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COMMUNITY DENTISTRY

Application and Admission

 

Criteria

To be considered for admission to the dental public health residency program, the candidate must have a dental or dental hygiene degree and a Masters degree in public health or a related discipline.  An example of a related degree would be a Masters degree from a School of Public Policy.  The dental degree can be an international degree; however, the Masters degree must be from a school that is accredited by the US Department of Education.  A list of these schools is available from the US Department of Education website.  Additional information is provided in the Dental Public Health Residency brochure.

 

The application must be received in its entirety by March 1 to be considered for admission to the September 1 class.  Please mail all materials to: 
                       
                        DPH Residency Director
                        Department of Community Dentistry, MC 7917
                        University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
                        7703 Floyd Curl Drive
                        San Antonio, TX 78229-3900

 

Application

The application can be requested by e-mail to cappelli@uthscsa.edu or by mail at the address provided in the previous paragraph.  Applicants are advised to send all required materials as early as possible to allow a complete and timely review.  Applications must be complete to be considered for a position in the residency.  The application and accompanying information should be sent to the Residency Director.  Official transcripts must be sent directly to the Office of the Registrar, UTHSCSA.

 

A completed application consists of:

  1. Application form with recent photograph.  The application form should be completed accurately and include a recent photograph.
  2. Statement of Career Objectives.  The statement of career objectives should be brief (no more than one page) and describe the candidate's plans after completion of the residency.  Please include a description of how the DPH residency will help to achieve the candidate's career goals.  Indicate a research area of interest that the candidate would like to pursue during the residency.
  3. Curriculum Vita.  The vita provides a summary of your educational and employment experiences. 
  4. Letters of Recommendation.   Letters from three persons with whom the candidate had an educational or work relationship.  These individuals should be able to describe the candidate's suitability for the residency, dedication to task, and ability to synthesize information.  The letters should be sent under separate cover to the Residency Director at the address provided previously. 
  5. Review of a Dental Public Health Topic.  The candidate should prepare a 1,000-word review of the literature describing any topic in dental public health. The essay should reflect the candidate’s interest or previous experience.  References should be included in the last page with accurate citations noted in the text.  The review of the literature provides the committee with an understanding of the candidate's written communication skills and knowledge of public health.
  6. Official TOEFL Score Report.  Applicants from countries where English is not the official language needs to provide scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).  Candidates must demonstrate proficiency in English, including comprehension, speaking and writing.  English proficiency is necessary to participate in seminars, write the research protocols and reports, and interact with faculty, staff, patients, and community leaders.

  7. Official Transcripts.  Transcripts are to be sent from all undergraduate and graduate schools that the candidate attended, including Dental School and the School of Public Health.  Official transcripts must be received in a sealed envelope directly from the university registrar.  Transcripts provided in a language other than English must be accompanied with an English translation and certified by a licensed credentialing service. Transcripts should be sent to the Office of Student Services at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.  This address is provided in the following paragraph.  Copies and faxes are not acceptable.

     

    Ask that each institution of higher education send an official transcript to:

     

                                                    Office of the Registrar
                                                    Mail Code 7702
                                                    University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
                                                    7703 Floyd Curl Drive
                                                    San Antonio, TX  78229-3900

 

Screening and Selection

The Dental Public Health (DPH) Residency Committee will convene in early April to conduct a preliminary review of the applications.  Applications cannot be reviewed if deemed incomplete by the Residency Director.  Competitive candidates will be invited for an interview by the Residency Committee and key departmental faculty who are involved in residency training.  The interview process provides the applicant with an opportunity to evaluate the program and provides the committee with the ability to evaluate the candidate’s intellectual curiosity, career objectives and goals, and suitability for the program.  Following the interview process, the Residency Committee will discuss each candidate’s qualifications and the Residency Director will make the selection with input from the committee.  Following this meeting, the Residency Director will notify candidates of the disposition of their application.

 

Notification of Acceptance

Formal notification of acceptance will be made in writing to the candidate at the address provided on the application.  Acceptance will not be made over the telephone.

 

Additional Materials Required After Acceptance

Once accepted into the residency, the Office of the Registrar, UTHSCSA requires that the following information be provided prior to matriculation into the program. The Residency Director will provide the candidate with additional instructions after admission into the program. 

  1. Each candidate will need to provide proof of immunization. If the candidate requires additional immunizations, the candidate will have to obtain required immunizations at his/her expense and demonstrate proof prior to the start of their program.
  2. Each candidate must demonstrate that they have health insurance. If the candidate does not have health insurance, they will be enrolled into the UTHSCSA Student Insurance Plan.
  3. Each candidate must complete a background check through the University. Fees for the background check will be reimbursed by the Department.

 

Stipend

The Dental Public Health Residency Program received a training grant from Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).  The training grant allows for funds to provide a stipend to individuals who are either US citizens or permanent residents.  For candidates who are not US citizens or permanent residents, other funds may be available to provide a stipend to offset costs during the residency program.