The Marquette University School of Dentistry has announced the launch of a general practice residency program to provide post-graduate education and clinical training leading to proficiency in general dentistry. The program’s affiliated hospital will be Aurora Sinai Medical Center, near the Marquette campus, as part of a partnership between the School of Dentistry and Aurora Health Care.
The general practice residency program received accreditation from the Commission on Dental Accreditation on Aug. 8. The program will emphasize general dentistry, resident education, patient centered care and community service through post-graduate training and the delivery of oral health care in a hospital setting.
“We are excited to start this new post-graduate program to offer pre- and early-career dentists a necessary training opportunity to learn proficiency in emergency and multidisciplinary care, to treat patients with special needs, and to be responsive to a changing health care environment,” said Dr. Elsbeth Kalenderian, dean of Marquette’s School of Dentistry. “As the only dental school in the state of Wisconsin, and one with a Catholic, Jesuit mission at its heart, it is important that we provide services and programs that benefit both our students and the communities in which we live and work. I am appreciative to Aurora Health Care for joining us in this program.”
“Aurora Health Care is proud to partner with Marquette University School of Dentistry to bring essential dental services directly into our hospital setting,” said Dr. Nkem Iroegbu, president of Aurora Sinai Medical Center and Aurora St. Luke’s South Shore. “By integrating dental care into our emergency department and collaborating on this residency program, we are advancing our mission to increase access to comprehensive health and wellness services in Milwaukee. This initiative reflects our commitment to equitable care and ensures that patients receive timely, compassionate treatment that supports both their oral and overall health.”
As part of the partnership, Aurora Sinai will have a dedicated dental treatment room in the emergency department for patients who seek dental palliative care for pain and infection. Residents will be providing dental care in a patient-centered private practice environment at the School of Dentistry while rotating with Aurora Sinai for anesthesia, internal medicine and the emergency department. While on a rotation, the GPR residents are fully integrated with the Aurora Sinai team, treating patients alongside physician residents gaining knowledge and experience.
“This program is a great opportunity for both our students and those seeking care at Aurora Sinai Medical Center,” said Dr. Jeff Zeller, clinical assistant professor of community dental sciences and director of graduate practice residency. “Having a dental chair in the emergency department is a big deal in patient care. For our residents, this represents an opportunity to gain confidence outside of dental school by treating more complex patient cases. There is a high need for this proficiency, especially in specialty areas such as endodontics and oral surgery.”
Additionally, patients who are part of the Aurora hospital system will be able to receive dental care at the School of Dentistry’s newly renovated GPR Dental Clinic. These patients will optimize their dental health, which directly contributes to the overall improvement of their medical condition such as outpatient cardiology and women’s health, as well as our community-based patients.
General practice residents are dental school graduates and practicing dentists who enroll in a one- or two-year residency program through Marquette Graduate School. Participants will see patients both at Aurora Sinai Medical Center and in the School of Dentistry clinics. Applications are now open for residents to start in late 2025; interested applicants should contact the program coordinator directly for more information.
