Dental Public Health Residency
The Department of Community Dentistry, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSCSA) offers a one-year full time (two-year part-time equivalent) residency in Dental Public Health. To be eligible, candidates must have a dental or dental hygiene degree and have completed a Master's degree in public health from a school accredited by the US Department of Education. The program is designed to provide dentists with the education to become Board certified in the specialty. Dentists and dental hygienists who complete the program are awarded a certificate in Dental Public Health. Upon completion of the program, dentists are eligible to challenge the examination given by the American Board of Dental Public Health (ABDPH).
Dental Public Health is one of the nine dental specialties recognized by the American Dental Association. The mission of our residency program is to educate specialists to promote oral health and prevent oral disease at both the population and individual patient level, with a focus on South Texas and Texas-Mexico border communities.
The objectives of the program are to educate dental professionals to be competent in the ten areas defined by the American Board of Dental Public Health (Journal of Public Health Dentistry, 1998;58 (Suppl 1):114-122).
- Plan oral health programs for populations
- Select interventions and strategies for the prevention and control of oral diseases and promotion of oral health
- Develop resources, implement, and manage oral health programs for populations
- Incorporate ethical standards in oral health programs and activities
- Evaluate and monitor dental care delivery systems
- Design and understand the use of surveillance systems to monitor oral health
- Communicate and collaborate with groups and individuals on oral health issues
- Advocate for, implement, and evaluate public health policy, legislation, and regulations to protect and promote the public's oral health
- Critique and synthesize scientific literature
- Design and conduct population-based studies to answer oral health and public health questions
After completion of the dental public health residency, individuals are prepared for careers in academics, research, and administration in local, state or national public health agencies, or work with foundations, non-profit organizations, insurance companies, and other community-based groups.