VA Dental Research Fellowship Program

VA Advanced Fellowships Programs Select Fellowship Program
VA Advanced Fellowships Programs Homepage Dental Research Geriatrics Geriatric Neurology Health Services Research and Development Health Systems Engineering Medical Informatics Multiple Sclerosis National Quality Scholars Parkinson's Disease (PADRECC) Patient Safety Polytrauma / Traumatic Brain Injury Rehab Psychiatry & Psychology Psychiatric Research/Neurosciences Social Work - Hartford Faculty Scholars Program Spinal Cord Injury Medicine Substance Abuse Treatment Robert Wood Johnson (RWJ) Clinical Scholars War Related and Unexplained Illness Fellows Health Issues of Women Veterans

History and Purpose

From 1982 to 1992, the Office of Academic Affiliations (OAA) funded fellowships in Geriatric Dentistry to prepare dentists for future academic leadership in geriatric oral health care. Dentists gained experience in diagnosing and treating a wide range of oral diseases in older veterans. Recognizing the need to expand the number of dentists skilled in research, OAA changed the program in 1990 by starting the VA Dental Research Fellowship Program. Graduates are expected to be role models in leading, developing, conducting, and evaluating innovative dental research, education, and clinical care.

Program Overview

The VA Dental Research Fellowship Program provides two years of post residency dental research, education, and clinical learning opportunities to eligible dentists. Fellows spend approximately 75 percent of their time in biomedical, clinical, and health services research and education and 25 percent in clinical care and teaching activities. Mentors of national stature provide guidance to fellows in rich learning environments. Fellows receive stipends based on previously completed accredited residency training plus experience in nationally recognized fellowships sponsored by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research or similar agencies and on index rates approved at the affiliated dental school and the respective VA facility.

Fellowship Requirements

Eligible dentists must have successfully completed their specialty or general practice residency. They must be board certified or board eligible by the beginning of the fellowship if the board certification process is recognized for the residency training. Because of the advanced level of training, each fellowship participant must have an active, unrestricted U.S. license to practice dentistry. Fellows must desire to lead dental healthcare in the 21st century.

Application

Individual candidates and their affiliated, sponsoring VA medical center can compete for these awards provided the facility has the appropriate resources. The sponsoring VA facility must be affiliated with a dental school. To inquire about the application process, interested applicants should write to the site of their choice and send a cover letter and curriculum vitae to the Dental Service at that site.

Dental Research Fellowship Program Address List

Bedford, MA
Judith Jones, D.D.S., MPH
Senior Research Associate
VA Center for Health Quality, Outcomes and Economic Research (152)
Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital
200 Springs Road
Bedford, MA 01730

---

Boston, MA
Raul I. Garcia, D.D.S.
Director, Fellowship Program in Dental Research (160)
VA Medical Center
150 South Huntington Avenue
Boston, MA 02130

---

Buffalo, NY
Norman Bartz, D.D.S.
VA Western NY Health Care System
3495 Bailey Avenue
Buffalo, NY 14215

---

Dallas, TX
Linda C. Niessen, D.M.D., MPH, MPP
Director, Fellowship Program in Dental Research (160)
VA North Texas Health Care System
Dallas VA Medical Center
4500 South Lancaster Road
Dallas, TX 75216

---

Detroit, MI
Richard Plezia, D.D.S.
Director, Fellowship Program in Dental Research (160)
John R. Dingell VA Medical Center
4646 John R
Detroit, MI 48201-1932

---

Iowa City, IA
Lubomir P. Turek, M.D. (160)
Director, Fellowship Program in Dental Research (160)
VA Medical Center
Highway 6 West
Iowa City, IA 52246

---

Jackson, MS
Director, Fellowship Program in Dental Research (160)
G.V. (Sonny) Montgomery VA Medical Center
1500 East Woodrow Wilson Drive
Jackson, MS 39216

---

Northport, NY
Joan A. Phelan, D.D.S.
Director, Fellowship Program in Dental Research (160)
VA Medical Center
79 Middleville Road
Northport, NY 11768

---

Philadelphia, PA
Roy S. Feldman, D.D.S., D.MSc.
Chief, Dental Service (160)
VA Medical Center
University & Woodland Avenues
Philadelphia, PA 19104

---

Salt Lake City, UT
Dr. Lea Erickson, D.D.S., MSPH
Dental Service (160)
VA Medical Center
500 Foothill Drive
Salt Lake City, UT 84148-9998

---

San Antonio, TX
Michael G. Rinaldi, Ph.D.
Director, Microbiology Section, Mycology Reference Laboratory (113)
South Texas Veterans Health Care System
7400 Merton Minter Boulevard
San Antonio, TX 78284

---

San Antonio, TX
Dr. Michele J. Saunders
Associate Director for Education/Evaluation
GRECC (182)
South Texas Veterans Health Care System
400 Merton Minter Boulevard
San Antonio, TX 78284

---

San Antonio, TX
Robert M. Craig, Jr., D.D.S.
Chief, Dental Service (160)
South Texas Veterans Health Care System
7400 Merton Minter Boulevard
San Antonio, TX 78284