2009 ABGD Board Review Course Information

The 59^th Dental Training Squadron and the Advanced Education in General Dentistry Program at Lackland Air Force Base will again host the General Dentistry Board Certification Review Course in 2009.

Attendance is limited to Oral Exam and Treatment Planning Exam candidates only. Military candidates have first priority, but civilian candidates may attend if space is available. Civilians have attended almost every year and none have been turned away. The course seats 32 attendees, and seating for civilians is anticipated for 2009. Typically we have 3-6 civilian attendees enrolled in a course.

Course attendance should be considered for the following reasons:

1) Board examination preparation and experience. We have been putting on this course since the 1980s, before the ABGD was even established, as we prepared candidates for our own Federal Services Board of General Dentistry (FSBGD). This FSBGD was the model upon which the civilian ABGD was conceived and established.

2) Enthusiastic faculty. Our course speakers teach in our AEGD 2-yr residency, so they are familiar with board expectations despite the fact that they are mostly specialists. They do a great job of conveying essential knowledge to general dentists. Most are board certified in their own specialty.

3) Realistic mock exams. We put attendees through rigorous 4-hour mock oral and standardized treatment plan exams. The latter will not be of use to you if you plan to present your own cases, but if you do plan to take the standardized case track, it is an exceptional chance to do a treatment plan exercise just as you would for the board. Great experience will be gained from either or both exams!

4) Super value. We don't charge a penny for the 36 hours of CE you receive. You will receive a course certificate that can be used to validate attendance. We do ask attendees to pay a small up-front fee, about $30, for refreshments throughout the week, including some catered lunches. While you do pay for your expenses, we may be able to reduce those by lodging you on base in inexpensive, but comfortable and convenient visitor's quarters.

5) Solid results: 17 of 25 course attendees from last year's course are now board certified. We do not know how many of the remaining 8 attendees actually challenged the exam. We do know that some of them were partially successful, passing one of the two sections. 100% of civilians who attended the review course and took the exam passed both sections. At least one of these dentists had experienced previous difficulties passing without the benefit of the course.

Give serious thought to attending this course! Contact Col Pierpont or Lt Col Knowles for additional information or to request a registration form.