Fellowships are sometimes available to serve as a third year of training in a specific field of interest. GPR residents rotate through a variety of services including general medicine, general surgery and anesthesiology. Each program also includes advanced training and clinical experience in preventive dentistry, periodontics, restorative dentistry, endodontics, and oral surgery. Training in orthodontics and pediatric dentistry is desirable but not mandatory for GPR programs. The remaining time may be spent in the operating room involved with inpatient services, as well as the emergency room.
Time is also devoted to non-dental services, such as lectures, conferences, and seminars.
Acceptance is based on GPA, national board scores, interviews, and extracurricular activities. Currently, there are not enough programs to train all interested individuals. GPR programs use the nationwide Matching Program to match applicants with available positions. GPR's provide a solid clinical and didactic base for general practice. It may be natural that some students become interested in and pursue a specialty career while participating in a GPR program.