CERTIFICATE IN ORAL AND MAXILLOFACIAL SURGERY
The Post-doctoral Advanced Education Program in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery was established in July 1963, as a 36-month program. Since July 1990, the program consists of a minimum of four (4) consecutive years / (48) months of progressive educational experiences. It meets the requirements of the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) of the American Dental Association (ADA), the requirements for examination and certification by the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and is also approved by the Commission on Higher Education of Puerto Rico. The program is sponsored by the University of Puerto Rico, School of Dental Medicine and utilizes the resources and facilities of the School of Dental Medicine, the University District Hospital, the University Pediatric Hospital, and the Administración de Servicios Médicos de Puerto Rico (ASEM). Three (3) residents are accepted per year. Interested candidates must submit an application through the Post-doctoral Application Support Service (PASSWebAdmit for the American Dental Association).
The first year of the Program exposes residents to fundamental knowledge related to the evaluation of patients in the hospital environment. The resident will be on call duty every third night at the emergency room and work with medically compromised patients, evaluating and treating patients with surgical needs at the outpatient clinics. The residents will also take the following courses: Physical Diagnosis, with the first-year medical students; Seminars, Literature Review, Case Presentations; and the Advanced Oral Biology Core Course, which includes topics in Anatomy, Biochemistry, Microbiology, Pharmachology, Genetics, Growth and Development, and Oral Biology, but beyond the level of a dental student training. These courses will provide the basic knowledge and skills for oral and maxillofacial surgery diagnosis. Residents are also introduced to research concepts, biostatistics, and scientific methodology so they may apply them in future situations along their professional career.
The second year consists of full-time off-service rotations through the Medical Departments: General Anesthesia (20 weeks) which includes at least a full month rotation in pediatric anesthesia, Internal Medicine (8 weeks), and an elective (8 weeks) rotation that may be chosen from Neurosurgery, Oto-Head and Neck, or Pathology, among other medical surgical specialties. In addition, the residents will spend another four (4) weeks rotation under the Internal Medicine Department supervision for an experience on pre-anesthetic risk stratification and perioperative medical assessment of the surgical patient. During the second year, while not in off-service rotations, the resident also participates in the outpatient clinics, emergency rooms duties, and in Seminars, Literature Review and Case Presentation courses.
During the third year, the resident is assigned to a full-time off-service 16 weeks rotation in the Surgery Department, including Tumor Service, Trauma Service, Pediatric Surgery Service, and the Trauma/Surgery Intensive Care Units. While not in the off-service rotation, the resident also serves in the Implant Surgery and OMS Trauma Surgery (8 months part-time) clerkship rotations. In the third year, residents work towards the mastery of basic oral and maxillofacial surgery principles, evaluation of the medically compromised patient, treatment of complicated extractions, periodontal surgery, maxillo-facial implantology, benign tumors of the oral cavity, fractures of facial skeleton, debridement and suturing of head face-neck lacerations and mastering intravenous sedation/general anesthesia techniques. Also, they participate in the Craniofacial Clinic with the orthodontics department residents and are enrolled in the outpatient clinics, emergency room, and in Seminars, Literature Review, and Case Presentation courses.
The fourth year provides for refinement of oral and maxillofacial surgery techniques. Residents are expected to be able to treat conditions such as congenital, developmental, or acquired anomalies of the maxillofacial region. Must develop expertise in reconstructive procedures, understand and apply the principles of bone grafting, tissue engineering, skin transplantation, and the use of alloplastic implants, as well as evaluation and treatment of facial plastic surgical procedures (cosmetic surgery). A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the UPR Medical Sciences Campus and Mayo Clinic at Rochester, Minnesota allows for rotation of residents between both institutions. Our residents are sent for a two (2) weeks rotation on Head and Neck Oncologic and Microvascular Reconstruction Surgery during the second semester of their last year of training. Each resident must complete a publishable research project on a clinical subject related to oral and maxillofacial surgery.
Other activities of the program include clinical instructorships, lecturing to undergraduate students, cleft lip palate team conference, journal club and tumor board presentation as needed. Basic and advanced cardiac life support, as well as advanced trauma life support and pediatric advanced life support courses (CPR, ACLS, ATLS and PALS are required for certification). Wellness activities are scheduled sporadically, along the academic year, as a measure to lower the risk and/or avoidance of burn out among the residents and faculty members. Participation in pertinent continuing dental and medical education courses and in district, regional and national meetings and conferences are encouraged and sponsored by the Program.
Every year the program has consistently provided over 300 admissions, over 350 cases done at the operating room, around 6,000 outpatient visits, and over 1,300 patients treated at the emergency room.
MASTER'S IN SCIENCE IN DENTISTRY
Oral and Maxillo-Facial Surgery students/residents who complete all the requirements of the 48 months program and approve the course Thesis (CIOM 9840) will obtain the MSD degree, which is a master’s degree in dental sciences. Students/residents enrolled in this course have a maximum of five (5) years (since the date of enrollment in the course) to complete the research project and have the thesis approved by the School of Dental Medicine’s Thesis Committee.
SIX (6) MONTHS TO TWELVE (12) MONTHS CONTINUING EDUCATION COURSE
In addition to the 48 months Post-Doctoral Program in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, the School of Dental Medicine offers a special internship program of six (6) or twelve (12) months duration which does not conduct to a degree, certificate, or diploma. A letter of completion is offered. The student participates in all activities of the program at the level of first year resident. It is basically addressed to provide interested foreign dentists with basic didactic and clinical experiences related to the latest concepts, diagnostic methods, modalities of treatment and surgical techniques in the field of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. This course runs from July 1st to December 31st and/or from January 1st to June 30th.
