The Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) program is designed to provide advanced training beyond the level of predoctoral dental school education, using cutting-edge technology and advances in evidence-based dentistry.
About the Program
The Advanced Education in General Dentistry program at the University of Maryland School of Dentistry is comprised of two programs – a twelve-month clinical track, and a twenty-four-month clinical track (with or without a master’s degree).
The twelve-month AEGD program is designed to improve the residents’ clinical skills and scientific knowledge in the practice of general dentistry. It prepares the residents to assess the patient’s general health status relative to anticipated dental treatment and to plan and deliver that treatment. When specialist care is required, the generalist learns to serve as the principal coordinator. Didactic content, clinical experiential care and practice management are emphasized throughout the academic year. The clinical experience includes a wide range of cases that incorporate a multidisciplinary approach to comprehensive care. The AEGD clinical faculty are trained and calibrated to offer a broad range of instruction in all aspects of general dentistry.
The twenty-four-month AEGD program incorporates all the goals and objectives of the twelve-month program but is designed to expand the educational opportunities for:
- Gaining experience in managing highly complex cases in restorative dentistry
- Improving clinical management skills
- Pursuing areas of individual concentration (e.g.: Aesthetic Dentistry, Digital Dentistry and Implantology)
The twenty-four-month AEGD program with a master’s degree provides the residents with interdisciplinary foundational knowledge in biological and clinical sciences that could lead to career choices in dental practice, academia or dental research.
The overall mission of the AEGD program is to facilitate the transition from the predoctoral dental setting into a simulated group general practice model through advanced training and clinical experiences beyond the level of pre-doctoral program.
The University of Maryland School of Dentistry AEGD program is presented in a state-of-the-art setting that includes:
- A newly renovated clinic space with eighteen operatories equipped with A-dec dental chairs
- A fully computerized electronic patient health record (AxiUm by Henry Schein)
- Digital radiography (Infinitt Pacs)
- Digital dentistry utilizing multiple CAD/CAM platforms
- 3D printing
- A computerized system for aesthetic dentistry and implant planning
- An automated central materials system to provide the necessary sterile instruments
- Implant dentistry with Nobel Biocare
- Surgical microscope
- Diode lasers
- Several hands-on clinic training sessions in crown/bridge, onlays, veneers and surgical simulation with pig jaws
- The AEGD program has a strong patient base, with patient visits totaling 5800 in the most recent academic year
An active research program is a vital feature of the AEGD program. Research projects for the master’s candidates include clinical, laboratory and basic science studies allowing access to the latest dental materials and techniques. The residents also have an opportunity to prepare patient case reports and draft manuscripts for submission to peer-reviewed journals.
Located within a full-service dental school, which includes basic science and clinical education, experienced general dentists and specialists are specifically assigned to the AEGD program and are available as resources to the residents.
The didactic portion of the program consists of a comprehensive seminar series stressing evidence-based dentistry through literature review. All aspects of clinical general dentistry and practice management are covered. A lunch and learn series offer exposure to product information from representatives of dental manufacturing companies. The master’s degree program provides formal courses in basic sciences and research methodology.
Drawing from a large pool of United States and international applicants, the University of Maryland School of Dentistry AEGD program assembles an outstanding and diverse class each academic year. With eleven residents, the program fosters a collegial and supportive environment ideal for advanced dental education.
Diamond Scholars Program
Advanced Education in General Dentistry’s Diamond Scholars Program is designed for motivated D4 students, who have an interest in general dentistry, and wish to accelerate their clinical skills and didactic knowledge beyond what is expected of a fourth-year student. The candidates will spend their entire D4 year participating in the didactic portion of the residency program and provide comprehensive dental treatment to patients who belong to the AEGD program. Candidates in good standing will receive a certificate of completion upon the conclusion of the D4 year.
For more information about the Diamond Scholars Program, please contact Dr. Adam Eisner, Program Director, Advanced Education in General Dentistry at aeisner@umaryland.edu or 410-706-7538.
Residents
AEGD Residents Class of 2025
Yina Karime Briceno Ibraim
Tejinder Kaur Saini
tsaini2@umaryland.edu
AEGD Residents Class of 2024
Michael Guo
michaelguo@umaryland.edu
Courtney Kane
ckane@umaryland.edu
Jihye Park
School: UMD
ji.park@umaryland.edu
Nada Shihadeh
AEGD Resident Awards
The Harry W.F. Dressel. Jr. DDS ’45 Award
The Harry W.F. Dressel Award is presented annually to the Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) residents who best exhibit clinical proficiency in general dentistry and the concept of total patient care. The award is presented at the Advanced Dental Education graduation ceremony.
Previous Winners:
Year Award Recipient(s)
2018 Kristen Willwerth
2019 Adriana Cartaya Mollejas
2020 Teebok Choe, Daniyel Iglesias, Samantha Rasekh
2021 Daliah Bazerbashi, Sanin Emelee, Min Seong Kim
2022 Shahriar Shahami, Venkata Ratna Kumar Rudravaram
2023 Yesenia Parraguirre, Erica Sampaio
2024 Raj Patel, Jihye Park
2025 Ashwant Kaur, Tejinder Kaur Saini
The Ira T. Bloom, DDS ‘72 Award
The Ira T. Bloom Award is presented annually to the Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) residents who best exhibit clinical excellence in the field of Digital Dentistry. The award is presented at the Advanced Dental Education graduation ceremony.
Previous Winners:
Year Award Recipient(s)
2023 Sami Abu-Alhuda, Yesenia Parraguirre
2024 Darianna Masih, Vinicius Carvalho
2025 Ashwant Kaur, Yina Briceno
AEGD 12 and 24 Month Program Goals
12-Month Program
The one-year program prepares the graduate to:
- Act as a primary care provider for individuals and groups of patients. This includes: providing emergency and multidisciplinary comprehensive oral health care; providing patient-focused care that is coordinated by the general practitioner; directing health promotion and disease prevention activities, and using advanced dental treatment modalities.
- Plan and provide multidisciplinary oral health care for a wide variety of patients including patients with special needs.
- Manage the delivery of oral health care by applying concepts of patient and practice management and quality improvement that are responsive to a dynamic health care environment.
- Function effectively and efficiently in multiple health care environments within interdisciplinary health care teams.
- Apply scientific principles to learning and oral health care. This includes using critical thinking, evidence or outcomes-based clinical decision-making and technology-based information retrieval systems.
- Utilize the values of professional ethics, lifelong learning, patient centered care, adaptability and acceptance of cultural diversity in professional practice.
- Understand the oral health needs of communities and engage in community service.
24-Month Program
The two year AEGD program incorporates all the goals and objectives of the one-year program and is designed to expand the educational opportunities offered by:
- Offering residents experience in managing highly complex comprehensive dental care;
- Improving clinic management skills;
- Enabling residents to pursue areas of individual concentration, e.g.: aesthetic dentistry, digital dentistry, and implantology.
- Providing residents with an interdisciplinary graduate foundation in the biological and clinical sciences for careers in dental research and/or education and the practice of dentistry;
- Allowing residents to gain teaching experience, perform original research and earn an optional master of science degree if indicated.
Contact Us
Suite 3212
Baltimore, Maryland 21201
