Program Director: Dr. Mel Mupparapu
Program Overview
This Fellowship is specifically designed for the dentist who wishes to gain a scientific background and additional training in the practice of Oral & Maxillofacial Radiology (OMFR). The educational program will focus on all aspects of Oral & Maxillofacial Radiology, such as intraoral and extraoral imaging, diagnostic radiology of jaws, neck and, orofacial region, including salivary glands. The program will also emphasize the identification and evaluation of sites for implant placement and will give necessary knowledge to evaluate the root form implants radiographically.
Since knowledge of Oral & Maxillofacial Radiology is essential for the diagnosis and the success of any treatment plan, a thorough knowledge of the anatomy and pathology of the oral and maxillofacial structures is crucial. To become competent in the practice of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, the clinician must perform a proper assessment of patients, including history taking and physical examination, obtain appropriate radiographs. and develop a management plan. The management plan must be evidence-based and consistent with standards of care set forth by the scientific literature.
The Fellowship will include a didactic program designed to provide the fellow with the necessary background for the practice of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology. Although the focus will be on OMFR, the fellow will be exposed to several areas, including medicine, laboratory diagnostics, oral pathology, oral oncology, orofacial pain, pharmacology, nutrition and geriatric dentistry as well as management of medical emergencies in a dental setting through didactic/clinical exposure at the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine. Based on this philosophy, the participant will have a challenging opportunity to integrate and synthesize basic science and clinical knowledge and apply this information in the radiographic diagnosis of maxillofacial region.
The Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology Fellowship is a full-time, 12-month program with a certificate awarded by the Division of Radiology within the Department of Oral Medicine. The annual tuition for the program is $60,000 and one candidate is accepted annually.
The curriculum is comprised of didactic assignments, clinical experience, intramural rotations, teaching responsibilities. The didactic learning experiences include seminars, lectures, workshops, and self-study activities. Although there is considerable flexibility in the selection and sequencing of the didactic and clinical components, each participant is required to attend didactic sessions designed to provide the necessary background for management of radiology patients.
An important part of the program is the clinical experience, which comprises nearly half of the scheduled activities commencing upon enrollment and continuing across the entire program. The participants are also encouraged to complete a paper of publishable quality for submission to a refereed scientific journal on a topic to be mutually determined by the fellow and program director. The participant is encouraged to attend at least one annual session of the American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology (AAOMR) and preferably present a paper in that conference. The participant also has the opportunity to participate in research projects conducted within the department.
*NOTE: The Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology Fellowship program is not accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation.
Contact
Sandra McGarvey
smcgarve@upenn.edu
215-898-6628
Department of Oral Medicine
Penn Dental Medicine
240 S. 40th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6030