Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Residency Program

PROGRAM DIRECTOR: Lawrence W. Weeda, Jr., D.D.S., O.M.S.U.

The UT Health Science Center, College of Dentistry offers a formal four-year Advanced Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery training program (an optional six-year program leading to an MD degree is available in specific cases) which is officially affiliated with the Memphis Veterans Affairs Medical Center and the Regional Medical Center at Memphis (THE MED). LeBonheur Children’s Medical Center, Baptist East Memorial Hospital, and Methodist University Hospital provide the other primary sites of activity for the program. The four-year program is academically divided into eight six-month terms. The Commission on Dental Education of the American Dental Association authorizes acceptance of two trainees each year. The National Resident Match Program is utilized in the selection of residents.

The faculty of the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery of the College of Dentistry is responsible for the direction and supervision of both the clinical services and didactic aspects of the program. Two generous endowment programs provide resources for additional program support. Physical facilities are exceptionally favorable for developing broad experience with balanced emphasis on the total scope of oral and maxillofacial surgery as practiced today and perceived for the near future. The facilities include a six-chair private practice module in a suite with supportive x-ray, recovery, consultation, laboratory and instrument rooms, and a seven-chair hospital outpatient clinic in a separate facility. Cases scheduled for general operating room suites follow the same protocol as other surgical specialties. Emergency services are provided in busy emergency rooms and at a regional Level I trauma center.

The curriculum has been developed to relate basic science principles to clinical application through the mechanism of rotation with other disciplines, regularly scheduled seminars, and conferences. Special courses are conducted for anatomy, experimental design, oral pathology and biostatistics. Regular rotation to other disciplines includes general anesthesia, surgery, internal medicine, trauma, ENT and oculoplastics. Residents are certified in Advanced Cardiac Life Support and Advanced Trauma Life Support during the program.

The trainee’s clinical involvement is progressive from simple to complex surgical procedures. The first year is more heavily didactic (anatomy and physical diagnosis) with rotations on the medicine service to develop proficiency in physical diagnosis and patient evaluation. Six months of the second year are devoted entirely to general anesthesia. The remainder of the second year has increased requirements relating to advanced dentoalveolar and impaction surgery and complicated trauma. Clinical applications in these areas continue in the third year with added emphasis on orthognathic surgery, implantology and other pre-prosthetic surgery. Major operating room oral and maxillofacial surgery and administrative responsibilities of a chief resident make up the last year.

A stipend is granted the trainee commensurate with the level of post-doctoral training and equal to residents of other services at the same level at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center.





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