General Practice Residency
General Practice Residency (GPR) is a postdoctoral program that provides newly graduated dentists advanced training in comprehensive dentistry within hospital and clinical settings, focusing on treating medically complex patients and managing dental emergencies.
Specialty Overview
Scope & Practice
GPR-trained dentists provide comprehensive general dental care beyond the dental school level, treating a wide range of oral health needs and managing patients with complex medical conditions, often in hospital environments.
Common Procedures:
- Restorative dentistry (fillings, crowns, bridges)
- Endodontic therapy (advanced root canal treatments)
- Periodontal care (gum disease management, minor surgeries)
- Prosthodontics (dentures and implant-supported restorations)
- Oral surgery (extractions, biopsies, minor jaw procedures)
- Management of dental emergencies (infections, trauma) in hospital ER settings
- Operating room dentistry under general anesthesia for special needs or medically complex patients
- Dental implant placement and restoration (in select programs)
Professional Roles
General Practice Residency specialists can pursue various career paths within the specialty, often combining multiple roles:
- Private Practice General Dentist: Work as a general dentist in solo or group practice, applying advanced skills from residency to a broad patient base.
- Hospital or VA Staff Dentist: Serve as a dentist in a hospital or Veterans Affairs medical center, treating inpatients and outpatients with complex medical conditions.
- Community Clinic Dentist: Provide dental care in community health centers or public health clinics, often serving underserved or special needs populations.
- Academic Faculty or Residency Director: Teach in dental schools or serve as attending faculty for residency programs, mentoring new dentists and overseeing clinical training.
Clinical Settings
General Practice Residency specialists practice in diverse environments:
- Hospital dental departments and clinics
- VA (Veterans Affairs) dental services
- Community health center dental clinics
- Private general dental offices
Specialty Outlook
The general practice residency profession continues to evolve with technological advances and shifting demographics:
- Increasing emphasis on treating aging and medically compromised patients requiring advanced dental training
- Calls for mandatory residency (PGY-1) for licensure in additional states to enhance clinical competency
- Greater integration of dentistry with overall healthcare in hospital environments, fostering interprofessional collaboration
Digital Innovation
General Practice Residency is increasingly driven by cutting-edge digital technologies transforming patient care:
- Wider adoption of CAD/CAM dentistry for same-day crowns and prosthetics
- Use of 3D printing for surgical guides and dental appliances
- Integration of electronic health records and teledentistry for remote consultations and coordination with medical teams
Patient Experience
Modern general practice residency emphasizes patient comfort and convenience through various approaches:
- One-stop comprehensive care, reducing need for multiple referrals as GPR-trained dentists can perform a broad range of treatments
- Enhanced safety for medically complex patients through hospital-based care and consultation with physicians
- Availability of sedation or general anesthesia for anxious or special needs patients, improving comfort and access to care
Student Journey Roadmap
Pre-Dental Preparation
Dental School Years 1-2
Dental School Years 3-4
Application to GPR
GPR Residency Year
Geographic Program Map
Competitiveness Level
Application Requirements
Academic Prerequisites
- Degree Required: DDS or DMD from a CODA-accredited dental school
- Minimum GPA: 3.0
- Average Accepted GPA: 3.3
- Core Courses: Completion of all core dental school clinical courses with competency
- Research Experience: Research not required; clinical experience and competence are emphasized
Standardized Tests
- NBDE: NBDE Part I/II or INBDE (must pass by graduation)
- TOEFL/IELTS: TOEFL/IELTS required for internationally trained dentists
Letters of Recommendation
- Number Required: 3
- Types:
- • Dental school Dean's letter (or equivalent institutional evaluation)
- • Clinical faculty letter (preferably from a general dentistry or hospital rotation supervisor)
- • Additional faculty or mentor letter highlighting clinical skills or professionalism
- Emphasis: Letters should attest to the applicant’s clinical proficiency, patient management skills, and ability to work in a team/hospital environment
Research Experience
- Research experience is generally not required for GPR applicants
- Participation in a research or quality improvement project can strengthen an application but is not expected
- Applicants may highlight any case studies or presentations completed during dental school
- Focus is on clinical capability; research is a bonus rather than a requirement
Clinical Experience
- Strong clinical performance in dental school across all disciplines (restorative, surgical, etc.)
