New at AMC: A Resident in Veterinary Dentistry and Oral Surgery
New at AMC: A Resident in Veterinary Dentistry and Oral Surgery
February is National Pet Dental Month. While you might think nothing could possibly be new about teeth, this year, the Animal Medical Center is celebrating something new in dentistry – the addition
of a resident in dentistry and oral surgery to our Dentistry Service. While you may not notice this change as a patient, it’s an important step in fulfilling AMC’s educational mission and meets a growing need for pet owners everywhere. In this blog post, I’ll answer some common questions about this new residency and where to get more information about your pet’s dental health.
Who can be a resident in dentistry and oral surgery?
A resident is a graduate and licensed veterinarian who has completed a one-year general medicine and surgery internship. A resident is selected via a competitive application process. Once selected, the resident studies to become a specialist under the direct supervision of a board certified specialist — in the case of our dental resident, a member of the American Veterinary Dental College.
What does a dentistry and oral surgery resident do?
In addition to learning clinical skills such as dental radiography, root canals and application of braces to animal teeth, the resident must publish a paper in a scientific journal. Every patient the resident cares for is recorded in a case log to ensure the resident receives a broad training experience. Residents are also required to train with a board certified veterinary anesthesiologist, a board certified veterinary surgeon and a board certified veterinary radiologist. Successful completion of this three-year program culminates in a certification examination and, if the resident passes, he can then be called a Diplomate of the American Veterinary Dental College or, to pet families, a board certified veterinary dental specialist.
Why all the fuss about a dental resident?
According to the Banfield State of Pet Health, more than 70% of American dogs and cats have dental disease, increasing the demand for veterinary dentists. The addition of a resident in dentistry and oral surgery adds to AMC’s ability to provide cutting edge patient care and expands our education of the next generation of veterinary specialists. Our dentistry and oral surgery resident joins AMC’s residents in cardiology, diagnostic imaging, emergency and critical care, internal medicine, oncology, neurology, rehabilitation and sports medicine, radiation oncology and surgery.
How can I learn more about keeping my pet’s teeth healthy?
To learn more about veterinary dentistry and hear from one of AMC’s board certified veterinary dentists, Dr. Django Martel, tune into “Ask the Vet” on Sirius XM Stars Channel 109 at 9am on Saturday, February 8th or 10am on February 9th.
In addition, AMC’s dental resident, Dr. Jordan Ford, will also be the featured speaker in the Usdan Institute for Animal Health Education’s monthly event series on February 27th. The free evening presentation at AMC is titled “Pet Dental Health: What You Need to Know.” Registration is required. We hope to see you there!