The elective externship provides fourth-year veterinary students with an immersive clinical experience in a veterinary dentistry and oral surgery specialty practice. Students will participate in daily case management involving advanced dental and oral surgical procedures in small animals. Under direct supervision of board-certified dentists and experienced clinical staff, students will gain exposure to comprehensive oral examinations, dental radiography, treatment planning, anesthesia and pain management protocols, periodontal therapy, tooth extractions, oral mass management, maxillofacial procedures, and postoperative care.
Students are expected to actively participate in case discussions, patient assessments, surgical observation and assistance, and client communication. Emphasis is placed on development of clinical reasoning, surgical principles, anesthetic monitoring, dentistry techniques, and professional collaboration within a specialty referral setting. The externship is designed to enhance students’ understanding of veterinary dentistry and oral surgery while fostering confidence, technical skills, and professional growth in a high-volume specialty practice environment.
The practice provides a comprehensive specialty training environment with extensive clinical, surgical, anesthetic, and diagnostic resources to support veterinary student education. The service is staffed by three board-certified veterinary dentists, one board-certified anesthesiologist, a dentistry resident, four dedicated anesthesia nurses, and three experienced dentistry nurses who work collaboratively to provide advanced patient care and mentorship.
Students have access to a high-volume dentistry and oral surgery caseload and are exposed to a wide range of advanced procedures and specialty techniques. The facility is equipped with eight dedicated dentistry procedure tables, advanced dental radiography capabilities, and cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) imaging to support diagnostic evaluation and treatment planning. Educational opportunities include direct case involvement, clinical discussions, surgical observation and assistance, anesthetic management exposure, and one-on-one interaction with specialists, residents, and technical staff in a specialty practice setting.
Students are expected to actively participate in the daily activities of the dentistry and oral surgery service throughout the externship. The clinical schedule consists of four surgical days per week, during which students are expected to attend morning consultations, participate in patient rounds, engage in case discussions with clinicians, and assist the clinical team where appropriate.
Students will function as active members of the service rather than observers only, with opportunities to assist during procedures, support patient care activities, and participate in clinical decision-making discussions under supervision. Expectations include professionalism, preparedness, initiative, and active engagement in the learning process.
Additional educational opportunities, including cadaver laboratory and procedural practice sessions, may be available outside of the standard four-day surgical schedule for students who wish to further develop technical skills and hands-on experience
2061 Briggs Rd
Ste 403
Mount Laurel, NJ 08054
United States