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U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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Stay Informed with New Materials

Information about IHS Externships now Available

Attention Class of 2016 — The IHS Division of Oral Health (DOH) has created new Dental Externship Program Web materials for students entering their final year of dental school who are interested in pursuing externship opportunities.

The Dental Externship Program Slipsheet provides comprehensive information about the externship program, benefits and eligibility, including details about the externship application and selection process; a description of the hands-on experience participants receive; and a glimpse into what a career in Indian health dentistry can offer.

In addition, DOH developed the Dental Externship Program Quick Reference Guide (QRG) to provide externship participants with a clear and consistent policy, budget and travel procedural document. The guide is designed for participants to review prior to completing an externship application and to have on hand when preparing to travel to and from their externship sites. It will ensure students have a clear understanding of externship expectations regarding school agreements, travel costs, reimbursement and housing policies, as well as other externship policies prior to applying for a position.

DOH is also developing Dental Extern Site Profiles for Indian health facilities that host dental externs as part of the IHS Dental Externship Program. The Profiles will outline what each site has to offer an extern in an effort to reduce the unknown elements of an externship that can negatively affect an extern’s experience. The individual site profiles will also help to motivate interested applicants to select the IHS Area that serves their preferred facilities on the location preferences of their application.

The slipsheet and QRG are now available on the IHS Dental Externships page. The Extern Site Profiles will be available later this fall.

Internally, IHS DOH also designed PowerPoint Presentations (PPTs) for IHS DOH staff, dental recruiters and school extern coordinators to use as recruitment/informational tools when talking with prospective externship participants.

Dental Externship Application Cycle

Class of 2016 Dental Students — Remember to prepare in advance for the opening of the 2015 Dental Externship application cycle.

If you're interested in applying for the IHS Dental Externship, it's important to be mindful of the application process and plan accordingly when preparing to submit your application. Our application cycle typically opens in early January and has a deadline of late February. We recommend that you read the Dental Externship QRG to better understand our travel and housing policies; complete your essay (2,500 words or less) explaining why you’re interested in an IHS Dental Externship; and identify the sites and corresponding IHS Areas where your dental school has insurance and malpractice liability agreements already in place.

How to Apply

  • Application cycle — Early January until the end of February.
  • Application preparation —
    • Confirm a school agreement is in place at prospective sites
    • Read the Externship Program QRG prior to beginning the application.
    • Prepare your essay in advance to reduce the time needed to complete the application.
  • Application link — Go to the IHS Dental Externships page to access the application.