General practice residency and advanced education in general dentistry programs: curriculum

Many questions have been raised about both programs, but one cannot say objectively that one is good or one is bad. Our energies must be concentrated on the development of the best comprehensive postdoctoral program so that the public may be better served. GPR and AEGD programs together produce over a thousand graduates each year. Is there really a difference between the two graduates? Is one a mini-oral surgeon? Is one a "superdentist"? Will they command higher fees, thereby raising the cost of dental care? How great a difference should there be? The students have succeeded in completing programs that are rigorous and demanding. The graduates can be no better than the institutions and the programs they represent. Regional differences still exist; for example, some metropolitan hospitals will not admit the dental general practitioner to staff or visiting staff positions. Why? Ideally, for the 60 percent of the training that is devoted to general practice principles, we should strike a balance and make sure that each program has definable standards. At the same time, we should permit enough flexibility to allow for the inevitable regional differences. Students should be able to select the program and location they prefer, confident that broad-based standards will be met, and assured of the practical as well as theoretical excellence of every program that is offered. How can we afford not to go with certification?