Pedodontics, Certificate
The University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, in affiliation with The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, offers a two-year residency-training program in Pediatric Dentistry. The goal of the program is to prepare Pediatric Dentists who are proficient in providing primary and comprehensive preventive and therapeutic care for infants and children through adolescence, including those with special needs.
Four students are accepted per year (candidates must be citizens of the United States or Canada). Students will receive extensive clinical and didactic training in Pediatric Dentistry including, but not limited to, comprehensive care of both healthy and special needs children and adolescents, restorative dentistry, pulp therapy, periodontal therapy, oral surgery, pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic behavior management techniques, space maintenance, orthodontic therapy, growth and development, treatment of patients under conscious sedation, treatment of patients in the operating room under general anesthesia, and management of traumatic injuries and emergency care.
Hospital rotations will include General Pediatrics, Anesthesiology, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Craniofacial/Cleft Palate Clinic, Sedation, Oncology, Spina Bifida Clinic, General and Craniofacial Surgery, and Emergency Department. Hospital rotations will help students gain a deeper understanding of medical conditions and learn to work closely with medical colleagues and other members of the healthcare team. Students will have time designated for research and involvement in community activities. They will also teach at the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine Pediatric Dentistry Clinic. Continuing education opportunities are encouraged. The program encourages development of critical thinking and inquiry in order to be able to participate in practice, education, and research in institutional, private, and public health settings; and to prepare students to grow into leadership roles in Pediatric Dentistry. The highly respected research environment at Penn Dental Medicine and throughout the University of Pennsylvania provides a valuable opportunity for students applying to post-doctoral programs to combine their specialty training with advanced research and academic opportunities.
For more information: https://www.dental.upenn.edu/admissions-academics/graduate-dental-education-programs/pediatric-dentistry-program/
Additional Program Options
Penn Dental Medicine also offers a Master of Science in Oral Biology (MSOB) and a Doctor of Science in Dentistry (DScD) that can be earned concurrent with a specialty certificate, preparing students to successfully enter the field of academic dentistry while also becoming skilled clinicians in specialty care. Through the MSOB and DScD programs, students are encouraged to pursue their individual research interests with projects that can span the diverse disciplines and research labs within Penn Dental Medicine’s basic and clinical sciences and across the University.
Curriculum
All Dental Medicine certificate students share a common core of required courses throughout the first year. In addition, students complete additional courses specific to their particular program.
Program Requirements (Certificate Only)
- Core Graduate Dental Education Courses (Year 1 only)
- Program Specific Courses (Years 1 and 2 Didactic & Clinical)
- Literature Review (Years 1 and 2)
- Case Presentations (Years 1 and 2)
- Program Seminars (Years 1 and 2)
- Clinical Rotations (Years 1 and 2)
Core Graduate Dental Education Courses
| Code | Title | Course Units |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | ||
| Fall | ||
| DADE 9330 | Ethics, Professionalism and Jurisprudence | 1-3 |
| DADE 9340 | Evidence-based clinical practice | 1.75-3 |
| DADE 9350 | Oral and systemic diseases | 3.75-5 |
| Spring | ||
| DADE 9360 | Oral infection and immunity | 4-6 |
| DADE 9370 | Conservative and regenerative clinical practice | 2-5 |
| DADE 9380 | Vulnerable populations across the lifespan | 1.5-3.5 |
Program Timeline
Program duration is 24 months. A minimum of 78 CR is required.
| Code | Title | Course Units |
|---|---|---|
| GPED 9001 | Introduction to Pediatric Dentistry I | 2-4 |
| GPED 9011 | Comprehensive Review of Pediatric Dentistry I | 2-4 |
| GPED 9012 | Comprehensive Review of Pediatric Dentistry II | 2-4 |
| GPED 9013 | Comprehensive Review of Pediatric Dentistry III | 2-4 |
| GPED 9014 | Comprehensive Review of Pediatric Dentistry IV | 2-4 |
| GPED 9021 | First and Second Year Rotations I | 8-10 |
| GPED 9022 | 8-10 | |
| GPED 9023 | First and Second Year Rotations III | 8-10 |
| GPED 9024 | 8-10 | |
| GPED 9031 | First Year Rotations I | 8-10 |
| GPED 9032 | First Year Rotations II | 8-10 |
| GPED 9041 | Sedation Seminar | 0.5-3 |
| GPED 9042 | Sedation Seminar Spring | 0.5-2.5 |
| GPED 9061 | Trauma Fall | 1.5-3 |
| GPED 9062 | Trauma Spring | 1.5-3 |
| GPED 9073 | Second Year Rotations I | 8-10 |
| GPED 9074 | Second Year Rotations II | 8-10 |
For more information: https://www.dental.upenn.edu/admissions-academics/graduate-dental-education-programs/pediatric-dentistry-program/
Master of Science in Oral Biology
The School of Dental Medicine also offers a Master of Science in Oral Biology (MSOB). Enrollment in the MSOB program is limited to individuals concurrently registered in one of the postgraduate specialty training (certificate) programs. Candidates receive the MSOB degree after completion of both their specialty training and the Master’s curriculum, which consists of didactic, seminar, and research practicum courses. The MSOB program is comprised of two tracks designed for outstanding students who are interested in either integrating research or structured evidence-based learning into their post-graduate education.
Depending on the track selected, research activities or a systematic literature review form the core of the MSOB program. Students are expected to participate in a clinical or basic science research project of sufficient scope and intensity or a formally structured and critically evaluated literature review focused on an important oral health-related research or clinical question. A thesis composed of an in-depth review of the relevant literature along with a manuscript reporting the results of the research or a systematic review is required for graduation for the research and evidence-based learning tracks respectively.
| Code | Title | Course Units |
|---|---|---|
| Additional MSOB Course Requirements | ||
DENT 9960 | ||
DENT 9970 | ||
For more information: https://www.dental.upenn.edu/academic_programs_admissions/graduate_dental_education_programs/masters_of_science_in_oral_biology
The degree and major requirements displayed are intended as a guide for students entering in the Fall of 2024 and later. Students should consult with their academic program regarding final certifications and requirements for graduation.