The second year offers unique opportunities for dental residents. In addition to the significant amount of additional didactic and clinical experience, residents in the second year also receive valuable teaching and administrative experience, which will be of benefit to them regardless of their choice of careers.

Three to four months of the second year are spent as chief resident. During this time, the chief resident is assigned to the dental clinic for more advanced general practice training and continued management of comprehensive care patients. Chief residents provide backup call to the Emergency Department, supervise the first-year residents, and coordinate the dental inpatient consult service. In addition, he or she has teaching responsibilities for other trainees, to include dental students, first-year dental residents, and residents for other services (e.g., Emergency Medicine).

Chief residents are also given various administrative responsibilities, including involvement in faculty and staff meetings, giving them some practical experience in departmental administration, which strengthens their background in practice management. These experiences, combined with other administrative duties, prepare second-year residents for a broader range of career choices in dentistry