Dentistry general practice residency program | veterans affairs

THE HOSPITAL The VA Caribbean Healthcare System is located adjacent to the Puerto Rico Medical Center. This hospital consists of beds for medical, surgical, psychiatric, spinal cord injury,

and rehabilitation medicine patients plus medical, surgery, coronary and psychiatric intensive care units. There are specialized units in the Medical Service including Medical Intensive Care

and Medical Stepdown Unit (MSDU), Coronary and Coronary Stepdown Unit (ICCU), Hematology-Oncology Ward, Hemodialysis Units and telemetry throughout the hospital.  There is an active

Outpatient Department with clinics in Internal Medicine-Preoperative Evaluation, Internal Medicine PACT Continuity Clinics, as well as all the Internal Medicine subspecialties including

Cardiology, Gastroenterology, Pulmonary, Neurology, Dermatology, Infectious Diseases, Antiretroviral Treatment, Rheumatology, Nephrology, Endocrinology & Diabetes Mellitus, Allergy and

Immunology, Hematology-Oncology and Geriatrics.  Other departments at our institution include Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R), Psychiatry, Nuclear Medicine, Radiology,

General Surgery, and other surgical specialties such as ENT, Urology, Ophthalmology, Anesthesiology, Orthopedic. Diagnostic and treatment facilities include audiology and speech pathology, a

prosthetic and sensory aids section, an orthopedic shop, a modern pharmacy serving both inpatients and outpatients, complete physical medicine and rehabilitation facilities, general medical

research facilities which include the latest equipment and general laboratory facilities, diagnostic cardiac laboratory, as well.  Medical and patients’ libraries, medical illustration

services and automated data processing facilities are available. COMMUNITY LIVING CENTER The Community Living Center consisting of skilled nursing care and a Blind Rehabilitation Center

which was inaugurated on March 20, 1990.  Patients in this unit are provided necessary dental services consistent with their oral health needs and their medical, psychosocial, and functional

conditions.  These services include treatment for dental emergencies as well as diagnostic, preventive, restorative, and rehabilitative services.  Interdisciplinary assessment and

assignment of appropriate roles ensure a coordinated approach to these patients. THE DENTAL CLINIC The Dental Clinic is located on the second floor of the hospital outpatient clinical area.

The physical facilities consist of a waiting area, Chief Dental Service’s office, secretary’s office, dentists’ private offices, receptionist area, twenty-one operatories, one recovery area,

one sterile instruments room, one soiled instrument room, one sterile storage room, a modern dental laboratory. Operatories have available modern dental equipment designed for more

efficient methods of dental practice. The dental service has one digital panoramic x-ray, CBCT and 16 digital periapical units. Three self-contained mobile dental unit are available to

provide service in the wards and in the hospital operating room.