Many dental school graduates choose to apply to and enroll in a dental residency program to broaden and expand their training and knowledge base. Some graduates enter dental residencies because they want careers as academicians at dental colleges. After paying for dental school with a dental school loan, many students also opt for a residency and relocation loan to pay for their extra experience and training in dentistry.

The Facility

Most dental residency programs are hospital based. Residency candidates will often choose which program to practice at based on the reputation of the hospital's dental department. Some hospitals are more academically inclined to train dentists and physicians than other hospitals. The geographical area of the country is also important in choosing where to gain further experience. These are all important choices aspiring residents need to make.

The Program Curriculum

Individuals looking for advanced experiences in dentistry need to consider what academic offerings in their field are available where they want to study. They'll usually want a curriculum that includes at the very least coursework and clinical experience in endodontics, periodontics, orthodontics, pediatric dentistry and oral surgery, among other specialties, as well as a full array of techniques in sedation dentistry, including oral, inhalation and intravenous methods. The number of hours devoted to academic study and hands-on, clinical experience is a major selection criteria as well. So is the length of the course of study.

The Faculty

Candidates will also make their selection decisions based on who is on the regular teaching staff. They need to learn about their backgrounds and experiences, come to respect them, and be compatible with their personalities. A hospitable and compassionate teaching staff can be one of the most important reasons to choose where to go. Some prospects will want to look into whether the staff has won any teaching awards or if they have had any prestigious medical fellowships or university professorship posts as well. Most individuals will only want to be taught by the best people they can find.

Getting Accepted

Graduates will give serious thought to what their chances are of getting accepted into certain study programs before they even apply to them. They need to evaluate their overall grades, what type of references they can acquire and whether they would feel confident and comfortable during the initial interview screening process to get accepted. Not all people applying have an equal chance to obtain positions to the specific health institutions where they want to be for one or two years. They have to weigh their chances with intelligence and foresight and be realistic in their expectations of being admitted to certain institutions. These factors will help all prospects from being disappointed or delayed regarding acceptance.