General Practice Dentistry and Oral Medicine
Our residents have the choice of 2 training programs: the General Practice Residency or Oral Medicine Residency. Each one offers unique opportunities as well as numerous practitioners from the community who volunteer in the clinical teaching program. A unique feature of this residency program is the solid training in both of the major areas of oral medicine: the medical management of disorders of the oral and maxillofacial region and the dental management of medically-complex patients.
Our trainees gain experience and competence in treating patients in a variety of settings, including:
- Our hospital-based dental clinic at Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center
- Our busy outpatient Oral Medicine community practice at Carolinas Center for Oral Health
- Our nontraditional dental healthcare settings (e.g., operating room, hospital bedside) at Carolinas Medical Center and Atrium Health University City.
Where You Will Train
Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center
Carolinas Medical Center (CMC) is the flagship hospital of the biggest healthcare system in the Carolinas and one of the biggest public systems in the nation, Atrium Health. CMC is especially qualified to provide an innovative training program in oral medicine thanks to:
- Our facilities
- Our diverse patient population
- Our outstanding faculty
- Our other essentials to support our clinical, educational and research activities
Carolinas Center for Oral Health
The oral medicine practice at Carolinas Center for Oral Health (CCOH) sees around 2,000 patient visits annually in the management of patients with the following:
- Mucosal disease (including aphthous stomatitis, pemphigoid, pemphigus, lichen planus)
- Mucosal infections (fungal, bacterial and viral)
- Salivary gland disorders
- Temporomandibular disorders (TMD)
- Orofacial pain syndromes
What Residents are Saying About the General Practice Dentistry Program
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“Being a part of the General Practice Residency at Atrium Health has greatly increased my knowledge, skills, and confidence in myself as a general dentist. I feel more prepared to provide for my patients’ needs, and I have a better understanding of their medical conditions and the associated dental implications.”
Alexandra Diane Howell DMD, PGY-2 - Oral Medicine Residency Program (June 30, 2020 GPR grad)
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“After a year of GPR training at Atrium, I feel confident and comfortable as a dentist in the clinic, in the emergency room, and on the hospital floor. Thanks to my Training at Atrium, my dental skills and my medical knowledge have grown exponentially.”
Thomas Scott Fry DDS, PGY-2 - Oral Medicine Residency Program (June 30, 2020 GPR grad)
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“From emergency care to coordinating with medical and surgical teams to dental focused operating room experiences, the residency offers a range of opportunities to become familiar with management of the medically complex and function as a truly integral member of a hospital based team and the medical community in general.”
Brian Patrick Ralph DDS, PGY-2 - Oral Oncology Fellow (June 30, 2020 GPR grad)
What Residents are Saying About the Oral Medicine Program
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“I chose the Oral Medicine program with Atrium Health because it was the most well rounded program I researched. We diagnose and treat a wide range of conditions. As part of a large hospital system, we can develop interdisciplinary relationships as we work to provide care to our patients.”
Katrina Myers DMD, PGY-3 - Oral Medicine Residency Program
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“I chose CMC for it’s great reputation for producing well rounded dentists who understand and treat the growing medically complex patient population. I feel equipped to handle dental emergencies, medically compromised patients, and orofacial pain patients with greater confidence than I would have if I had not chosen this program.”
Myrna Janay Purdie DMD, PGY-3 - Oral Medicine Residency Program
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“The attendings show a genuine interest in mentoring and seeing me succeed. My co-residents are collegial and reliable.”
Ewing Jackson Threet DDS, PGY-3 - Oral Medicine Residency Program
Meet the Faculty
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Michael T. Brennan, DDS, MHSChair of the Department of Oral Medicine
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Jesus Amadeo Valdez, DDSDirector of General Practice Residency
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Joel J. Napenas, DDSDirector of Oral Medicine Residency
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Anital Patel, DMDDirector of Oral Oncology Fellowship
"The GPR Program at Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center will provide you with the foundation necessary to deliver fundamental, caring and clinically sound oral health care for all patients. Our residents receive clinical and didactic instructions from visiting dental specialists in oral surgery, endodontics, pedodontics, periodontics and implantology. We are committed to working with each of the residents to help them achieve a level of competence that will be the foundation from which to build upon in the future."
Amadeo Valdez, DDS MAS
Director, General Practice Residency
"The Oral Medicine Residency at Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center provides the most well-rounded clinical training experience for oral medicinist residents. Our residents can then engage in a variety of career paths. Alumni in our program are in hospital dentistry, private or public health practice, oral oncology, oral mucosal lesions, orofacial pain and academics. The program also includes opportunities in solid, practical experience in clinical research among a group of clinicians, teachers and mentors in a collegial environment."
