Dental Medicine – General Practice

Welcome

The mission of the Department of Dental Medicine and Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery is to educate and prepare General Dental Residents and Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Residents for careers in a diverse and changing health care environment. Implicit in this mission is a commitment to educate residents and provide an outstanding clinical experience. The Department of Dental Medicine and Oral Surgery also renders routine and emergency oral health care to the community, and supports the patient population within the hospital.

The curriculum in both of our fully-accredited residency programs reflects the core values of the profession in private and public health care settings. It creates a humanistic educational environment that facilitates the development of responsible and ethical health professionals, who provide excellent oral health care while meeting the special needs of our patients. Our faculty provides educational and clinical instruction in all dental disciplines. The program strives to produce graduates who will advance the professional practice of General Dentistry and Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, and while improving oral health as well as overall health through clinical care and scholarly activities. Graduates will have the skills of self-assessment and scientific methodology that ensure lifelong learning.

We appreciate your interest and look forward to hearing from you.

Kenneth Paticoff, DDS
Chair, Department of Dental Medicine and Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery

Rahila Ahmed, DDS
Program Director, General Practice Dentistry

Program Description

The Department of Dental Medicine and Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery sponsors a CODA-accredited General Practice Residency training program, a one-year curriculum of advanced training. This comprehensive training conforms to the standards set forth by the Commission on Dental Accreditation. Experiences include extensive didactic and clinical training in dentistry, and rotations to oral surgery, anesthesia and emergency medicine.

The residents participate in the care of inpatients and outpatients, and receive supervised instruction and practice on a post-graduate scale in Restorative Dentistry Prosthodontics (including Implantology), Oral Surgery, Endodontics, Orthodontics, Pedodontics, Periodontics, Oral Pathology, Oral Medicine, Treatment Planning, Emergency Medicine, IV Sedation and Physical Evaluation.

The principal objective is to broaden the residents’ perspective by affording them the following opportunities:

• To treat and observe conditions not commonly encountered in undergraduate clinics.
• To render emergency and comprehensive care.
• To enhance their knowledge of the oral tissues and the various physiological systems in relation to disease and traumatic conditions.
• To become familiar with the various allied medical sections in the hospital.

Goals and Objectives of the Program

Didactic and clinical training is provided to ensure that upon completion of the program, the PGY-1 resident will be able to:

• Provide multidisciplinary comprehensive, preventative and emergency oral health care to all patient population, including patients with special needs.
• Apply concepts of practice management and quality improvement.
• Function effectively within a hospital setting across all disciplines and communicate effectively within interdisciplinary health care teams.
• Apply scientific principles, critical thinking skills, and evidence – or outcome-based clinical decision-making.
• Promote the principles of professional ethics, patient-centered care and cultural diversity in the everyday practice of Dentistry.
• Understand the oral health needs of the community and engage in community service by using the skill set acquired and resources available to provide oral health education, oral screenings and develop relationships with the community.

Curriculum

The program’s curriculum provides didactic and clinical instruction in all aspects of dentistry, including but not limited to, the following areas:

Sedation, Pain and Anxiety Control
Operative Dentistry
Restoration of the Edentulous Space
Periodontal Therapy
Endodontic Therapy
Oral Surgery
Evaluation and Treatment of Dental Emergencies
Acting as a Primary Oral Health Care Provider
Pediatric Dentistry
Orthodontic Therapy

All sub-specialties are taught by Board-Certified Specialists.

As a result of these training procedures we believe that our residents’ clinical judgment and technical ability will be enhanced to such a degree that, upon completion of training, they will become more proficient dentists, able to render excellent service to their patients. Our attending staff has been carefully selected in order that the highest quality of training can be delivered to the resident. Directors of the various divisions have completed post-graduate training in their respective specialties, and several are Diplomates of the American Boards. Attendance and participation are required for all staff meetings, including seminars, symposia, guest lectures and continuing-education conferences. Regional dental meetings will be attended at the discretion of the Program Director.

Successful completion of the Program will satisfy the NYS requirement to obtain a dental license. An optional second-year position is available to individuals who have successfully completed a one-year residency.  This position offers the resident the opportunity to work closely with specialist attendings in their particular area(s) of interest.  The second-year resident will be given an enhanced caseload which will offer the opportunity to further increase exposure to complex cases.

PGY2 Goals and Objectives

Faculty

Kenneth Paticoff, DDS – Nassau University Medical Center
Rahila Ahmed, DDS – Nassau University Medical Center
Harrison Dai, DDS – Nassau University Medical Center
Oren Richman, DDS MD – Nassau University Medical Center
Eileen Chun, DDS – Nassau University Medical Center

Useful Links

• Academy of General Dentistry
• American Dental Association
• American Board of Pediatric Dentistry
• American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry
• Special Care Dentistry