Military Dental Specialties

[PreDentRob]

Our Military OMS thread has drifted to a discussion about other specialties in the military, so here's a new thread to continue under a more appropriate name...

Q1: If you did a pros (or any other) residency program right out of dental school, would your three years of payback after the residency also simultaneously pay back 3 years of HPSP, like it does with OS? In other words, does it work the same way with any residency you get into before your HPSP's are paid back?

Q2: Can anyone comment on the experience, whether their own or from someone they know, of being a Pros in the Army or AF? Is there a good reason why hardly anyone wants to do it?

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[krmower]

Our Military OMS thread has drifted to a discussion about other specialties in the military, so here's a new thread to continue under a more appropriate name...

Q1: If you did a pros (or any other) residency program right out of dental school, would your three years of payback after the residency also simultaneously pay back 3 years of HPSP, like it does with OS? In other words, does it work the same way with any residency you get into before your HPSP's are paid back?

Q2: Can anyone comment on the experience, whether their own or from someone they know, of being a Pros in the Army or AF? Is there a good reason why hardly anyone wants to do it?

A1: The actual training program does not count as payback - neutral. If you still have an HPSP payback left upon graduating the specialty training, then the obligation you incurred for that program and HPSP will be simultaneous (examples given in other threads).

A2: Prosth is a 3 yr program, lab work adds a component that many other specialties do not deal with. The lab work can create some very long days after seeing patients. If you have more questions about it PM me your email and I can get you in contact with a prosthodontist.

 

[PreDentRob]

A1: The actual training program does not count as payback - neutral. If you still have an HPSP payback left upon graduating the specialty training, then the obligation you incurred for that program and HPSP will be simultaneous (examples given in other threads).

A2: Prosth is a 3 yr program, lab work adds a component that many other specialties do not deal with. The lab work can create some very long days after seeing patients. If you have more questions about it PM me your email and I can get you in contact with a prosthodontist.

These may be questions I'll have to wait and ask the Pros, but is the lab work only necessary as a resident, and then once you go into practice, you can send all the lab work out to the lab for them to do? You don't have to do lab work as a practicing pros in the Army, do you?

 

[krmower]

These may be questions I'll have to wait and ask the Pros, but is the lab work only necessary as a resident, and then once you go into practice, you can send all the lab work out to the lab for them to do? You don't have to do lab work as a practicing pros in the Army, do you?

It's mainly a learning/experience tool for the residency. No one controls what you do once you graduate. In fact the prosthodontist is frequently the lab officer - the guy in charge of quality assurance and inspection in the lab. He will send other dentists work back if it is questionable.

 

[PreDentRob]

What would be the likeliness of deployment for each different type of specialist? I would assume OMFS's deploy the most, but what about the rest? Are there any specialties that are less likely than a general dentist to deploy? Are there any specialties that never deploy?

 

[krmower]

What would be the likeliness of deployment for each different type of specialist? I would assume OMFS's deploy the most, but what about the rest? Are there any specialties that are less likely than a general dentist to deploy? Are there any specialties that never deploy?

Public health and orthodontists have not deployed. All other specialties (including an oral pathologist) have deployed. Specialists can be swapped in the spots of general dentists, so although they are not specifically slotted - they go too (spread the joy).

 

[PreDentRob]

Most of the info given so far has been regarding Army. Can anyone confirm any differences in chances of being accepted into an AF specialty as compared to an Army specialty? I've searched the threads and have only found a few general answers...

What are the chances of getting into other residencies out of dental school besides OS and AEGD in the AF? like with Pros or Perio? Would you need to do an AEGD first for those?

To get into Ortho, Endo, or Pedo in the AF, do you need to do an AEGD and serve about 4 yrs active duty first? Or can you get into any of them after an AEGD?

 

[krmower]

Most of the info given so far has been regarding Army. Can anyone confirm any differences in chances of being accepted into an AF specialty as compared to an Army specialty? I've searched the threads and have only found a few general answers...

What are the chances of getting into other residencies out of dental school besides OS and AEGD in the AF? like with Pros or Perio? Would you need to do an AEGD first for those?

To get into Ortho, Endo, or Pedo in the AF, do you need to do an AEGD and serve about 4 yrs active duty first? Or can you get into any of them after an AEGD?

Everything already answered and posted in another thread.

 

[AFDDS]

Most of the info given so far has been regarding Army. Can anyone confirm any differences in chances of being accepted into an AF specialty as compared to an Army specialty? I've searched the threads and have only found a few general answers...

What are the chances of getting into other residencies out of dental school besides OS and AEGD in the AF? like with Pros or Perio? Really good odds for Pros. Perio is also good, but still quite a few, very qualified applicants with some AD under their belt. Would you need to do an AEGD first for those? Not necessarily.

To get into Ortho, Endo, or Pedo in the AF, do you need to do an AEGD and serve about 4 yrs active duty first? Or can you get into any of them after an AEGD?

Ortho - Probably. It's not a requirement that is written in stone, but two people applying with similar records and one with and AEGD and one without....The AEGD graduate probably has the edge.

Endo - Again, not necessarily, but the AEGD grad will have an edge.

Pedo - It can go either way and has in the past.

You may wonder why an AEGD grad would have an edge. Simple answer - An AEGD grad will have been mentored by someone in all the specialties and can get a letter of recommendation from someone in the specialty that has actually seen them in a training environment and has 1st hand knowledge of their skills. Makes for a stronger letter.

 

[AFDDS]

What would be the likeliness of deployment for each different type of specialist? I would assume OMFS's deploy the most, but what about the rest? Are there any specialties that are less likely than a general dentist to deploy? Are there any specialties that never deploy?

For AF, OMS and Comp Dentists are the most frequent deployers. Other specialists can and have substituted for General Dentists. Sometimes substitutions are not allowed. I'm deploying in a few weeks and a substitution wasn't allowed.

We have not had a pathologist deploy. I don't think Ortho or Endo have deployed either. This could be wrong, but if any of these have deployed, it's been a very small number, like maybe 1 or 2. Pros, Perio, Pedo, Orofacial Pain have all deployed as General Dentists and/or as the commander.

 

[umkcdds]

Public health and orthodontists have not deployed. All other specialties (including an oral pathologist) have deployed. Specialists can be swapped in the spots of general dentists, so although they are not specifically slotted - they go too (spread the joy).

the orthodontist at fort campbell has deployed. maybe it was before he did ortho?

 

[bigmgreen68]

I just got selected for OMS with the Navy. I keep hearing about how often OMS's get deployed, how accurate is that? Also, i know i wont be able to avoid deployments, but does taking an overseas duty station help avoid doing as many?