Students / Prospective Students / Postdoctoral / Other Programs / Oral Medicine Fellowship

Oral Medicine Fellowship

Oral Medicine is that area of dentistry which involves the diagnosis and primarily non-surgical treatment of diseases of the oral cavity, including the mucosa, salivary glands, and the surrounding structures. These disorders may involve only the oro-facial structures or they may represent oral manifestations of a systemic disease or a complication of its treatment. A second area of Oral Medicine involves the diagnosis and management of oro-facial sensory disorders and chronic facial pain. Lastly, Oral Medicine is involved in the delivery of comprehensive oral health care services for patients with significant medical illness.

The training program at New Jersey Dental School provides the flexibility and opportunity to pursue either the certificate program (24 months) or the combined certificate-degree program (Masters in Oral Biology) (36 months).

Since Oral Medicine provides an essential link between dentistry and medicine, practitioners in this field must possess a thorough knowledge of basic physiological and pathological mechanisms which contribute to health and disease. In order to become competent in the practice of Oral Medicine, the trainee must gain a practical knowledge of several areas: general and oral pathology, general and oral physiology, head and neck gross anatomy and neuroanatomy, pharmacology, immunology, anesthesiology, radiology, general and oral medicine, and laboratory diagnostics. The Fellow gains increasing sophistication in these areas through a core curriculum in both the NJ Medical School and NJ Dental School which is reinforced by an intensive hospital- and school- based clinical experience. The clinical experience includes rotations in hospital departments as well as outpatient encounters in the dental school oral medicine clinic and University Hospital Dental Clinic. Each resident is expected to publish in a peer-reviewed journal during their Fellowship and may also participate in clinical or laboratory research projects of interest.

A competitive annual salary and benefits package is provided for the Oral Medicine Fellow (approximately $40,000-$45,000/year). For those pursuing the MS in Oral Biology, Graduate school tuition is competitively priced and opportunities exist for Division-sponsored tuition remission.

All applicants must have a DDS/DMD degree from an ADA accredited Dental School. MS degree, when applicable, is granted upon successful completion of the degree curriculum and thesis defense. Graduates of the Oral Medicine training program will be qualified for examination by the American Board of Oral Medicine. The program is flexible in order to accommodate previous clinical and/or educational experiences of the individual trainee.

For More Information, Contact:

Mahnaz Fatahzadeh, DMD, Director, Oral Medicine Fellowship Program (973) 972-1956 or Graduate Dental Education, UMDNJ-NJDS, Rm B-830, 110 Bergen St., Newark, NJ, 07103; (973) 972-3636
The New Jersey Dental School Division of Oral Medicine
The Department of Diagnostic Sciences, UMDNJ - New Jersey Dental School

The NJDS Division of Oral Medicine is the largest Division in the Department of Diagnostic Sciences. The Division's combined staff, faculty, and resident/fellow membership exceeds 35. Three post-graduate training programs enrolling a total of 9-10 trainees are offered in the Division of Oral Medicine: Oral Medicine Fellowship (3), General Practice Residency (5), and an infectious Disease Fellowship (1). Faculty are responsible for annual research and service grants in excess of $1.0 million dollars. The Oral Medicine Clinic is a modern 10-chair, fully computerized facility with contemporary technologies such intraoral computerized cameras, digital photography, and a computerized patient information system in addition to all the equipment required to support modern dental practice. All phases of dental treatment are routinely performed for a population of medically complex patients, including fixed, and removable prosthetics, endodontics, periodontics, oral surgery and, of course, oral medicine. In addition to a large population of medically-complex, the Oral Medicine service is a regional referral center providing health care services to a large number of patients with orofacial pain, mucosal and salivary gland disorders. On average, each year in the Oral Medicine Clinic over 2,300 patients are treated by a total of 8 residents / fellows for over 5,500 patient visits. The following are typical patient volumes by category: mucosal and salivary gland disorders-325; orofacial pain-325; medically complex - 1,250; and special needs - 114. The Oral Medicine Clinic is truly a patient-centered facility. The Clinic is adjacent to an Oral Medicine Administrative Suite which contains resident offices, staff offices, a conference room and kitchen area. The offices and conference room have the latest computer and imaging equipment with a wide range of textbooks, several journal subscriptions, and unlimited internet resources. In addition to care in the Oral Medicine Clinic, approximately 8,000 patients are cared for each year in the University Hospital Dental Medicine Department - a state-of-the-art 8-operatory facility.

CERTIFICATE PROGRAM IN ORAL MEDICINE

The Certificate Program requires that the trainee complete a 24 month clinical Fellowship. The program combines a 6 month course of study in physical examination / diagnosis in the New Jersey Medical School (Introduction to Clinical Sciences), weekly patient care in the Oral Medicine and Hospital Dentistry Clinics, and a comprehensive curriculum including weekly journal clubs, case presentations and seminars. The Fellow will contribute to the publication of peer-reviewed papers and presentation of clinical or research findings at national meetings. Upon completion, graduates are eligible for examination by the American Board of Oral Medicine. The faculty and detailed curriculum is described below.

