Education

Dr. Cynthia Wong Named Chair, Eastman Institute Pediatric Dentistry

Apr. 12, 2023
portrait of Dr. Cynthia wong
EIOH Associate Professor Cynthia Wong, DMD (Pedo '13, MS '15)

After an extensive national search, Associate Professor Cynthia Wong DMD, MS (Pedo ’13, MS ‘15) has been named chair of Pediatric Dentistry, Eastman Institute for Oral Health. She has been serving as interim chair since July and her permanent appointment is effective immediately.

“Her strong leadership and excellent skills as a clinician, educator and researcher will enable her to grow the department amidst the challenges we continue to face post pandemic,” said EIOH Director Eli Eliav, DMD, PhD. “Her dedication to the program has been evident since she was a resident.”

The EIOH program was recently named Best in the U.S., according to Universities.com 2022 rankings. Dr. Wong has been integral in enriching the program over the last several years, including increased collaborations throughout the University of Rochester Medical Center, curriculum changes to emphasize interdisciplinary collaborations, an enhanced recruitment process and incorporating digital technologies in the classroom and the clinic.

A recent graduate of the American Dental Education Association Leadership Institute, Dr. Wong said she is honored to serve as department chair for her alma mater.

“Serving this department is my way to give back,” she said. “I’ve appreciated the opportunity to grow as an educator and provider at Eastman Institute, and I cherish the opportunity to help grow the department and resident education to even higher levels.”

Dr. Wong was the principal investigator of a Working for Inclusive and Transformative Healthcare (WITH) Foundation grant to develop online training modules for medical and dental professionals to promote inclusive health for people with IDD. She’s also part of a $6 million federal grant to help prevent recurrent disease and improve long term clinical outcomes using povidone iodine and fluoride varnish.

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Dr. Wong trains pediatric dentistry residents while treating patients in the operating room.

“Increased collaborations with other URMC providers are our top priority,” she said. “Many diseases have implications in the mouth, and dentists are often the first to discover a health problem. Being part of a collaborative network of healthcare providers helps us provide the best care for patients and education for residents.”

Dr. Wong earned her Doctorate in Dental Medicine at the University of Montreal, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and completed a residency in Multidisciplinary Care at Montreal Children’s Hospital and worked as a staff dentist and clinical instructor before completing her residency in Pediatric Dentistry at Eastman Institute for Oral Health at the University of Rochester Medical Center.