- Exposure to hospital dentistry or emergency care (through elective rotations or volunteer work) is beneficial
- Experience with special needs or medically complex patients (e.g., treating patients under sedation or in community clinics)
- Active involvement in dental outreach or community service clinics demonstrates commitment to broader care
Application Components
- ADEA PASS application (which includes a personal statement, CV, and submission of evaluation forms)
- Program-specific supplemental applications or fees (varies by program)
- Register and participate in the National Dental Match (Postdoctoral Dental Matching Program)
- Official dental school transcripts and NBDE/INBDE exam results
- 3 letters of recommendation (including Dean's letter and clinical faculty letters)
- Professional resume/CV highlighting clinical and any leadership experiences
- A professional photograph (often required for PASS applications)
Competitive Profile
- Target GPA: 3.3+
- Target GRE Verbal: N/A
- Target GRE Quantitative: N/A
- Research Publications: Not required (any research or case presentation is a plus)
- Shadowing Hours: Externship or rotation in a hospital setting recommended
- Extracurriculars: Significant clinical volunteering and leadership in student organizations are valued
Application Deadlines & Timeline
PASS Application Opens
ADEA PASS opens for the new cycle; begin filling out your application and personal statement.
Request Recommendation Letters
Ask faculty and mentors for letters of recommendation well in advance; provide them your CV and personal statement.
Complete INBDE (Board Exam)
Aim to pass the INBDE (or NBDE Part II if applicable) by this time, as some programs require a passing result before ranking applicants.
Submit PASS Application
Finalize and submit your PASS application along with all supporting documents. Many GPR program deadlines fall in late summer or early fall.
Attend Interviews
Participate in interviews (mostly in October and November). Be prepared to discuss your clinical experiences and interest in hospital dentistry.
Submit Rank List
Submit your Rank Order List for the Postdoctoral Match by the deadline (usually in the first half of December for GPR programs).
Match Day
Match results are released in late January. Applicants learn their placement; unfilled positions enter the Post-Match process.
Set Reminders
Get notified about upcoming deadlines
Download Timeline
Save this timeline to your calendar
Competitiveness Overview
Understanding the competitive landscape for this specialty
Applicant to Seat Ratio
1:1
Average GPA
3.0+
Program Duration
1-2
Average Tuition
N/A (stipend)
Starting Salary
$170K
Tips for Success
- Meet Requirements: Focus on meeting basic academic requirements
- Show Interest: Demonstrate genuine interest in the specialty
- Clinical Exposure: Gain some exposure to the specialty
- Strong Application: Present yourself well in applications
Curriculum & Training
Program Structure
Duration
1 year (optional second year in some programs)
Weekly Schedule
Full-time schedule (~40-50 hours/week) including clinical care, rotations, didactic seminars, plus on-call duties for emergencies
Research Requirements
No thesis; some programs require a case presentation or quality improvement project instead of formal research
Degrees Awarded
- Postdoctoral Certificate
Clinical Training
- Comprehensive restorative dentistry (fillings, crowns, bridges) on adult and pediatric patients
- Advanced endodontics (molar root canals, re-treatments) under supervision
- Periodontal therapy including surgical procedures like periodontal flap surgery or implant site preparation
- Oral and maxillofacial surgery experience (complex extractions, managing infections, assisting in OR cases)
- Prosthodontic rehabilitation (dentures, implant prosthetics, full-mouth reconstruction planning)
- Management of emergency cases (dental trauma, acute infections) often through ER consultations
- Dental care for hospitalized patients (bedside or operating room dentistry for those under general anesthesia)
- Interdisciplinary treatment planning, coordinating care with medical professionals and dental specialists
Didactic Education
- Hospital dentistry and oral medicine (seminars on managing medically compromised patients)
- Anesthesia and pain control (lectures on IV sedation, pharmacology, airway management)
- Advanced treatment planning conferences (reviewing complex cases in a team setting)
- Oral pathology and radiology review (to diagnose and manage oral diseases)
- Interdisciplinary rounds or grand rounds (joint discussions with other medical/dental departments, e.g., tumor board)
- Practice management and ethics (preparing for private practice operations and ethical case discussions)
- Emergency medicine rotation learning (exposure to emergency protocols, triage, and working in an ER environment)
Research Activities
- Case report or literature review presentation required for graduation in many programs
- Participation in quality improvement or audit projects within the dental service
- Opportunities to join ongoing research (optional, typically if program is affiliated with a university)
- Journal club meetings to stay current with dental literature and evidence-based practices
Financial Information
Total Program Cost
Programs with Stipends
Living Expenses
Starting Salary
Culture & Lifestyle
Work-Life Balance
Most general dentists work 4-5 days per week with flexibility in scheduling. GPR training itself involves more demanding hours (including on-call), but after training, emergency calls are infrequent and schedules can be tailored to the dentist’s preferences.