COMBINED MASTERS DEGREE AND CERTIFICATE CURRICULUM

This combined program requires that the trainee complete the (1) Oral Medicine Certificate curriculum, (2) M.S. curriculum, and (3) complete a research project and successfully defend his/her Master's thesis (curricula described below). In order to facilitate completion of the combined program there will be considerable flexibility in the sequence and selection of the didactic and clinical components. The Graduate School of Biomedical Science requires 25 credit hours of course work plus the thesis research and defense. Core courses and research seminars offered by the Department of Oral Biology provide approximately two-thirds of the required course credits for the MS degree. The balance of coursework is completed in areas of particular interest to the trainee. Sufficient time and flexibility will be provided to accommodate this work load. A competitive salary and benefits package is provided. Tuition for the Master's of Oral Biology Program is very competitive and opportunities exist for Division-sponsored tuition remission.

Over 140 faculty members participate in over 100 courses per year offered through the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. These courses are offered through the following departments: Oral Biology, Anatomy, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Pharmacology and Toxicology, Physiology, and Neuroscience. A complete list of course offerings is available for the Fellow to choose from.

Faculty - Division of Oral Medicine
Department Diagnostic Sciences

(* - those faculty with primary responsibilities in the Oral Medicine Fellowship)

Harold Cohen, D.D.S. (1.0 FTE)
Professor, Division of Oral Medicine

Mahnaz Fathazadeh, D.M.D. (1.0 FTE)*
Assistant Professor, Division of Oral Medicine

Gary Heir, D.M.D. (0.2 FTE)
Clinical Associate Professor, Division of Oral Medicine

A. Michael Krakow, D.M.D. (0.4 FTE)*
Clinical Associate Professor, Division of Oral Medicine

Richard Pertes, D.D.S. (0.4 FTE)
Clinical Professor, Division of Oral Medicine

Sam Quek, D.M.D. (0.4 FTE)
Clinical Associate Professor, Division of Oral Medicine

Karen Raphael, Ph.D. (1.0 FTE)
Associate Professor, Division of Oral Medicine
Associate Professor of Psychiatry, New Jersey Medical School

Riva Touger-Decker, R.D., Ph.D. (0.5 FTE)
Associate Professor, Division of Oral Medicine,
Associate Professor and Program Director, MS Nutrition, School of Health Related Professions

OTHER FACULTY

In addition to those faculty listed above, many clinician-scientists in the Department's five other Divisions (Oral Pathology, Oral and Maxillofacial Imaging, Oral Diagnosis, Emergency/Urgent Care and Nutrition also make regular and substantial contributions to the Oral Medicine Training Program. Faculty members outside the Department as well as in the Medical School and the School of Biomedical Sciences also contribute to the oral medicine program, graduate school courses, and provide research opportunities.

ORAL MEDICINE CERTIFICATE CURRICULUM

The program requirements for the Certificate in Oral Medicine are listed below. Each requirement is briefly described on the following pages.

YEAR ONE:

ICS Introduction to Clinical Sciences (New Jersey Medical School)
OM 801: Oral Medicine Clinical Conference
OM 802: Journal Club
OM 803: Oral Medicine Seminar Series
OM 804: Hospital-Based Patient Care
OM 807: Rotations in Hospital Departments / Services
OM 808: Dental School Oral Medicine Clinic
OM 809: Orofacial Pain

YEAR TWO:

OM 805: Oral Pathology Rotation
OM 807: Rotations in Hospital Departments / Services
OM 808: Dental School Oral Medicine Clinic
OM 809: Orofacial Pain
Dent 5010: Foundation of Oral Biology
Dent 5020: Advanced Biomedical Science for Dentistry
OM 810: Thesis Research (where applicable)

Weekly, ongoing academic activities:

Tumor Board
Orofacial Pain Patient Rounds
Oral Medicine Patient Rounds
Oral Medicine Seminar Series
Oral Pathology Conference
Journal Club
Case Presentation
Monthly Oral Pathology/Oral Medicine, Joint Rounds
Literature Review, Bi-weekly
Board Reviews

Description of Certificate Core Components:

Introduction to Clinical Sciences (ICS) (approximately 210 hours). This is an extensive, comprehensive 6-month course taken with the second year medical students. The course is designed to expand the first year Fellow's knowledge in the clinical sciences and medical risk assessment with the goals of achieving proficiency in clinical skills and the ability to apply basic science information to solving problems and making decisions in clinical medicine. The course covers physical and laboratory evaluation and interpretation in all the major medical disciplines (allergy / immunology, cardiovascular, dermatology, gastroenterology, endocrinology, internal medicine, geriatrics, hematology, hepatology, infectious diseases, neurology, obstetrics and gynecology, ophthalmology, otorhinolaryngology, pediatrics, physical medicine and rehabilitation, pulmonary medicine, radiology, and renal).

