Summer Dental Selective Options

This course provides an opportunity to work with Orthodontic graduate students treating comprehensive cases. The objective of this 16-hour summer selective is to provide the best qualified pre-doctoral students an opportunity to experience and be immersed in a postdoctoral Orthodontic residency setting. Students interested in applying to an Orthodontic residency will actively participate in aspects of patient Orthodontic care and resident training.

Interested students applying for this Orthodontic selective will need to submit a one-page Letter of Intent. The Letter of Intent should include: Which selective they are interested in. Why they are interested in the selective. What they expect to learn.

Interested students on the day they request permission to register for this Orthodontic selective should send their Letter of Intent to Ms. Mabel Hernandez (hernandezmr@uthscsa.edu). In some cases, obtaining permission may include a face-to-face meeting.

Semester: Summer
Who can sign up: DS2, DS3
Number of spots: 6
Meets clinical requirement: Yes
This selective requires permission to register: Yes, if you are interested please contact Mabel Hernandez

In this elective course, the student with the guidance of their mentor, will review the literature and will develop a research protocol. Credit for the elective course will be awarded by the mentor contingent on the approval of the protocol by the mentor and the Associate Dean for Research. The student must be in good academic standing as determined by the Associate Dean for Research to apply for this elective. Students may become ineligible to complete the elective course if placed on academic probation. Enrollment in this elective may be extended through the following semester, provided that the Associate Dean for Research and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs approve the extension and the mentor reports satisfactory progress. A student may withdraw from this elective course at any time without recording of withdrawal on the transcript.

Semester: Summer
Who can sign up: DS1
Number of spots: 20
Meets clinical requirement: Yes
This selective requires permission to register: Yes, if you are interested please contact Callie Cass

The Pediatric Dentistry summer selective course is a one week long clinical course. This selective is for RISING DS4 students. In this course the student will be providing care to patients who range in age from as young as 6 months to 17 years of age. The course will provide students with broad clinical experiences, ranging from simple preventative procedure to more complex operative procedures. If the student is also interested in pediatric residencies, this is a wonderful opportunity to observe pediatric dental residents perform sedations and ask residents about the program. There will also be exposure to conducting infant examinations which will provide a great opportunity to discuss anticipatory guidance with parents. More importantly the student will be able to get experience in treatment planning with different age groups in which they can be somewhat complicated and may need referral to the operating room. For this selective you will need to contact Dr. Contreras (contrerasc2@uthscsa.edu) and copy Rebecca Ramirez (ramirezR14@uthscsa.edu) and will authorize to sign up for the selective.

Semester: Summer
Who can sign up: DS3
Number of spots: 9
Meets clinical requirement: Yes
This selective requires permission to register: Yes, if you are interested please contact Rebecca Ramirez

This selective offers an opportunity for students to receive credit for a minimum of 32 hours of documented community service. Service hours can be filled by participating in school-wide or community agency service projects or helping the Department of Comprehensive Dentistry with health fairs. Students will be able to choose the activities they participate in from a list of approved activities. The service activities will take place during hours outside the curriculum (usually weekend; some evenings/pending availability of the student). This selective is open to all students by permission.

All participants will be expected to attend a mandatory meeting prior to selective.

Important details: Check with the coordinator for specific dates.

Semester: Summer
Who can sign up: DS1
Number of spots: 6
Meets clinical requirement: No
This selective requires permission to register: Yes, if you are interested please contact Nora Olivo

This selective is designed for students interested in acquiring basic conversational skills in Spanish, specifically for dental practice. It is not a traditional Spanish language course but rather focuses on equipping students with the necessary phrases and communication strategies to effectively interact with Spanish-speaking patients in a dental setting. This is an asynchronous course and will be offered completely online.

Semester: Summer
Who can sign up: DS1, DS2, DS3
Number of spots: 140
Meets clinical requirement: No
This selective requires permission to register: No

This multifactorial population health includes addressing oral healthcare for the resettled population while identifying key issues in local and global healthcare settings. The training embodies an immersive and vulnerable approach to preventive oral healthcare, emphasizing multifactorial population health. It focuses on addressing oral healthcare for resettled populations while identifying critical issues within local and global healthcare contexts. Students will engage in an interprofessional collaborative setting, working closely with interpreters, which is essential for effective clinic management. They will utilize a model of patient-centered communication to enhance care planning and develop advance directives. Additionally, students will disseminate oral health messages electronically by providing tailored advice on oral and nutritional health. This outreach aims to bridge the gap between theoretical frameworks learned in DS1 clinical prevention courses and practical application within local or global communities. Concurrently, the Selective will concentrate on reinforcing patient management and developing tailored counseling skills, which are foundational elements during DS1 and DS2 didactic training.

Semester: Summer
Who can sign up: DS1, DS2
Number of spots: 5,5
Meets clinical requirement:
This selective requires permission to register: Yes, if you are interested please contact Nora Olivo

Paired groups of students are required to participate in a one or two-week rotation during the summer session. The students will be based at either Mercy Ministries of Laredo or UTRGV School of Medicine. Students must participate in outreach to include dental education on dental disease prevention and oral health promotion and will work alongside clinic outreach staff (e.g., Promotoras and Social Workers) and health care providers (dentists, physicians, nurses, residents, dental hygienists, or dental assistants). Activities will include clinical preventive patient education, dental surveys, dental assisting, and/or preventive dentistry clinical procedures. Students are required to develop a health promotion and disease prevention project (e.g., patient handout, educational flip chart, presentation, etc.). This tool will be implemented and continue to be used in future outreach by the program. Ability to communicate in Spanish is encouraged. 1 – 2 week rotation.

