Dental Public Health Residency Application
Admission Requirements
Dental Public Health Residency Requirements
The applicant must:
- Possess a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS/DMD) degree or an international dental degree (BDS)(Both ADA accredited or non-accredited Schools are eligible).
- Master of Public Health (MPH) degree. An equivalent degree is acceptable as long as the following core courses have been completed: biostatistics, epidemiology, environmental health, behavioral sciences and health care policy and management.
You must have a dental degree and a master’s degree in public health to successfully apply. An example of a related degree would be a master’s degree from a School of Public Policy.
The dental degree can be an international degree; however, the master’s degree must be from a school that is accredited by the U.S. Department of Education.
A list of these schools is available from the U.S. Department of Education website.
Application and Fee
Dental Public Health Residency Application
Our application process begins September 1st of each year and ends on November 1st.
Applications may be requested by e-mail from dphresidency@uthscsa.edu. Applications which are not received by November 1st will not be considered for acceptance.
Dental Public Health Residency Application
The Dental Public Health Residency application can be requested by e-mail to dphresidency@uthscsa.edu. The deadline for the application is November 1st of each year for the start of the residency program on July 1st of the following year. Applicants are advised to send all required materials in one submission as early as possible to allow a complete and timely review. Applications must be complete to be considered for a position in the residency.
A completed application consists of:
1. Application form: A completed DPH Residency application.
2. Official transcripts: Original transcripts, original foreign transcripts, and original foreign course evaluations (WES or ECE) from each university/school attended must be sent directly from the granting institution in a sealed envelope to the address listed in the application. Transcripts provided in a language other than English must be accompanied by an English translation and certified by a licensed credentialing service. NACES (https://www.naces.org/contact) We do NOT accept copies. If the institution sends electronic transcripts, they must be sent to: dphresidency@uthscsa.edu
3. Statement of Career Objectives: A personal 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.
4. Review of a Dental Public Health Topic: A 1,000-word scientific/evidence-based review with references (APA format) on this topic: “Access to oral health among elderly in rural areas”. (References are not included in the 1,000-word count). The review of the literature provides the DPH Residency Committee with an understanding of the candidate's written communication skills and knowledge of public health.
5. Official TOEFL Score Report: Applicants from countries where English is not the official language need 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.
6. 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 a task, and ability to synthesize information. The letters should be sent by the person giving the recommendation directly to the residency program e-mail address at dphresidency@uthscsa.edu
7. Curriculum Vitae: A current copy of your curriculum vitae. The vita provides a summary of your educational and employment experiences.
Coursework Notes
The Dental Public Health Residency curriculum is designed to provide the resident with experiences that result in achieving competence in the field of dental public health. At the completion of the residency, the candidate should have obtained fundamental knowledge of the philosophy, principles, and practice of dental public health and should have developed skills for practicing dental public health, including research, administration, and education. The program is arranged to address the ten core competencies. The required experiences and courses cover a wide range of information believed to be essential for graduates in the field of dental public health. The curriculum consists of four content areas, including didactic coursework, undergraduate dental teaching, research, field, and clinical experiences. Upon demonstration of competency in dental public health, the residents are awarded a specialty certificate.
Upon entry into the dental public health program, each resident will prepare a residency plan. This plan outlines the proposed schedule for the year and is accomplished in consultation with the Residency Director. The schedule of rotations and didactic courses will be provided to assist the resident in preparing their plan. Research topics will be identified in consultation with the Residency Director and the research schedule will be incorporated into the residency plan.
The curriculum is divided into four broad educational initiatives:
Didactic Coursework
Dental public health residents are required to take coursework in Advanced Studies in Dental Public Health. These courses are a literature review and participation in intensive courses. Residents are expected to have reviewed the seminal and current literature about a topic in dental public health and discuss their findings with the faculty member. Faculty members in the Department of Comprehensive Dentistry and other departments share their expertise with the residents.
Undergraduate Dental Student Teaching
The residents will supervise dental students during community- based rotations in Head Start and school-based prevention programs.
Research
The generation of knowledge and the application of scientific methods are a cornerstone of dental public health resident training. To accomplish this objective, residents will conduct two research projects in fulfillment of the expectation of the American Board of Dental Public Health. One project is primary data that uses quantitative methods and the second project can be either quantitative or qualitative with primary or secondary data. While the research should be focused on topics in dental public health, the work can include a study in biomedical sciences, public policy, health care delivery, or other topics in public health. The research report must follow the format outlined by the American Board of Dental Public Health,
and described on the American Association of Public Health Dentistry website https://www.aaphd.org/ The plans, protocols, and reports must be developed in direct consultation with the Dental Public Health Residency Director.
Supplemental Learning Experiences
Residents are expected to develop a broad understanding of administration, programs, and policy. These areas are taught in didactic seminars and through supplemental experiences. In addition, residents are involved in dental public health practice and provide dental preventive and treatment services in public practice settings.
Field Learning Experiences: To provide an understanding of the administration of dental public health programs, dental public health residents rotate through the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District and the Texas Department of State Health Services: Oral Health Group. Experiential learning provides a link between didactic learning and DPH application.
Clinical Experiences: Dental public health residents provide diagnostic, preventive, and treatment services as a component of their residency. Through the program, residents provide services to children in Head Start and to elementary school children at school-based sealant clinics.
After completion of this residency, you will be prepared for careers in academics, research, and administration in local, state or national public health agencies, or work with foundations, nonprofit organizations, insurance companies, and other community-based groups. The residents are eligible to become board-certified dental public health specialists by the American Board of Dental Public Health after graduating from this program.
The Dental Public Health Residency Program received a post-doctoral grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). The grant allows for funds to provide a stipend to individuals who are either U.S. citizens or permanent residents. The program accepts residents on a full-time (1yr.) or part-time (2yr.) basis.
Program Information
Screening and Selection
Initially, the applications undergo a review for completeness. Applications cannot be reviewed if deemed incomplete by the DPH Program Director. The applications are forwarded to the Residency Committee that consists of members of the teaching faculty, representation from individuals with education in dental public health from the community, and the Program Director. Applications are reviewed based upon established criteria that include, but are not limited to, oral and written communication, previous work experiences, research/publications, community experiences, potential for success, and academic performance.
A preliminary review of the applications is conducted by the Committee who select candidates for a virtual interview. Once the Committee completes the virtual interview, the Committee decides which candidates to consider for a face-to-face interview. The interview provides the committee with the ability to evaluate the candidate’s intellectual curiosity, career objectives and goals, and suitability for the program. Based upon input received from the interviewers, the Committee meets and recommends the individuals for admission to the DPH Program Director who will notify applicants of the disposition of the application.
Notification of Acceptance
Notification of acceptance will be made to the candidate at the e-mail address provided on the residency application. Acceptance will not be made over the telephone.
Additional Materials Required After Acceptance
Once accepted into the residency, the following information must be provided before matriculation into the program. 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. Learn more here.
Each candidate must demonstrate that they have health insurance. If the candidate does not have health insurance, they will be enrolled in the UTHSCSA Student Insurance Plan and will be responsible for any fees related to the insurance policy. Each candidate must pass a criminal background check through the university. The Residency Director will provide the candidate with additional instructions after admission into the program.