Residency and Education

Section of Dental Medicine

General Practice Residency Program

Program Goals and Objectives

• Provide advanced training such that the resident develops the clinical judgment and diagnostic ability necessary to practice a full scope of general dentistry. Provide extensive clinical, didactic and hospital opportunities for interdisciplinary interaction between the resident and other healthcare providers.
• Develop the ability to manage medically-compromised hospital patients in ambulatory and inpatient settings.
• Develop appropriate behavioral management, communication and practice management skills.
• Foster an environment of ethics, morals, empathy and multi-culturalism.
• Develop the skills necessary for critical review and presentation of literature and the pursuit of individual research interests and career goals.
• Foster an interest in dental education.

Clinical Experience

 The General Practice Residency Program is intended to combine comprehensive and episodic dental care by residents, attending staff and dental auxiliaries with the educational process of the program. When assigned to the general dentistry service residents work in Loyola University Medical Center’s Oral Health Center where they are exposed to the practice of dental implants, pediatric dentistry, periodontics, endodontics, prosthodontics, and special care dentistry.  Residents interact with an auxiliary staff composed of chair-side assistants and dental hygienists to treat patients in a private practice group setting.  The Oral Health Center has a business office which manages billing, collections, patient scheduling, arrival and departure.  The center also employs an office manager to promote the clinic’s efficiency and productivity.  The residents also provide bedside care to hospital patients who require dental clearance for emergency surgery, consultation from different services regarding oral diagnostic findings, or emergency dental treatment.  At the beginning of the residency, Basic Life Support and Advanced Cardiac Life Support certifications are completed by all new housestaff.  Residents also complete a one and half month Physical Diagnosis class to learn how to document history and physical examinations and write hospital consultations.  Residents take twenty-four hour in-house emergency first call approximately twice a week.  During call shifts, residents serve as a consultant for the emergency room and also the various inpatient services.   As a first responder, residents work closely with the oral surgery residents during facial trauma call.

Rotations

In addition to gaining valuable private practice experience at the Oral Health Center, rotations are also completed in the following areas to create a broader spectrum of experiences and enhance the education of the resident:

• Anesthesiology: a one-month rotation at the modern Ambulatory Surgery Center of Loyola University Hospital Outpatient Center.  During this rotation, residents attend weekly lectures with anesthesia residents.  Residents shadow anesthesiology residents to observe and actively participate in general anesthesia for patients undergoing surgery.  Residents gain experience in starting intravenous lines (IV), placing laryngeal mask airways (LMAs), and intubating patients.
• Emergency Medicine:  a two-week rotation at Loyola University Hospital Emergency Room.  Residents see Emergency Room patients, take histories and perform physical examinations, write ER notes, and suture lacerations.  Working with the ER team, residents treat all levels of patients including trauma care.
• Geriatric Dentistry: a eight-week rotation in geriatric dentistry at the dental clinic of Edward G. Hines Veterans Administration Hospital.  Residents provide care for U.S veterans who require a great deal of fixed and removable prosthetics work.  Residents have the opportunity to use soft tissue laser for tissue management, and also CEREC CAD/CAM technology for milling of ceramic crowns.  There is an in-house dental laboratory where much of the laboratory work is completed.
• Internal Medicine: a two-week rotation at the Loyola University Hospital.  Residents join one of the general medicine teams on the hospital floors.  During this rotation, further experience is gained with the management of patients whom have been admitted for hospital care.  Residents complete daily rounds, charting, and writing orders for patients with complex medical problems.  Pharmacological and surgical interventions are planned and discussed during rounds.  Taking patient histories and performing physical examinations is also an important part of this rotation.  Residents gain a new perspective on the challenges and duties of internal medicine doctors.
• Operating Room: a eight-week rotation in the operating room of Loyola University Hospital Outpatient Center.  Oral rehabilitation cases are performed under general anesthesia. One or two cases are scheduled per week.  Residents work with attending surgeon to provide care for special needs patients.
• Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery:  eight-week rotation at oral surgery department of Edward G. Hines Veterans Administration Hospital.  Residents again have the opportunity to complete hospital rounds and history and physical exams (H&P’s) on medically-complex patients.  Residents improve their techniques with surgical extractions, alveoloplasty, tori removal, and suturing. 

Loyola University Medical Center, which includes:

Loyola University Hospital
(formerly Foster G. McGaw Hospital), is a teaching, tertiary care facility with 523 licensed beds.  It has been nationally recognized for is contribution to the study and treatment of cardiovascular disease, perinatal and neonatal disorders, cancer and burn injuries.

