Graduation of endodontics residents another post-Katrina milestone Published July 22, 2009 By Steve Pivnick 81st Medical Group Public Affairs KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- Keesler marked another landmark in its recovery from Hurricane Katrina with the June 29 graduation of Keesler Medical Center's residency in endodontics class. Lt. Cols. (Drs.) David Bowers and Gerald Kaban were honored in the first graduation ceremony for endodonics residents since 2005, when the program was originally accredited. Col. (Dr.) Richard Rutledge, flight commander of the endodontics residency program at Wilford Hall Medical Center, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, was guest speaker for the event and assisted in the presentation of diplomas. Colonel Rutledge, who was assigned to Keesler on two separate occasions, is also the military consultant to the Air Force assistant surgeon general for dental services. According to Col. (Dr.) Brian Bergeron, director of the two-year endodontics residency certificate program, "The residents spent their first year as geographically-separated (Air Force Institute of Technology)-sponsored students, where they accomplished the majority of their didactic and research requirements at Baylor College of Dentistry in Dallas. They began their second predominantly clinical year of study at Keesler, where they provided patient care valued at over $650,000." "When they arrived, they found themselves waist-deep in a top-to-bottom clinic renovation that relegated them to an environment where their treatment rooms, offices and staff offices were all in separate areas of the building," he continued. "During the course of their two-year matriculation, they served under the direction of two sponsoring institutions and three different program directors. It was without question a dynamic residency program, but they met all obstacles with a positive attitude and a continued desire to learn." Colonel Bergeron said the graduates "both accomplished not one but two research projects during their program. One was recognized as award-winning research garnering one of only 10 protocols to be recognized at the annual session of the American Association of Endodontists. They each produced two manuscripts for submission to peer-reviewed journals. "They were the first Keesler residents to take their written boards during their program, which both successfully passed," Colonel Bergeron continued. "They challenged three separate mock board examinations, including two orchestrated by the national civilian consultant to the Air Force surgeon general who stated that both would have passed with flying colors had he been administering the real exam. "Both residents participated in supervised teaching of our Keesler general dentistry residents and, based on their performance, were selected for assignments where they will be teaching their own Air Force residents in the art and science of endodontics," he added. Colonel Bowers, who's been selected for promotion to full colonel, will be assigned to Eglin AFB, Fla., and Colonel Kaban will be assigned to Travis AFB, Calif.