed through the thread and didn't seem to find an answer, so here goes:
A little about me - I'll be getting my DDS in June 2014. I am not part of any HPSP, but I've recently starting thinking about the military as an option. I've tried to contact the local recruiter a couple times and no one ever gets back to me. So,
1. How hard is it to join the Air Force via direct accession? Does the Air Force even talk to dental students about direct accession after graduation, or do I have to wait until I'm a licensed dentist?
2. Is there a sign-on bonus as there is for Navy/Army? How much might this be for direct accession straight out of dental school? This is assuming I sign a 3- or 4-year contract.
3. I know there's a Loan repayment program that I could apply to, is there a good chance to get it?
4. If I decided/am able to go the direct accession route, when would I typically have to make the decision by? How are these spots filled? Only if there aren't enough graduating HPSP recipients?

Thanks a lot for all the help you've already provided and any input you may have.

 

[AFDDS]

I skimmed through the thread and didn't seem to find an answer, so here goes:
A little about me - I'll be getting my DDS in June 2014. I am not part of any HPSP, but I've recently starting thinking about the military as an option. I've tried to contact the local recruiter a couple times and no one ever gets back to me. So,
1. How hard is it to join the Air Force via direct accession? Does the Air Force even talk to dental students about direct accession after graduation, or do I have to wait until I'm a licensed dentist?Hard. I think the only way a non HPSP General Dentist can get in right now is to do an AEGD.

2. Is there a sign-on bonus as there is for Navy/Army? How much might this be for direct accession straight out of dental school? This is assuming I sign a 3- or 4-year contract. We are only paying a sign on bonus for accessions for 2-year AEGD grads.
3. I know there's a Loan repayment program that I could apply to, is there a good chance to get it? You can apply to this once you are on active duty for 6 months

4. If I decided/am able to go the direct accession route, when would I typically have to make the decision by? How are these spots filled? Only if there aren't enough graduating HPSP recipients? You would have to talk to a recruiter.

Thanks a lot for all the help you've already provided and any input you may have.

The AF has good retention right now, so getting in without a HPSP is very difficult.

 

[1stlady90]

If you are accepted into Dental school is there a requirement as far as gpa, Dat scores you have to have to be selected? And can you wait until after your 1st year without being asked for those requirements?

 

[AFDDS]

If you are accepted into Dental school is there a requirement as far as gpa, Dat scores you have to have to be selected? And can you wait until after your 1st year without being asked for those requirements?

To apply for a 4 year HPSP for the Air Force, you will need a letter of acceptance, 3.5 GPA and an 19 on your DAT. If you don't have any of those, your applicaiton will not be accepted.

If you apply for a 3 year while in your 1st year of dental school, the application process begins once you've been in 3 months. You still have to meet the minimum GPA and DAT requirement.

 

[dentalstudent88]

Thanks for this incredible resource AFDDS! Do you know if oral surgeons in the Air Force get an opportunity to do H and N cancer work, or if that is mostly done by ENT's?

Thanks so much for this incredible resource!!

 

[AFDDS]

Thanks for this incredible resource AFDDS! Do you know if oral surgeons in the Air Force get an opportunity to do H and N cancer work, or if that is mostly done by ENT's?

Thanks so much for this incredible resource!!

The buzz words our OMS likes to use is "full scope". Our OMS Docs practice full scope, so you will do some H&N cancer pts.

 

[Vigilante]

The AF has good retention right now, so getting in without a HPSP is very difficult.

Hey afdds,
I am in a similar situation. I graduated from d-school this year but my husband just finished his first year and is on the four year scholarship and plans to stay in for the long haul. I am interested in joining in a few years when he graduates, as it seems to be the best way for us to stay together while allowing me to continue working.

When you say the best way to join from outside the hpsp route is an aegd, do you mean by completing a civilian program beforehand, or that as a civilian, I could apply to an AF program? Would the application be any different from the one my husband would be applying to in his fourth year? I'll presumably have a few years experience by then, so I'm not sure if that will make any difference. I read something about an A, B, and C residency from several years ago. Does the B residency for dentists with some experience still exist? And if so, are they located on the same bases as the C's?