Oral Health Center
The 234,000-square-foot Maguire Center is home to numerous Medical Center departments including neurosurgery, otolaryngolgy, psychiatry, and the Oral Health Center.  The center functions as the outpatient treatment facility for Dental Medicine and Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery.

Emergency Care Facility
The state-of-the-art Emergency Medical Services combines advanced treatment and patient monitoring systems with the expertise of highly trained emergency medicine professionals.  Loyola University Medical Center is the only Level 1 adult and pediatric trauma center for Region 8 of the state of Illinois trauma network.

Loyola Outpatient Center
This 224,000-square-foot Loyola Outpatient Center opened to patients in June 2003.  The building has provided expanded ambulatory services for fourteen clinical departments, doubled the amount of ambulatory surgery and radiation oncology space and added space to diagnostic radiology and women's health services.

Dental Medicine Faculty

Wanda Cruz-Gonzalez, D.M.D Assistant Professor of Surgery, Chief, Section of Dental Medicine Director of the General Practice Residency Program

 

Anna Szpaderska, DDS, Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Surgery, Section of Dental Medicine

The Loyola General Practice Residency is fortunate to have many dedicated part-time faculty members who participate in the residency-training program.

Periodontics

Andrew Browar, DDS (since 1989)

Michael Schmerman, DDS (since 2003)

Pedodontics

Joseph Tylka, DDS (since 1989)

Fred Margolis, DDS, FICD, FACD (since 1996)

Endodontics

Robert Greenberg, DDS (since 1997)

Oral Health Center Residents

2006-07 General Practice Residents

2006-07 Oral Surgery Residents

Oral Health Center Staff

Residents learn the essentials of practice administration and acquire skills to utilize a team approach working with auxiliaries.

The Loyola Oral Health Center provides all dental services including general dentistry for adults and children, dental hygiene, oral surgery, and orthodontics.

There is a dentist and an oral surgeon on call 24 hours a day to handle emergencies.

The Loyola Oral Health Center works closely with Loyola's Cardinal Bernardin Cancer Center and many other departments at the Medical Center to provide oral healthcare to patients with special needs.

The Loyola Oral Health Center is located in newly renovated, 12,000-square-foot facility that features sophisticated equipment and comfortable surroundings.  The 19 patient care rooms include:  eight rooms that are dedicated to general, three units to orthodontics care, four rooms to oral surgery, two units to recovery and two units to dental hygiene.

Off-Campus Seminars and Lectures

There are numerous opportunities to attend evening presentations and lectures.  Residents can earn CE credits at these seminars.  See residents in action at an Implant Seminar.

Chicago's Midwinter Meeting

In February, residents present a research topic at a table clinic during Chicago's Midwinter meeting.  At the program start, residents will choose a topic of interest and complete research during the year.

Community Service

Residents have the opportunity to participate in an elementary school oral hygiene instruction program throughout the year.  There are also volunteer opportunities with the Special Olympics.

Admissions/Applications

Applications are due at the Loyola University Medical Center, Oral Health Center no later than October 15 to be considered for the class that begins the following July.  Applicants must make application through the PASS program.  Our PASS application receipt deadline is October 3.  The PASS application is and entirely web-based application performed online.  It can be accessed at the following web-site address:

Postdoctoral Application Support Services (PASS)
American Dental Education Association
1400 K Street NW, Suite 1100
Washington, DC 20005
202.289.8702 (PASS Fax #)
202.289.8123 (PASS Customer Service)
800.353.2237 (Toll-Free Customer Service)
Email:  pass@adea.org
Website:  www.adea.org/PASS/default.htm

Admission Requirements
To apply for the program, an applicant must fulfill the following requirements:

• Must have graduated from an ADA accredited dental school in the US, or a Canadian dental school.
• Must be proficient in the English language.
• Must have passed Part I, National Dental Board Examination.  Candidate must pass Part II of the NDBE before enrollment into the program.

Admission Criteria

Generally, applicants fro advanced education programs are considered on the basis of the following criteria:

• Completed application
• Grade point average
• Class standing
• Transcript/pattern of academic achievement
• National board scores
• Experience and Training
• Recommendations
• Personal interview

Contact Us

If you are interested in visiting our program please call or email to make and appointment.  For additional information about the program, please contact:

Wanda Cruz-Gonzalez, DMD
Director
(708) 216-3625
wcruzgonzalez@lumc.edu

Clare Lopez
Administrative Secretary
(708) 216-3625 
clopez@lumc.edu
 

Mailing Address:
General Practice Residency Program
Section of Dental Medicine
Building 105, Room 1814
Loyola University Medical Center
2160  S. First Avenue
Maywood, IL 60153
Phone (773) 216-3678
Fax (708) 216-5560