The Good, The Bad, The Ugly!

Many of you email frequently to ask how is Dent School, or to wish me well. The notes are received , while I do not have time to respond to email. I attempt to answer your questions about Blenko and my life in the blog. Your emails mean a lot to me, and I hope you will continue to write. Soon, (after 5/09) I should have some 'free' time.

This week I did my first GPR/ AEGD residency interview in Pittsburgh, it was a Thursday night - Friday day commitment. The hospital and staff were very nice, busy extremely busy but the current residents described the environment as hectic but full of opportunities to be exposed to new things, to learn - weekly seminars and classes.
I would enjoy.

We stayed at the Renaissance Hotel in downtown Pittsburgh - The Renaissance Pittsburgh Hotel is the newly renovated Fulton Building constructed in 1906. Built of granite, brick and copper, this historic building is detailed with several Renaissance revival elements including a copper-roofed rotunda and a set of mythical winged dragons visible upon entering the hotel.[more]. This was very GOOD! We ate dinner at the LEMON GRASS** - one of my a favorite restaurants in Pittsburgh, located across the street from Renaissance Hotel. The service was BAD, very BAD, the food not warm, the tea was luke warm. The server plopped the bill down before serving our desserts? A NEW LOW! LEMON GRASS in the past has been THE BEAUTIFUL! Interestingly, the server followed us out of the restaurant to ask WHY we failed to tip. THE UGLY!
Since its opening in 1998 as the older, more formal sister to Phnom Penh, one of Downtown's first and best Cambodian restaurants, The Lemon Grass Cafe has become a favorite choice of both lunchtime office workers and dinnertime theatergoers, given its prime location in the heart of Pittsburgh's Cultural District. Thursday night was my first disappointment in The Lemon Grass (I've probably been there a dozen or more times).
Below is a brief description of what happens in Dental School and after. If there are questions I haven't answered email and I'll attempt.
Dental school is four academic years in duration and is similar in format to medical school--consisting of two years of basic medical and dental sciences, followed by two years of clinical training (with continued didactic coursework). Before graduating, every dental student must successfully complete the National Board Dental Examination Part I and II (commonly referred to as NBDE I & II). The NBDE Part I is usually taken at the end of the second year after the majority of the didactic courses have been completed. The NBDE Part I covers anatomic sciences, biochemistry, physiology, microbiology, pathology, and dental anatomy and occlusion. The NBDE Part II is usually taken during winter of the last year of dental school and consists of operative dentistry, pharmacology, endodontics, periodontics, oral surgery, pain control, prosthodontics, orthodontics, pedodontics, oral pathology, and radiology. NBDE Part I scores are of importance when considering residency training after graduating from dental school.
After graduating, the vast majority of new dentists go directly into practice while a small percentage of dentists apply to a residency program. Some residency programs train dentists in advanced general dentistry such as General Practice Residencies and Advanced Education in General Dentistry Residencies, commonly referred to as GPR and AEGD. Most GPR and AEGD programs are one year in duration but several are two years long or provide an optional second year. GPR programs are usually affiliated with a hospital and thus require the doctor to treat a wide variety of patients including trauma, critically ill, and medically compromised patients. Additionally, GPR programs require residents to rotate through various departments within the hospital, such as anesthesia, internal medicine, and emergency medicine, to name a few. AEGD programs are usually in a dental school setting where the focus is treating complex cases in a comprehensive manner. * GRP is required before entering Oral Surgery and some other speciality fields. I am applying for GPR and AEGD resident positions.
** Lemon Grass uses BLENKO Glass water bottles. Renaissance Hotel has packaged snacks on the counter in BLENKO GLASS bowls.