Is there anything else that I can do in the next few years to make my application more attractive to the air force, aside from working in general? And is age an issue? I'll be 34 by the time my husband graduates.

As always, thanks so much for your help!

 

[AFDDS]

Hey afdds,
I am in a similar situation. I graduated from d-school this year but my husband just finished his first year and is on the four year scholarship and plans to stay in for the long haul. I am interested in joining in a few years when he graduates, as it seems to be the best way for us to stay together while allowing me to continue working.

When you say the best way to join from outside the hpsp route is an aegd, do you mean by completing a civilian program beforehand, or that as a civilian, I could apply to an AF program? Would the application be any different from the one my husband would be applying to in his fourth year? I'll presumably have a few years experience by then, so I'm not sure if that will make any difference. I read something about an A, B, and C residency from several years ago. Does the B residency for dentists with some experience still exist? And if so, are they located on the same bases as the C's?

Is there anything else that I can do in the next few years to make my application more attractive to the air force, aside from working in general? And is age an issue? I'll be 34 by the time my husband graduates.

As always, thanks so much for your help!

You could go either way with an AEGD. You could complete a 2-year AEGD in civilian practice or you could apply to one in the AF. (If they will still allow it that year). The B program (1-year for experienced dentists) or the A Program (2-year comp dentistry) would be the programs to apply to for you. They are not colocated with a C program.

Age won't be a problem.

 

[flyingshocker]

Does anyone have a rough estimate of the total HPSPs per year that get accepted into an AEGD-1 program? I realize this will be skewed because of people applying for specialties or not accepting an AEGD if offered one.

The reason I ask this is according to the "SG Details" Vol 1 2013 there are currently 77 AEGD-1 residents and the projected HPSP graduates in 2013=78, '14=83, '15=81, '16=76. Am I reading this as nearly a 100% acceptance rate? I do realize some of these spots will be taken by current active duty.

 

[AFDDS]

Does anyone have a rough estimate of the total HPSPs per year that get accepted into an AEGD-1 program? I realize this will be skewed because of people applying for specialties or not accepting an AEGD if offered one.

The reason I ask this is according to the "SG Details" Vol 1 2013 there are currently 77 AEGD-1 residents and the projected HPSP graduates in 2013=78, '14=83, '15=81, '16=76. Am I reading this as nearly a 100% acceptance rate? I do realize some of these spots will be taken by current active duty.

The number of AEGD slots will go down this year. When we had over 100 grads per year, we were able up our AEGD numbers to 85. Some will turn down and AEGD and some will go into traditional specialties. The number will be closer to 65 in the future years. We try to make sure everyone that wants one, gets one.

 

[Flipper405]

The AF has good retention right now, so getting in without a HPSP is very difficult.

I'm in contact with a recruiter at the moment, but does this statement also apply to joining the AF reserve?

 

[AFDDS]

I'm in contact with a recruiter at the moment, but does this statement also apply to joining the AF reserve?

I'm not that familiar with joining the reserves, but I don't think it applies at the moment.

 

[ToothDoc2014]

I am on a 3 year HPSP. I will be graduating from dental school in 2014 and getting prepped for the AEGD-1 application (which I believe comes out July 1st). I will be entering the Air Force with my 4-year-old son. My husband is currently applying to dental school and will start (fingers crossed) in 2014. He will go wherever he gets accepted and we are prepared to live separately during my time in the Air Force. My question is:

1. What is the time commitment for the AF AEGD-1 program? Is it just like a normal working day in the military or more intense?

2. How well do residents balance family life with the program? I am wondering if I will be able to manage being a single parent in the program or if I will need to seek help.

3. Do you have any good resources for child care availability (e.g. family readiness groups) in the 13 AF bases that offer the AEGD-1 program? I've tried looking at the individual sites for each base, but wanted a resource that ranked AF bases based on child care availability, good schools, etc.

Thank you very much!

