CDC Dental Public Health Residency Program

Goal

The aim of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Residency Program is to produce skilled specialists in dental public health who can work collaboratively with their public health and dental colleagues in an array of health settings to achieve improved oral health for populations. Such positions could be located within health agencies, voluntary organizations, research settings, health care delivery, or financing systems.

Applicant Criteria

Each year, two qualified dentists are admitted into the residency program. Applicants must have completed both a dental degree (DDS or DMD) from a U.S. dental school accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (or a Canadian school accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada), as well as an MPH or comparable degree in an area related to the practice of public health. Ideally, courses for the MPH or comparable degree would include biostatistics, epidemiology, health care policy and management, environmental health, and behavioral sciences.

Location and Duration

This formal training program for dentists extends over 12 months (full-time) or 24 months (part-time) and is located in Atlanta, Georgia. The program culminates in a certificate of completion that meets educational requirements established by the American Board of Dental Public Health for specialty certification.

Application Deadline

CDC’s Division of Oral Health (DOH) is currently considering applicants for the 2010–2011 program year. The deadline for applicant submission is January 31, 2010.

The Residency Training Plan

Instruction within the program follows an individualized plan focused on competency objectives developed by the American Board of Dental Public Health*. These competencies are tested through the formal examination for certification in the specialty of dental public health and address the practitioner’s ability to—

• Plan oral health programs for populations.
• Select interventions and strategies to prevent and control oral diseases and to promote 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 health.
• Critique and synthesize scientific literature.
• Design and conduct population-based studies to answer oral health and public health questions.

Each resident develops a training plan based on prior education and experience. The plan addresses competencies to be developed or refined during the training program, activities designed to achieve these improved skills, and methods/criteria for evaluation of progress. A supervised field experience and an applied research project must both be included in the plan. While the plan accommodates individual differences and considers current issues, it emphasizes application of fundamental public health principles to prevent dental disease and promote oral health.

Financial Considerations

No tuition or fees are required. Stipends for residents are provided through CDC’s Regular Fellowship Program. This program is designed to encourage training for research and advancement of science related to health. In 2009, program stipends ranged up to $63,000 (depending on the resident’s prior professional experience).

Although residents are not considered agency employees, CDC supports planned training experiences. Interested employees of other federal agencies should discuss their circumstances with the residency director.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, CDC is the federal agency primarily responsible for protecting health and promoting quality of life through the prevention and control of disease, injury, and disability. With an emphasis on scientific excellence, and by collaborating with multiple public and private partners, CDC—

• Monitors health status, risk factors, and program outcomes.
• Helps states strengthen their public health efforts, with particular attention to expanding use of interventions documented as effective in improving health or reducing risks.
• Promotes social, environmental, policy, and systems approaches that support healthy choices for individuals, families, and communities.
• Develops tools and resources for stakeholders at the national, state, and local levels (especially where people live, work, learn, and play) that can accelerate the translation of scientific findings into community practice.
• Operates strong training programs in applied epidemiology, health communication, prevention effectiveness, evaluation, and a number of other disciplines integral to public health practice.

CDC’s National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP) offers an abundance of learning opportunities. In addition to DOH, NCCDPHP has programs addressing the prevention and control of cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and tobacco use, as well as programs focused on reproductive health, adolescent and school health, public health genomics, obesity prevention, and nutrition and physical activity.

A Diplomate of the American Board of Dental Public Health directs CDC’s Dental Public Health Residency Program. In addition, CDC employs professionals who can contribute their expertise during the residency (e.g., dentists, statisticians, economists, epidemiologists, social and behavioral scientists, physicians, and specialists in health communication and evaluation). The residents also have access to resources of CDC including excellent library facilities, computer services, training courses, and frequent seminars and guest lectures on public health topics.

Application Process

The applicant should make sure the following materials are submitted to the residency director by the deadline of January 31, 2010:

• Completed application for program year 2010–2011.  (Word–97K)
• A letter of intent describing reasons for pursuing a career in dental public health and how the CDC residency matches personal educational goals.
• Copy of curriculum vitae.
• Official transcripts from both dental school and graduate education in public health.
• Three letters of recommendation from persons who have agreed to serve as references (recommendation letters should be sent directly from these references; applicants should not submit these letters themselves).

Selection is based on academic achievement, prior experience, and congruence between CDC’s Residency Program and the applicant’s stated goals. Applicants are considered equally, without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, political affiliation, or age. Contact the residency director with any questions.

Residency Director Contact Information

Barbara F. Gooch, DMD, MPH
Dental Officer and Residency Director
Division of Oral Health (DOH)
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Phone: (770) 488-6054
E-mail: OralHealth@cdc.gov

Invitation for Third-Party Comments Regarding the CDC Residency Program in Dental Public Health

The CDC Residency Program in Dental Public Health will be visited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation on February 25, 2010, in accordance with the commission’s policies for periodic review of accredited programs.

The commission accepts third-party comments regarding the program’s adherence to the Accreditation Standards for Advanced Specialty Education Programs in Dental Public Health. The director of the CDC Residency Program in Dental Public Health invites all stakeholders, including students, faculty, program administrators, commission consultants, specialty and dental-related organizations, and consumers, to provide their comments regarding the performance of this program directly to the commission. The third-party comments will assist the program in improving its educational quality and in meeting its training goals and objectives.

Please note that all submitted third-party comments should pertain only to standards for Advanced Specialty Education Programs in Dental Public Health, or to policies and procedures used in the accreditation process. All comments must be signed (signatures will be removed from comments prior to being forwarded to the program).

Comments should include the following information:

INSTITUTION: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

PROGRAM TO BE REVIEWED: Residency Program in Dental Public Health

SITE VISIT DATE: February 25, 2010

Mailed and faxed third-party comments should be received at either of the below locations by the deadline of December 25, 2009 (60 days prior to the Commission on Dental Accreditation’s site visit).

Mailing Address:
Third-Party Comments
Commission on Dental Accreditation
211 East Chicago Avenue
Chicago, IL 60611

Fax Number:
(312) 440-2915

The Accreditation Standards for Advanced Specialty Education Programs in Dental Public Health can easily be found at: http://www.ada.org/prof/ed/accred/standards/dph.pdf* (PDF–107K)

To obtain a hard copy of the accreditation standards and the commission’s policy on third-party comments, contact the commission at the above location.
 

* Links to non-Federal organizations are provided solely as a service to our users. Links do not constitute an endorsement of any organization by CDC or the Federal Government, and none should be inferred. The CDC is not responsible for the content of the individual organization Web pages found at this link.

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Page last reviewed: November 3, 2009
Page last modified: November 3, 2009
Content source: Division of Oral Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion