Resident cares for patient

Hospital and Special Care Dentistry Fellowship

The University of Minnesota School of Dentistry Hospital and Special Care Dentistry (HCSD) Fellowship Program prepares graduates to provide care to every patient.

Excellent care starts here

The University of Minnesota School of Dentistry Hospital and Special Care Dentistry (HCSD) Fellowship Program is designed to expand the scope and depth of graduates’ knowledge and clinical skills, enabling them to provide comprehensive oral health care to a wide range of population groups, with an emphasis on the medically, cognitively and physically challenged patient. Fellows will function as part of an interdisciplinary health care team that provides treatment in clinic and hospital settings.

Program at a Glance

12 months
Length of Program
3-4 fellows
Size of program
Certificate
Earned upon completion (pending UMN Regents approval)

Find your future in dentistry here

The Hospital and Special Care Dentistry Fellowship is a 12 month, full-time program designed to develop the clinical expertise of dentists in caring for patients with special health care needs that generally have access barriers in traditional dental care settings and require alternative approaches from providers with additional training. A certificate of completion will be awarded upon successful achievement of the program’s clinical and academic objectives with a University of Minnesota Regents Certificate pending approval. The HSCD Clinical Fellowship Program is housed in the Division of Hospital & Special Care Dentistry, Department of Developmental & Surgical Sciences at the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry.

The clinical component of the program is supported by a didactic program that includes formal courses, seminars and lectures in both dental and medical topics, including, oral medicine, radiology, conscious sedation, history and physical examination, geriatric dentistry and practice management. Literature reviews and case presentation/treatment planning conferences are scheduled on a semi-monthly basis throughout the year. Residents participate in monthly multi-disciplinary treatment planning seminars with other specialty programs, and quarterly hospital dentistry-focused conferences with Oral Maxillofacial Surgery and Pediatric Dentistry residents. 

Faculty talking with residents
Residents talk about a case
Dentists help a patient to the care area

The fellowship is of particular benefit to new graduates wishing to...

  • expand their capacity to treat patients with special health care needs and complexities.
  • become comfortable with more  complex procedures to maximize general practice capabilities.
  • prepare for other specialty/residency programs by gaining more clinical, medical and surgical experience with more complex patients.
  • practice in rural or other settings where access to specialists is less available.
  • pursue future career opportunities in hospital dentistry.
  • practice in community clinics or  agencies (eg, FQHCs, Indian Health Services) where enhanced general dentistry skills are valuable.
  • prepare for leadership positions in Hospital/Special care dentistry, including teaching, program administration and research.

Prerequisites

Dentists must have a DDS/DMD degree, or an equivalent international dental degree, and be eligible for a full, limited, or resident's license in the state of Minnesota.

Preference will be given to those who have training and/or experience related to program goals (eg, previous GPR, AEGD, etc). Applications from individuals representing diverse communities are especially encouraged.

Deadline for applications is March 31, 2024.

Contact the HSCD Program

Jeffrey Steffani, DDS

Director
Jeffrey Stefani, DDS
Clinical Associate Professor
Division of Hospital and Special Care Dentistry
612-625-4777
[email protected]