Overview
*The AEGD program is now accepting applications for enrollment in the academic year 2026-2027.
The 12-month Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) residency program provides comprehensive advanced training and clinical experience designed to prepare dental school graduates for careers in comprehensive general dentistry. Upon completion, residents demonstrate enhanced competency and confidence across all areas of patient care, practice management, and professional responsibility. Graduates of the program are awarded a certificate in General Dentistry.
Clinical training is conducted at one of two primary sites: VCU Community Memorial Hospital Dental Clinic in South Hill, Virginia or Johnson Health Center Amherst County Community Health Center Dental Clinic in Madison Heights, Virginia. Each resident completes all clinical training at a single assigned site, allowing for a consistent and immersive learning experience.
The VCU AEGD program is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) and is fully housed at these community clinical sites through established partnerships. Didactic instruction is provided through monthly in-person sessions held at the VCU School of Dentistry in Richmond, Virginia.
This program is dedicated to expanding access to oral healthcare while advancing dental education through community-based training in rural and underserved regions of Virginia. By combining site-based clinical immersion with academic collaboration, the program prepares residents to deliver comprehensive, patient-centered care while addressing critical gaps in access to services. This initiative reflects VCU’s commitment to public health, service, and strengthening the dental workforce to better serve communities across the Commonwealth.
The AEGD program is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association. The Commission is a specialized accrediting body recognized by the United States Department of Education. The Commission on Dental Accreditation can be contacted at (312) 440-4653 or at 211 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611.
Upon completion of this program, the AEGD resident should be able 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 outcome-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.