Orofacial Pain Residency

The Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at the Thomas Jefferson University/ Hospital/Jefferson Health offers a two-year Orofacial Pain Residency program which is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA). As an academic medical center, within a regional healthcare system, Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals (Center City, Jefferson Hospital for Neuroscience, Methodist Hospital), which is encompassed in Jefferson Health (Center City, Abington, Northeast Philadelphia, New Jersey, Magee Rehabilitation Services, Philadelphia University, Einstein) is dedicated to maintaining excellence in patient care, providing quality clinical settings, serving as positive role models to health professional students and developing improved methods of healthcare delivery in a cost-effective manner.

This mission is achieved through:

• Excellence and innovation
• Integrity and respect
• Teamwork and communication

Clinical training is supplemented by a comprehensive didactic program.  This program offers advanced training in orofacial pain and related conditions including headache disorders, temporomandibular disorders (TMD), neurological disorders (neuralgias, neuropathies, atypical facial pain, etc.) and sleep breathing disorders.   Our program consists of clinical training with program faculty and elective rotations with Otolaryngology, Neurosurgery, Neurology, Sleep Center, Headache Center and other related departments throughout our healthcare system.  The Orofacial Pain Residency program mirrors our institutions’ commitment to learning and discovery that will be evident to health professional students and researchers as they experience the opportunities made available to cultivate their professional and personal growth. 

Teaching opportunities at our health system are also available.

Program Goals

• Develop Expertise and Leadership in Orofacial Pain
• Provide Robust Resident Education
• Ensure High-Quality, Patient-Centered Care
• Advance Orofacial Pain through Research and Scholarly Activity
• Achieve Board Certification in Orofacial Pain

The program objectives emphasize:

• Orofacial Pain: Comprehensive evaluation, diagnosis, and management of orofacial pain and related conditions.
• Resident Education: Robust didactic and clinical curriculum to develop core competencies in medical knowledge, patient care, practice-based learning, systems-based practice, professionalism, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Patient Care: Clinical training is provided through direct, one-on-one mentorship with experienced faculty. Residents develop expertise in a compassionate and evidence-based manner, in evaluating and diagnosing complex pain disorders using advanced, state-of-the-art clinical technologies. The comprehensive training curriculum covers a range of evidence-based pain management modalities, including oral appliance therapy, pharmacologic treatment, biobehavioral interventions, injection techniques, psychological therapies, surgical approaches, and integrative medicine strategies.
• Research: Engagement in basic and applied research to advance the field of orofacial pain and improve patient outcomes.