 

[AFDDS]

I am on a 3 year HPSP. I will be graduating from dental school in 2014 and getting prepped for the AEGD-1 application (which I believe comes out July 1st). I will be entering the Air Force with my 4-year-old son. My husband is currently applying to dental school and will start (fingers crossed) in 2014. He will go wherever he gets accepted and we are prepared to live separately during my time in the Air Force. My question is:

1. What is the time commitment for the AF AEGD-1 program? Is it just like a normal working day in the military or more intense?

2. How well do residents balance family life with the program? I am wondering if I will be able to manage being a single parent in the program or if I will need to seek help.

3. Do you have any good resources for child care availability (e.g. family readiness groups) in the 13 AF bases that offer the AEGD-1 program? I've tried looking at the individual sites for each base, but wanted a resource that ranked AF bases based on child care availability, good schools, etc.

Thank you very much!

1. The days are usually more intense for a resident. However, at most AEGD-1 programs, its not that much more intense. You will have some projects to work on after hours, but not that much.

2. The residents I've worked with have always been able to balance life well. Being a single parent will create its own issues, but none that cannot be overcome.

3. Child care is available at all bases at the CDC (child development center). The only issues you may run into would be hours of operation and whether or not they are full. I don't think I've ever seen one full. Hours of operation can be an issue if the CDC at your base doesn't open early enough or doesn't stay open late enough for you. They will open before the duty day begins, but it may not be enough time for you to get to work as early as you want and you may have to leave a little earlier than most to pick up your child at the end of the day.

Let your program director know early so they can work with you to help.

 

[MWUwife]

Hi does anyone know about how many 3 yr scholarships will be offered in the upcoming board this year? I was put on an alternate list, but was told I need to reapply for the 3 year.
Thanks

 

[OrthoK]

For the AF it's the same as above, but needs some explanation.

If you want to apply to a residency right out of dental school, you will need to discuss with AFPC and get permission. We do allow this for some undermanned specialties. You may be selected to attend one of our programs or you may be allowed to try for the match. As with many things, timing is everything. How and when you apply and are accepted, will make a difference on how you pay it back. If you are on active duty and apply to a residency program and you go to a civilian program, the payback is consecutive. If you are accepted to a civilian program before graduation and are allowed an educational deferment, you will be on your own to pay for the civilian program and you won't owe any time for residency training. You would just come on AD and payback your HPSP as a specialist. Keep in mind, this doesn't happen often and would only happen if we are short in a specialty. So it will never happen for ortho or endo for sure.

I am applying for the 3 Year AF HPSP this cycle; I have some questions. Ortho is the path I want to take after dental school; however, if I can't specialize right out of school due to no sponsorship from the AF for civilian residency and slim chances of getting accepted to AF ortho residency after graduation, then it seems like a drag for me. Doing a AEGD or GPR in the AF just to ascend in rank in order to increase my chances will inevitably delay my path to ortho. Is there another way to enter ortho residency right after graduation, assuming I will have competitive stats.

 

[aqz]

I am interested in both the 4-year and 3-year HPSP.

I've emailed a recruiter in my area this past winter, but contact was quickly lost. I know any time is a good time to start inquiring into the application process, but can I wait until I receive an acceptance letter come December to apply or are there things I can start setting up right now?

From what I've read on this thread, it seems like I'm only supposed to apply to a 4-year in the case for UoP and then it will become converted to a 3-year? Also if I don't receive the 4-year, I will get put on the list for a 3-year?

 

[MatthewLeeDDS]

I am applying for the 3 Year AF HPSP this cycle; I have some questions. Ortho is the path I want to take after dental school; however, if I can't specialize right out of school due to no sponsorship from the AF for civilian residency and slim chances of getting accepted to AF ortho residency after graduation, then it seems like a drag for me. Doing a AEGD or GPR in the AF just to ascend in rank in order to increase my chances will inevitably delay my path to ortho. Is there another way to enter ortho residency right after graduation, assuming I will have competitive stats.

You can always attend Ortho school after you serve your payback time. I know a very successful Orthodontist in my area who did this exact thing via the Navy. Assuming you can knock out your other debts, you would put yourself in a very good place coming out of the service to be a highly competitive applicant with good experience.