Residency programs are competitive.  Many of the residency programs are interested in high National Board Scores, GRE scores (link), student research (including publications and table clinics), academic achievement, externship involvement, and extracurricular activities when evaluating you for their program. Some programs, such as oral surgery expect students to do an externship in their program before applying. Orthodontic programs are highly competitive, especially the programs that offer stipends. If your profile is lacking you may want to retake the National board exams or do a GPR/AEGD.

Some applicants are indecisive about their dental residency choice. If you are interested in hospital based dentistry, trauma cases and general dentistry then applying for a GPR would be worthwhile for you. If you are interested in stictly improving your clinical skills then an AEGD may be preferable. However, in general AEGD programs provide less compensation than a GPR program. It is preferred to choose programs which have specialty programs in endodontics, periodontics, pediatric dentistry, and prosthodontics to futher your understanding in these areas. Your goal is to improve your skills beyond your dental school education.

To take the GRE exam (link) for orthodontic programs, you must plan to have the scores before the application process. Although you will be concerned about finishing your clinical requirements your last year in school, allow for GRE studying time the summer before your senior year.

Those students interested in applying for the Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD), Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, Pediatric Dentistry, Periodontics and Prosthodontic programs must completed the Postdoctoral Application Support Service (PASS application, ).  Additionally, you must also complete the Postdoctoral Dental Matching Program application (PMP) if you are applying to the following programs AEGD, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, and Pediatric Dentistry.

 
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