Pediatric Dentistry

Program Director: Robert J. Berkowitz, DDS

Assistant Program Director: Jeffrey Karp, DMD, MS

Program Length And Number Of Positions
The Pediatric Dentistry Program offers a two-year curriculum that meets the requirements of the Commission on Dental Accreditation and the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry. Six residents are accepted each year. This program prepares the graduates to be clinical specialists, to conduct research and teach, or to combine these activities to suit personal and career goals.

Program Type
The Pediatric Dentistry Program is a university-based and hospital-affiliated certificate program.

Application Process
The application deadline is October 15 of the year preceding matriculation. Correspondence regarding application and admission procedures should be addressed to Dr. R. J. Berkowitz, UR Division of Pediatric Dentistry, Eastman Dental Center, 625 Elmwood Avenue, Rochester, NY 14620-2989.

Program Stipend
First Year:      $43,452
Second Year: $45,078

There are no tuition charges for the residency program and health insurance is provided at no cost.

Admission Requirements
Applicants must provide the following items to be considered for admission:

• D.D.S., D.M.D., or non-U.S. equivalent Dental and preprofessional education transcripts
• Three letters of recommendation
• Personal interview
• New York Dental License or Limited Permit from the NYS Dental Board.

Facilities

• Eastman Dental Center
• Strong Memorial Hospital

Program Strengths

• Abundant educational resources at the University of Rochester Medical Center
• Flexibility to suit the individual interests and goals of each student
• Availability of hospital facilities and experience in treating children in that setting
• Training in the care of the developmentally disabled
• Advanced training in orthodontic treatment and limited diagnosis

Other Educational Opportunities
Residents may apply to the University of Rochester's School of Medicine and Dentistry or other local universities or colleges to combine course work and research requirements toward a Masters or Ph.D. degree while pursuing their program in pediatric dentistry at the Eastman Department of Dentistry.

Clinical Activities
The clinical program in pediatric dentistry offers training in all aspects of the specialty. Outpatient treatment occurs at the Eastman Dental Center, which is a referral site for practitioners in Western New York.

Instruction in the treatment of children who are medically compromised and/or developmentally disabled is an important part of the program. Residents regularly treat these types of patients.

Hospital experience is largely obtained through the Division of Pediatric Dentistry within the Eastman Department of Dentistry (EDD) at the University of Rochester Medical Center. The EDD pediatric dentistry residents are credentialed as residents at Strong Memorial Hospital. Hospital experiences include oral rehabilitation under general anesthesia, management of emergency pediatric dental problems, and in-patient consultations. Each resident also participates in a four week general anesthesia rotation, a six-week clerkship in pediatrics, and a two week rotation in emergency medicine.

Upon completion of the program, the resident receives a Certificate in Pediatric Dentistry and meets eligibility requirements for the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry.

Didactic Courses and Lectures
All residents attend regularly scheduled lecture series presented by leading practitioners and researchers on basic and applied topics such as prevention, epidemiology, cariology, scientific foundations of pediatric dentistry, and growth and development. Specialty courses include behavior management, pediatric pharmacology, interceptive orthodontic techniques, speech, minor oral surgery, pulp therapy, traumatic injuries, dental care for people with developmental disabilities and the medically compromised, and pediatric physical diagnosis. Lectures and seminars on other areas of dentistry and science are offered along with specialty courses in child psychology, management of child behavior, premedication and analgesia, pediatric advanced life support, hospital dentistry, cariology, biostatistics, epidemiology, and pediatric medicine. Other areas include occlusal guidance, operative and prosthetic procedures for primary and mixed dentitions, minor oral surgery, dental health education, and scientific research methods. Seminars are an important part of the pediatric dentistry program. Residents are expected to prepare seminars and present lectures to the department as part of the teaching experience.

Rotations in anesthesia, pediatrics, and emergency medicine are provided for all residents. All residents must prepare and present a research project with application to pediatric dentistry to achieve certification. Those interested in graduate studies may be allowed to expand these projects and combine them with course work at the University of Rochester leading to an advanced academic degree after one or more additional years of study. Students are also eligible to apply for positions as Fellows in the UR Cariology Training and Dentist Scientist Programs.

Course Listings

Research
Residents participate in the preparation of a research project and written report under the supervision of a faculty member. Projects may be of a clinical or basic science nature. Residents choose their projects based on their interests and how the proposed project relates to children's oral health.