Program Goals

The overall goals of the General Practice Residency Program at Wake Forest School of Medicine flow from the general missions of the Medical Center and the Department of Dentistry. These are to:

• Provide a full range of general dentistry and specialty services to patients referred from within the Medical Center and from the community.
• Educate GPR residents to be able to do the following:
• Provide high quality, comprehensive, general dental care for healthy and medically compromised patients.
• Integrate mature diagnostic ability, judgment, treatment planning and confidence in each area of general practice using principles of scientific method and evidence-based dentistry.
• Act as the primary dental care provider for a group of healthy and medically compromised patients and direct the services of dental specialists and other health care providers in the appropriate management of patients.
• Function effectively in the management of hospital patients, including consultation with other health care professionals, conducting appropriate medical history and physical exams, using clear and concise written and verbal communication and proper medical terminology.
• Function effectively and confidently in treating special needs patients, including triage of suitable patients and care delivery settings, sedation and general anesthesia cases, anxious patients, and medically and mentally-compromised patients.
• Exhibit scientific and professional writing and presentation skills along with the ability to critically search and evaluate professional literature through a variety of media.
• Exhibit practice management skills, including setting production goals through selective scheduling and time management.
• Model the values of professional ethics, integrity, and responsibility in all interactions with patients and colleagues.
• Provide high quality patient care in the context of an educational program and community service program.
• Serve the region as a resource for provision of dental services for individuals with special needs including developmental disabilities, complex medical problems and significant physical limitations.