Specialty

[dentalmarine07]

Does anyone know if you sign with military branch, then when finishing dental school if you get into a specialty program do they allow you to attend the program or do you have to be commissioned right away?

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[Tooth]

Does anyone know if you sign with military branch, then when finishing dental school if you get into a specialty program do they allow you to attend the program or do you have to be commissioned right away?

You are commissioned at the time of signing the contract. You will only be allowed to specialize if they need specialists in that particular area and you are more qualified than other military personel trying to specialize in the same area. Once they've filled the needs of the military, no one else gets to specialize in that area that year.

 

[dentalmarine07]

I thought it might be something like that, so really if you want to specialize and go into the military it is almost better to attend school as a civilian and then sign with some kind of loan repayment.

 

[Tooth]

I thought it might be something like that, so really if you want to specialize and go into the military it is almost better to attend school as a civilian and then sign with some kind of loan repayment.

You can specialize in the military. Don't get me wrong. It's just that it is mostly for those who plan on staying in the military (lifers). It is used as a method of retention.

 

[BQuad]

I can give you the Army side of it, Navy is similar from what I know.

Most services will not give you the opportunity to specialize through a civilian program before you come onto active duty. They would rather have you on active duty as a general dentist and then apply for one of their residencies, which of course obligates you for a longer commitment (usually one year payback for each year of residency, but endo and ortho require 3 years of payback).

Let me know if you want to know more.

 

[asuhdds]

3 years of payback... for each year???

 

[BQuad]

Sorry for the confusion, no not per year.

2 years of residency, 3 years of payback.

 

[SNOZBERRIES]

I think alot has to do with the needs of the branch. I can only speak for certian for AF OMS. The AF currently is not letting OMS guys/girls go civilian. I have heard it is more probable for ortho depending on the strength of the applicant.

 

[Deep Impact]

Well, Navy accepted 10 for OMS residency training. Of those, 4 will attend a civilian program supported by the Navy. Rest will end up in Bethesda, Norfolk or San Diego. Only other specialty to allow out-service training is Pedo residency since there is no military training site.

 

[FAD]

True, Navy did select 10 for OMS training this year, and the 4 that are going to the civilian programs are all senior dental students I believe . As many have surmised, it is all based on the projected needs of the service over the next decade - or so. Besides Pedo, Navy also trains Ortho at civilian programs as there is only one slot per year for each service at the Tri Service Ortho Program at Lackland AFB in Texas. Navy selected 4 for ortho this year so three will go to civilian programs unless they can get another one into the Texas program. Navy also has trained Perio, Endo, Operative, and OMF Radiology in civilian programs, either currently or in the past. Sorry, that's probably TMI.

 

[Deep Impact]

True, Navy did select 10 for OMS training this year, and the 4 that are going to the civilian programs are all senior dental students I believe . As many have surmised, it is all based on the projected needs of the service over the next decade - or so. Besides Pedo, Navy also trains Ortho at civilian programs as there is only one slot per year for each service at the Tri Service Ortho Program at Lackland AFB in Texas. Navy selected 4 for ortho this year so three will go to civilian programs unless they can get another one into the Texas program. Navy also has trained Perio, Endo, Operative, and OMF Radiology in civilian programs, either currently or in the past. Sorry, that's probably TMI.

Great to have you here. Nothing beats up to date accurate info.

 

[FAD]

Does anyone know if you sign with military branch, then when finishing dental school if you get into a specialty program do they allow you to attend the program or do you have to be commissioned right away?

In reviewing the original question this morning I believe I failed to answer the original query. Navy has a separate application process for graduating seniors to apply for residency training right out of dental school. The selections are made at the same board as all the other applicants but the separate application process allows graduating seniors to apply for the 2 deferrment programs if they want(or apply for regular in service residencies as well). Besides the 4 OMS selects this year Navy also selected seniors for trianing in OMF Path and Pros, and will most likely offer some slots for Comp Dentisitry (AEGD-2 year) at the upcoming AEGD/GPR board. Last year Endo selected from the senior class, and the year before that Perio---so it does move around as Tooth mentioned in a previous post based on the needs of the service.