Located in the Arthur J. Sachsel Dental Clinic at David Grant USAF Medical Center, Advanced Education in General Dentistry is a dental residency program recognized by civilian and military dentists alike for its long history of excellence. The program began in 1964 with two residents and has since grown to eight. Many of the graduates have assumed critical leadership roles in the Air Force Dental Corps in teaching and commander positions.
Air Force AEGD residencies are aggressively sought after, as the demand for postgraduate training exceeds available residency positions. Upon completion of four years of dental school, graduates are fully licensed to practice dentistry. Most graduates, however, recognize the need for an optional fifth year of training in an AEGD program.
The Air Force has consistently had some of the finest programs in the country, thus attracting strong applicants, with most residents graduating in the top 25% of their dental school class. Those selected are commissioned and promoted to the rank of captain upon entering the Air Force. Upon completion of the program, the graduates will complete the remainder of their active duty commitment.
The Travis Air Force Base AEGD program is designed to expand the scope and depth of the dentist's knowledge and skills in order to enable the general dentist to provide comprehensive patient care to a wide range of population groups. The program is freestanding, with training primarily conducted at the DGMC.
The Arthur J. Sachsel Dental Clinic features 52 dental treatment rooms. Over the one year of intense training residents will work with specialists in restorative dentistry, pediatric dentistry, orthodontics, prosthodontics, periodontics, endodontics and oral / maxillofacial surgery. Residents will be trained in many of the advanced procedures in these specialties involving dental implant placement and restoration, CAD / CAM technology allowing for same day fixed restorations, and endodontic retreatments.
Residents also rotate occasionally with the Veterans Affairs dental clinic throughout the program to experience more medically complex patient care and provide care to our nation’s veterans.
Travis AFB is one of the few bases with an Oral and Maxillofacial Pathologist, Orofacial Pain specialist, and Hospital dentist on teaching staff. Although noted as a strong clinical program, numerous public speaking opportunities are available. One such opportunity is presentation of Table Clinics, which are presented at the local dental society meeting as well as a national meeting in Anaheim, California.
The DGMC program has long been recognized for its' excellence by the American Dental Association Commission for Dental Accreditation.