All participants will be expected to attend a mandatory meeting prior to selective.

Semester: Summer
Who can sign up: DS1
Number of spots: 4
Meets clinical requirement: No
This selective requires permission to register: Yes, if you are interested please contact Nora Olivo

Rising fourth year dental students participate in a primary care/preventive dentistry elective training program. Together medical, nursing and "promotoras" from Mercy Ministries, collaborate with our faculty and dental students, providing an interdisciplinary approach to our training program. Dental care is provided in a community health clinic with conventional dental equipment and also using portable dental equipment. Dental students participate in a two week rotation and practice in accordance with their level of training and ability. Patients are adults and represent local community and "colonia" residents as well as referrals from a "battered women's shelter". All are from lower socio-economic border areas of Webb County in Laredo, Texas. Dental care is provided under the direct supervision of Dental School faculty. Students that participate become familiar with the oral health needs of various segments of the population and gain invaluable clinical experience and patient management skills.

All participants will be expected to attend a mandatory meeting prior to selective.

Semester: Summer
Who can sign up: DS3
Number of spots: 8
Meets clinical requirement: Yes
This selective requires permission to register: Yes, if you are interested please contact Nora Olivo

Rising senior dental students will provide basic primary oral health care and preventive services to patients in a community-based clinic in South Texas. Below is a list of the participating community clinics and number of spots per clinic. A minimum of 2 weeks will be scheduled by arrangement and attendance is required. Withdrawal is permitted with appropriate transcript entry. Housing will be provided in Laredo and Harlingen if needed. Participants will be scheduled based on the list of students who register for the course. Students must complete daily procedure summaries and selective evaluation at the end of the rotation.

Clinics location and number of spots:

San Antonio - 2 spots

Laredo - 2 spots

Harlingen - 2 spots


Semester: Summer
Who can sign up: DS3
Number of spots: 6
Meets clinical requirement: Yes
This selective requires permission to register: Yes, if you are interested please contact Temo Garcia

This summer elective provides a unique opportunity to enhance the clinical skills for Rising DS4 students while specializing in geriatric oral healthcare. Participants will gain hands-on experience by treating real geriatric patients in various settings, including clinics, nursing homes, and mobile units. The program incorporates cutting-edge digital dentistry techniques, such as scanning, designing, and 3D printing removable dentures using CAD/CAM technology. Through these experiences, students will gain specialized expertise in high-demand areas of geriatric care, which will be valuable for residency applications and future practice.

In addition to clinical training, the elective offers interprofessional learning, with rotations in nursing homes that allow participants to collaborate with physicians, speech therapists, and nurses to provide holistic care. Students will develop a deep understanding of common geriatric oral health conditions, such as xerostomia, periodontal disease, and denture-related issues. The program also emphasizes communication skills, teaching students how to effectively engage with elderly patients, including those with dementia. The elective offers a comprehensive experience in both clinical practice and oral health promotion for institutionalized older adults.

DS3s
May 12-16: (3 students) Monday through Friday
May 19-23: (3 students) Monday through Friday

Semester: Summer
Who can sign up: DS3
Number of spots: 6
Meets clinical requirement: Yes
This selective requires permission to register: Yes, if you are interested please contact Tammy Lund

Students will have the opportunity to work with oral and maxillofacial radiology residents under the supervision of the covering faculty. Students will have the opportunity to learn about Cone Beam CT technology and different machines in the Graduate Oral & Maxillofacial Radiology Clinic. Students will have the opportunity to observe and participate in the discussion in report writing service that the Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology (OMFR) program provides on a national level.

Semester: Summer
Who can sign up: DS2, DS3
Number of spots: 3, 3
Meets clinical requirement: No
This selective requires permission to register: No

Students will write and publish a CAT (Critically Appraised Topic), a structured one-page summary and critique of the best available evidence on a focused question. The CAT format requires the writer to:
1. Ask a clear, concise and focused question,
2. Conduct an efficient and effective search for the highest quality research evidence available,
3. Critically appraise the located evidence,
4. Carefully consider the applicability/generalizability of the evidence,
5. Write the structured one-page summary.
 The UT Health San Antonio CATs Library provides students and faculty with rapid, up-to-date evidence-based answers to clinical questions. CATs completed during the selective will be published in the CATs library. Once published, the CAT can be listed on the student’s CV as a web-based publication.

All participants will be expected to attend a mandatory on-line meeting at the beginning of the selective.

Semester: Summer
Who can sign up: DS2, DS3
Number of spots: 30
Meets clinical requirement:
This selective requires permission to register:

Introduction to dentists role in screening for and treating obstructive sleep apnea.

3 sessions: Fridays, 8:30a to 12:00p (May 23, May 30, June 6)

Semester: Summer
Who can sign up: DS3
Number of spots: 10
Meets clinical requirement:
This selective requires permission to register: Yes, if you are interested please contact Lori Morgan

Rising DS4s will participate in a primary care/preventive dentistry elective training program in which primary dental care is provided including dental emergencies and medical complex patients in San Antonio Christian Dental at Haven for Hope. Students participate in accordance with their level of training and ability, by providing needed dental care to the homeless and patients of all ages from shelters, thus becoming familiar with the oral health needs of various segments of the population. Dental care is provided under the direct supervision of Dental School faculty, including adjunct faculty from the Dental School.

Semester: Summer
Who can sign up: DS3
Number of spots: 4
Meets clinical requirement: Yes
This selective requires permission to register: Yes, if you are interested please contact Claudia Romero