Oral Medicine and Dentistry Education and Training

Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) is one of the primary teaching affiliates of Harvard Medical School (HMS). Clinical education is a cornerstone of our mission, and as such, the Division of Oral Medicine and Dentistry serves as an important teaching service for oral medicine, dermatology and oral maxillofacial pathology residents, pre-doctoral students from Harvard Medical School, Harvard School of Dental Medicine and visiting doctors from around the world.

• All BWH Oral Medicine specialists hold academic appointments through Harvard Medical School, Harvard School of Dental Medicine and are actively involved in classroom and clinical teaching.
• Residents are active participants in the management and care of oral medicine and dental patients.

Our oral medicine specialists are also dedicated to providing continuing education opportunities for health care professionals at the community, national and international levels. For more information, call (617) 732-6750.

Oral Medicine Residency Program

The BWH Division of Oral Medicine and Dentistry and Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM) support an Oral Medicine residency program that leads to eligibility for specialty certification by the American Board of Oral Medicine and fellowship with the Royal College of Surgeons Edinburgh. Trainees are co-appointed as residents at HSDM and BWH. The program is fully accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) with HSDM as the designated sponsoring institution. The goal of this program is to train future leaders in the field of oral medicine providing an optimal teaching and training experience. The program hosts three opportunities for training which include:

• A three-year advanced oral medicine program, with stipend support, culminating in a certificate of completion.
• A four-year program (tuition bearing, no stipend) with master-level course requirements, culminating in a certificate of completion as well as a Master of Medical Sciences (MMSc) degree from HSDM.
• A five-year program (tuition bearing, no stipend) with doctoral-level course requirements and a research thesis, culminating in a certificate of completion as well as a Doctor of Medical Sciences (DMSc) degree from HSDM.

All tracks are uniquely organized such that residents benefit from the rich academic and institutional resources of HMS and HSDM while receiving all clinical training at BWH and other HMS-affiliated teaching hospitals including Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Mass Eye and Ear. Residents spend time in the outpatient clinic, operating room and provide inpatient services. Oral medicine training is obtained in the Division of Oral Medicine and Dentistry, a hospital-based, high-volume oral medicine service. This specialty practice provides an unparalleled educational opportunity for the residents, who perform the initial history and examination on all patients before presenting to the faculty attending. Off-service rotations include dermatology, otolaryngology, rheumatology, pain, hematology/oncology, general oncology, imaging, and others.

For more information, please visit Harvard School of Dental Medicine.

Harvard School of Dental Medicine Student Rotations

Students from HSDM rotate in the Division of Oral Medicine and Dentistry as part of their clinical education. These students are observers and are under the direct supervision of the oral medicine attending specialist and residents.

Observerships in Oral Medicine

Observerships are offered at the discretion of the division faculty. Learn more about the Observership and access the application.