Dent 5010: Foundations of Oral Biology (selected)
Research Methods and Biostatistics
Inflammation / Immunology
Pain / Neuroscience
Pathobiology

Dent 5020: Advanced Biomedical Science for Dentistry (selected)
Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics
Clinical Oral Pathology
Radiation Biology and Medical Imaging

OM 801: Oral Medicine Clinical Conference, Clinical Grand Rounds
Representative patients seen by the Oral Medicine Service in the Dental School and Hospital will be discussed in detail concerning their chief complaint, diagnosis, related laboratory and radiographic findings, histopathology, and management. Participants in patient discussion include faculty and Oral Medicine Fellows. This is a dynamic forum for discussion of clinical and biological aspects of disease, diagnostic process, and outcomes assessment.

OM 802: Journal Club
The Oral Medicine Fellow attends selected general journal club with residents from the Infectious Disease and General Practice programs as well as journal clubs dedicated to oral medicine and orofacial pain. The journal club is a dynamic forum for critical thinking.

OM 803: Oral Medicine Seminar Series
Topical seminar co-presented by Fellows and Oral Medicine faculty or invited speakers. Each seminar will address a specific medical or oral medicine topic, often correlated with the weekly case presentations or journal club for added reinforcement.

OM 804: Hospital-Based Patient Care
The Fellow will spend approximately 20% of the time during year one in the University Hospital Dental Clinic treating hospital inpatients and outpatients. Treatment is provided in a modern 8-chair dental suite in the hospital or in the operating room which is assigned to Hospital Dentistry and Oral Medicine two days per month. The Fellow will participate in the in-house on-call service during year one. Year two call is limited to only 1-4 times/month.

OM 805: Oral Pathology Rotation
The trainee will spend a full month assigned to the Oral Pathology service as well as an additional 50 hours per year in Oral Pathology case conference. During the rotation the trainee will receive and participate in the preparation of specimens submitted to the diagnostic biopsy service and review all specimens with the Attending oral pathologist(s).

OM 806: Oral-Maxillofacial Radiology and Advanced Imaging
Imaging topics are discussed during the DENT 5010 and 5020 courses. Additionally, imaging technology, indications, and interpretation for common oral medicine problems are discussed during the Oral Medicine Seminar Series. When appropriate, the Fellow spends time with dental radiologists to become familiar with indications for and interpretation of a variety of imaging modalities, including CT, MRI, plane radiography, nuclear medicine, and sialography.

OM 807: Rotations in Hospital Departments / Services
Rotations are performed in several areas:

• Medicine 2 month block (plus ICS course)
• Oncology weekly multi-disciplinary tumor board participation
• Allergy and Immunology approx 3 hours per month (joint Dermatology and Oral Immunology rounds)
• Ample opportunity exists for selective / extended rotations in other disciplines such as Neurology, Dermatology, Allergy and Immunology, to name a few.

OM 808: Oral Medicine Clinic (approximately 900 hours per year)
The Oral Medicine Clinic in the Dental School provides the single largest clinical component for treating patients with oral medicine disorders. The Clinic is a modern 10-chair, fully computerized facility with adjacent administrative, office, and conference room spaces. In this clinic the Fellow will evaluate and treat patients with a wide variety of oral mucosal, salivary gland, facial pain, and complex medical disorders under the direct supervision of Oral Medicine Faculty. In this Clinic the Fellow will also perform a considerable amount of routine and advanced restorative and prosthetic dentistry, endodontics, periodontics, and oral surgery for patients with complex medical disorders.

OM 809: Grand Rounds in Orofacial Pain (1.5 hours per week)
Every week new patients are reviewed and selected ongoing patient care is discussed among fellows and faculty in an informal, but very interactive, grand rounds fashion.

OM 810: Research
All residents enrolled in the Masters in Oral Biology Program will perform clinical or laboratory research activities with faculty actively involved in research. A variety of research topics are available within the Dental School, such as basic neuroscience, immunology/experimental pathology, microbiology, investigational new drug studies, epidemiological studies, treatment outcome assessments, etc... In addition, there are many research projects in the medical school that can be chosen for thesis work. Those fellows enrolled in only the Oral Medicine Certificate program are expected to participate, on a limited basis, in scholarly activity that will lead to the preparation of at least one publication in a peer-reviewed journal.

Independent Study
Fellows have approximately 6 hours per week protected for library work and independent study.

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