Joel J. Napenas, DDS FDSRCS (Ed)
Director, Oral Medicine Residency Program
"The Oral Oncology Fellowship at Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center emphasizes it’s training on the clinical management of patients undergoing radiation therapy, chemotherapy and/or head and neck surgery for oncologic disease in both the outpatient Atrium Health Dental Clinic and in the operating room setting at Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center. The fellow is trained in all phases of hospital oral oncology, from the newly diagnosed individuals as well as the long-term survivors. Additional areas of comprehensive patient care include pediatric cancers, bone marrow and stem cell transplants, hematogenous and solid tumor, and oral and pharyngeal cancers. The fellow is encouraged to participate in on-going Departmental didactics and research. With the experience gained from the fellowship, our graduate will be extremely proficient in managing this group of patients in a multidisciplinary fashion in their future community-based practices."
Anita S.H. Patel, DMD
Director, Oral Oncology Fellowship Program
With a nationally and internationally renowned team of dental and oral physicians who serve as faculty, our residents have access to a breadth of experience and knowledge in the General Practice Dentistry and Oral Medicine program.
Read their biosProgram Curriculum - General Practice Residency
Our residents have both first- and second-year General Practice Residency (GPR) training options. Those in the first-year GPR program have the option of staying for a second year. Alternatively, one may do their first-year GPR experience elsewhere and complete an additional GPR year at our institution.
Learn moreProgram Overview - Goals and Objectives
The overall goal of the hospital-based GPR program is to produce general dentists with a high level of clinical competency. This allows them to care for medically and dentally complex patients and to work alongside their medical colleagues in the healthcare community. The program has defined the following objectives here.
Program Curriculum - Oral Medicine Residency
Our hospital-based Oral Medicine Residency program emphasizes the interrelationship between oral disease and systemic health, the recognition and management of oral conditions and disease, and the dental management of medically complex patients. Our goal is to develop the resident's clinical competence. The aim of this method is to prepare participants to manage medical conditions of the orofacial region, and patients with systemic implications for dental treatment.
Learn moreClinical Curriculum
The first year of the oral medicine training program includes clinical dentistry in a hospital setting focused on the management of medically complex patients. Residents will see patients with a wide variety of maxillofacial problems such as facial pain, oral lesions and salivary dysfunction at Carolinas Center for Oral Health.
Learn moreProgram Curriculum - Oral Oncology Fellowship
This certificate training program offers a balanced clinical and didactic experience in management of patients undergoing radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and/or head and neck surgery for oncologic disease. The fellows are trained in all phases of hospital oral oncology, from the newly diagnosed individuals as well as the long-term survivors. Additional areas of comprehensive patient care include pediatric cancers, bone marrow and stem cell transplants, hematogenous and solid tumor, and oral and pharyngeal cancers. In addition to clinical care provided at the Atrium Health Dental Clinic, the fellow will have extensive experience in providing care in the Operating Room at Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center and Carolinas Center for Oral Health, fellows will gain experience on rotations in oral medicine, oral surgery, plastic surgery, speech/nutrition therapy, head and neck surgery, medical and radiation oncology and pediatric oncology. The fellows will work with a maxillofacial prosthodontist to restore facial and oral function with various prosthetics.
Fellows will become proficient in:
- Providing comprehensive clinical care both at the outpatient Atrium Health Dental Clinic and in the Operating Room at Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center
- Preparing patients from dental standpoint to undergo cancer therapy
- Manage dental patients during active cancer treatment
- Diagnosis and management of oral sequelae following cancer treatment
The one-year Oral Oncology Fellowship will combine core clinical rotations within the dental department and rotations in key departments whereby referral to the dental clinic is based on protocol. Clinical and translational research will be a vital component of the Fellowship, with dedicated research time centered around clinical decision making and quality improvement.
Salary and Benefits
In addition to the many educational and career benefits of the General Practice Dentistry and Oral Medicine, residents will receive financial benefits as well.
Learn moreApplication Criteria
Both the GPR and the OMR programs offer unique opportunities and you are encouraged to choose carefully. Feel free to contact us with any questions that may arise.
Our programs participate in both the Postdoctoral Application Support Service (PASS) and the first-year GPR program participates in the Postdoctoral Dental Matching Program (Match). For additional information regarding the PASS and Match programs, please visit their respective websites at adea.org/pass and natmatch.com.