The Department of General Dentistry

Rotations

Residents experience several different rotations, both on dental and non-dental services. The sequence of rotations is designed to give residents a phased approach to clinical experience and responsibilities. A balance has been achieved between dental and medical exposures that fulfill the program goals and objectives.

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery - 4 Weeks

The University of Tennessee Medical Center is a level I-trauma center and receives a high volume of maxillofacial injuries. The hospital owns and operates two helicopters to transport patients to the hospital. The emergency room staff manages over 48,000 patients per year, many of whom are referred from surrounding counties.

General practice residents spend a total of four weeks each with the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. In this capacity they are the first to see facial and dentoalveolar infection and trauma and they follow these cases from admission, histories and physicals, preparing patient for the operating room and assisting in these and the many other outpatient Oral Surgery cases.

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery is an active component of the dental outpatient clinical services, and the residents gain considerable experience in minor oral surgery. Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery faculty provide formal instruction on more advanced outpatient procedures.

Family Medicine - 4 Weeks

Residents have a one-month rotation with the Department of Family Medicine for experience with inpatient medical problems that are common in dental patients. Using the training gained in physical assessment, residents are expected to work up, admit, and follow selected inpatients while on the service. Residents gain future experience in taking medical histories, conducting dialogue, and performing physical assessment on patients. As a member of the Family Medicine team, the resident participates in rounds and conferences. They are totally integrated into the medical service and function as clerks under the supervision of the medical residents and attending.

Anesthesia - 4 Weeks

Residents are assigned to the Department of Anesthesia to learn the principles and techniques of general anesthesia. Residents see patients preoperatively and follow them through their surgery and recovery room phase. Residents learn preoperative evaluation, intubation, IV's, maintenance of patients on anesthetic gases and monitoring of vital signs. Emphasis is placed on the pharmacologic and physiologic basis for sedation and general anesthesia. Literature and teaching sessions are provided to residents for study prior to this rotation.

Emergency Room Medicine - 2 Weeks

Residents are in the UT Medical Center Emergency Room from 1 :00-5:00 p.m. daily for two weeks. They are assigned to the Emergency Medicine Department for formal exposure to non-dental emergencies. Emphasis is placed on medical problems, which could occur in the dental office setting. Dental residents benefit from the large teaching staff in the department.

Sleep Center - 4 Day

Residents rotate through the Sleep Center for four days from 8am-12pm. They rotate through the Sleep Center to develop an understanding of the pathophysiology and management of sleep-related breathing disorders, and to enhance knowledge of medical co-morbidities associated with sleep-related breathing disorders.