Career Satisfaction
General dentists often report high satisfaction from providing comprehensive care. GPR graduates may feel more confident and satisfied tackling complex cases thanks to their advanced training.
Practice Environment
Practice settings for GPR-trained dentists range from private offices to hospitals. Many enjoy a collaborative, team-based environment especially in hospital or large group practices, and can shape their work setting to be patient-focused and efficient.
Physical Demands
Moderate physical demands. General dentistry involves sustained periods of detail-oriented work and can strain the back/neck without ergonomic practice. GPR training emphasizes efficient, ergonomic techniques to mitigate physical stress.
Day-in-the-Life
Morning Huddle
Brief meeting with the dental team to review the day’s patient schedule, any special cases, and assign responsibilities.
Morning Clinic Session
Begin seeing patients. For example, perform a complex crown preparation and impression on one patient while intermittently checking hygiene patients’ exams in between procedures.
Treatment Planning & Admin
Between patients, review upcoming cases, consult with any specialists (by phone or in-house) for referrals, and catch up on writing patient notes or prescriptions.
Lunch Break
Take a break for lunch. Often an opportunity to relax, or occasionally attend a lunchtime CE lecture or discuss cases with colleagues.
Afternoon Clinic Session
Continue patient care with a variety of procedures. For example, perform a root canal therapy on a patient, followed by a few dental fillings or an extraction. Handle any walk-in emergency (like a patient with a toothache or broken tooth) as needed.
Wrap-up and Preparation
Finish clinical notes, ensure all lab work for the day is sent out, sterilize instruments with the team, and prepare treatment rooms and schedules for the next day’s patients.
Career Perspective
First-Year Resident Perspective
The GPR year is fast-paced and varied. Residents balance clinic days with rotations in other departments, and must be ready for anything from routine care to late-night emergencies.
My GPR year was intense — one day I’d be in the operating room for a special needs patient, the next I’d handle a dental trauma in the ER at 2 AM. The experience was challenging but it made me a far more confident and capable dentist.
Frequently Asked Questions
How competitive is a GPR compared to other dental programs?
Overall, GPR programs are not as competitive as most dental specialties. The applicant-to-position ratio is about 1:1, meaning nearly all qualified applicants can match into a program. Some specific hospital-based programs are more competitive, but generally the match rate for GPR is high.
What is the typical salary for a general dentist after completing a GPR?
General dentists (including those who did a GPR) earn on average around $150,000 to $180,000 per year in the United States. Actual salaries vary based on location, type of practice, and years of experience, but many GPR graduates feel their advanced training helps them handle more complex cases, potentially enhancing their earning ability.
How long is a General Practice Residency program?
A GPR program is typically 12 months (1 year) in length. Some institutions offer an optional second-year GPR for dentists who want additional advanced training, but the standard GPR is a one-year residency.