The Oral Medicine Residency, sponsored by Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM), is an intensive training program for dentists committed to pursuing a full-time academic and/or institutional career. Clinical training is based at Harvard-affiliated teaching hospitals including Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH), Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI), Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), and Boston Children's Hospital (BCH). Trainees are co-appointed as Residents at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard School of Dental Medicine. BWH and MGH are founding members of the Mass General Brigham (MGB) System, formerly known as Partners HealthCare. The program is fully accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA).
Degrees/Certificates Offered
Certificate Only
This is a three-year program culminating in a certificate of completion. Salary and benefits follow the MGB Resident Benefit Guide. There is an associated facility fee every year but no tuition. Trainees in this track are encouraged to consider pursuing further training in clinical research through various available mechanisms to best prepare for a successful academic and/or institutional career. One to two positions are available each year, beginning in mid-June.
Certificate and Master of Medical Sciences (MMSc)/Certificate in Oral Medicine
This is a four-year program (three years of tuition and a one-year facilities fee) with master-level course requirements, culminating in a certificate of completion as well as a Master of Medical Sciences (MMSc) degree from HSDM. There is no stipend support.
Certificate and Doctor of Medical Sciences (DMSc)/Certificate in Oral Medicine
This is a five-year program (four years of tuition and a one-year facilities fee) with doctoral-level course requirements and a research thesis, culminating in a certificate of completion as well as a Doctor of Medical Sciences (DMSc) degree from HSDM. There is no stipend support.
Program Overview
Program Manual
Please click here to find the Oral Medicine Manual.
Facilities and Resources
The clinical, educational, and research resources at BWH, HSDM, and the greater Harvard Medical School (HMS)/Longwood Medical Area campus offer one of the richest and most unique environments for training in oral medicine. The Division of Oral Medicine & Dentistry has a modern clinic in BWH and treats a high volume of inpatients and outpatients with oral medicine conditions. There are five full-time faculty board certified in Oral Medicine. All records and imaging are digital and fully integrated into the MGB System.
Clinical Rotations
In addition to intensive training in oral medicine, residents rotate in related medical fields, including oral surgery, oral pathology, internal medicine, inpatient care, otorhinolaryngology, head and neck oncology, dermatology, hematology/oncology, head and neck radiology, cancer imaging, infectious diseases, emergency medicine, rheumatology, immunology and allergy, orofacial pain, headache and complementary & alternative medicine.
Didactics and Research
Core didactics include lectures, oral medicine seminar/literature review and grand rounds. All residents take coursework at HSDM and HMS; requirements vary based on the program track. All residents are expected to gain experience in research; those in the DMSc program complete doctoral level research and defend a thesis. Please refer to the Program Manual for further details.
Board Eligibility and Examination
Certificate recipients are board eligible for the American Board of Oral Medicine (ABOM) as well as the Royal College of Surgeons Edinburgh (RCSEd).
Supervision and Evaluation
All clinical activities are supervised by attending faculty. Resident and preceptor evaluations are completed after every rotation. Performance and progress are formally reviewed with the program director semiannually.
Accreditation
The program in oral medicine is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation. The Commission is a specialized accrediting body recognized by the United States Department of Education. For more information, please visit the Commission on Dental Accreditation website.
Applicant Information
Applications are due November 1, 2024 and must be submitted through PASS. Interviews for the residency program will be held on Wednesday, December 11, 2024, though this date is subject to change.
Please visit AGE Admissions for application requirements.
