Emily Neeley, DMD
Program Director
The LSU Health Shreveport General Practice Residency (GPR) program is a one-year experience with an optional second year in hospital dentistry and is based in the university’s affiliates: Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport - Academic Medical Center and David Raines Community Health Center and other community clinics.. The program intensively trains general dentists to understand and competently manage complex dental patients with medically, mentally, emotionally, and physically compromised conditions, including age (geriatric and pediatric), utilizing the resources and facilities of a hospital. Advanced training is provided in all areas of dentistry to enhance the skills required during postdoctoral education and upon completion, the skills and judgement commensurate with their residency experience.
More than 87% of Louisiana is designated as Dental Health Professional Shortage Area (DHPSA). There are an average of 3,397 citizens per general dental practice in Louisiana, which is higher than the current US average of 3,018.
Overall Program Goals and Objectives
- Advanced training in the clinical practice of dentistry with skill in patient evaluation, medical history, physical assessment, health promotion and disease prevention, laboratory diagnosis, the diagnosis and treatment of common dental emergencies in the dental setting, and the advanced use of dental treatment modalities.
- Extensive training to function effectively within interdisciplinary health care teams as the primary oral health care provider, including referrals and consultations, as part of a patient-centered health care team.
- Hospital and clinic experience and community service in comprehensive and emergency oral care to a wide range of patients with regard to dental complexity and patients with medically, mentally, and physically-compromised conditions, including age (geriatric and pediatric), and socioeconomic status (indigent and privileged).
- Training in operating room and hospital protocols and providing dental treatment in a hospital operating room setting and managing perioperative and postoperative patient care.
- Advanced education and training in pain and anxiety management through appropriate behavioral and pharmacology methods.
- Didactic and clinical guidance in communication, behavioral management, and practice management skills in the practice of dentistry.
- Experience in applying critical thinking and evidence-based outcomes to clinical decision making in oral health care.
- Fostering lifelong learning, patient centered care, professional ethics, and a commitment to community service, especially to the under-served and those in lower socioeconomic status.
- Anesthesia, Pain Control, and Pharmacology
- Asepsis, Infection Control
- Clinical Dentistry
- Endodontics
- Implant Dentistry
- Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery
- Oral & Maxillofacial Pathology
- Pediatric Dentistry
- Periodontics
- Preventive Dentistry
- Restorative Dentistry
- Dental Oncology and Maxillofacial Prosthodontics
- Dental Photography
- Emergency Dental Care
- Emergency Medical Care
- Inpatient Care and Hospital Organization
- Laboratory Medicine
- Medical Risk Assessment
- Physical Evaluation
- Medically Compromised Patients
- Oral Medicine
- Oral Diagnosis and Treatment Planning
- Clinical Case Conference
- Clinical Case Studies
- Practice Management
- Research
- Special Patient Care: Patients with Disabilities, Geriatric Patients
- TMD/Myofacial Disorders
Admissions Requirements
Qualified candidates must have a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) or equivalent and must submit all required program application materials by the application deadline. Admission criteria are applied equally to all participants. Successful candidates will be evaluated for academic achievement and no adverse discriminatory judgements are made based on race, sex, religion, or national origin. Successful applicants are required to hold a Louisiana State Resident (Limited/Restricted) Dentist License effective at the beginning of residency training valid for duration of the residency program.
The program intensively trains general dentists to understand and competently manage complex dental patients of all ages – pediatric to geriatric. LSU Health Shreveport currently enrolls six residents per year and provides advanced training in all areas of dentistry. The residents will experience general adult and pediatric dentistry based in the clinics of Dentistry, a division of LSU Health Shreveport Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery. Residents will also gain general dentistry experience in community and private practice clinics.
