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University of Kentucy College of Dentistry 
Building a Foundation for the Future
 
Orofacial Pain Center

International Fellowship Program

The International Fellowship Program is a one-year program specifically designed for dentists who originate from a country where English is not the primary language. This program provides the resident with a broad-based experience in the field of orofacial pain.

Our educational philosophy is to create a collegial atmosphere which is conducive to learning but which is challenging, provocative, and one based on the development of critical thinking skills in clinical and scholarly activities. To achieve these goals, we provide a broad diversity of didactic and clinical experiences in the area of temporomandibular disorders and orofacial pain.

The International Fellowship Program is a one-year program beginning on July 1 and ending on July 30 of the following year. The goal of the International Fellowship Program is to assist the participant in acquiring a basic understanding of the diagnosis and management of temporomandibular disorders and complex orofacial pain problems. The International Fellow participates in the three areas of study highlighted below.

The Didactic Component

The International Fellow attends all weekly seminars, case presentations and literature review sessions offered by the Center. He or she has the opportunity to enroll in a variety of Master’s Degree courses offered throughout the year, according to the Fellow’s interest. Course contents include oral biology, oral pathology, neuroanatomy, growth and development, pain physiology, craniomandibular biomechanics, masticatory function and dysfunction, pharmacology, imaging techniques and statistics. Lectures are also presented by specialists in psychology, rheumatology, rehabilitative medicine, otolaryngology, neurosurgery, anesthesiology, headache, oral medicine, oral and maxillofacial surgery and physical therapy.

The Clinical Component. The International Fellow observes and assists faculty members and residents in the evaluation and management of the orofacial pain patients seen in the Center. Approximately 50% of the Fellow’s scheduled time is spent observing the clinical management of pain patients. The program employs a medical-biopsychosocial model for the diagnosis and management of orofacial pain rather than emphasizing manual dental skills to alter dental structures. Emphasis is placed on proper diagnosis and multidisciplinary treatment strategies with medical consultation when necessary. Pharmacologic, psychologic, and physical therapies are combined with intraoral orthopedic appliances to routinely manage the orofacial pain patient. Various diagnostic and therapeutic injection techniques are also used when appropriate.

Successful management of pain conditions is based, in part, on the ability of the clinician to obtain a comprehensive history through verbal communication and skillful understanding of the patient’s complaints. Therefore, superior and fluent English language skills and comprehension are essential. The International Fellow should assume that he or she will only observe in clinic activities. In those instances when the Fellow has demonstrated superior verbal and comprehension skills, the Fellow may have the opportunity to participate more actively in the clinical assessment and management of patents. The degree of participation of the International Fellow in the clinic will be determined by the Program Director with consultation from the other faculty members.

The Research Component. The International Fellow will write a review article on a topic related to temporomandibular disorders and/or orofacial pain. The Fellow will select a topic, approved by the Program Director, and research all significant articles related to that topic. This review article will be completed one month prior to the end of the Fellow’s program. In some instances, the International Fellow may have the opportunity to participate in ongoing research efforts in the Center. The degree of participation will be determined by the availability and type of ongoing research activity at the time. The Director of Research will determine the degree of participation of the Fellow.

Tuition. This program is provided through the Department of Continuing Education at the University of Kentucky College of Dentistry. The tuition for the one-year International Fellowship for the 2009-2010 academic year is $14,500.00.

Admission Requirements. Each International Fellowship candidate must return a completed application, with dental school transcripts and two letters of recommendation by October 1 of the year prior to the beginning of the program. Each candidate originating from a country where English is not the primary language must also take the TOEFL examination. A visit to the Center for an interview is normally requested by the Admissions Committee. The Admissions Committee will select one to two candidates by December 1 and those individuals will be notified at that time.

If you wish to apply to the program, complete the College of Dentistry application form and submit it either on-line or mail it to the following address:
  
Jeffrey P. Okeson, DMD
Director, Orofacial Pain Center
University of Kentucky
College of Dentistry
800 Rose Street, D142
Lexington, KY 40536-0297
FAX: 859-323-9136