At the University at Buffalo’s post-graduate Pediatric Dentistry program, residents treat a diverse patient population including underserved refugees, immigrants, and patients with special healthcare needs. Our Program is committed to promoting and advancing the knowledge and skills of our residents in every aspect of Pediatric Dentistry.  Our exceptional faculty members are dedicated to teaching our residents the highest quality oral health care services for the pediatric population in Western New York.  Residents have an unparalleled education through their exposure to a dynamic curriculum consisting of clinical rotations, academic lectures, active-learning case presentations, literature reviews, and interactive seminars.   The various clinical training sites produce successful residents that are strong, capable, compassionate, and fully prepared to practice in any environment upon graduation.   

All Areas of Pediatric Dentistry

Our goal is to train residents to become proficient in all phases of pediatric dentistry, including:

• Pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic behavior guidance techniques
• Treatment of children under general anesthesia
• Hospital Dentistry Inpatient care
• Interceptive Orthodontics for the pediatric and adolescent patient
• Child growth and development
• The management of medically compromised patients
• Dental and orofacial trauma and the management of dental emergencies
• Recognition and treatment of oral pathological conditions
• Preventive therapies and promotion of oral health
• Treatment planning and providing comprehensive oral health care
• Performing restorative techniques for pediatric and adolescent patients
• Treatment of common oral diseases
• Pulp therapy in the primary and immature permanent dentition
• Community outreach, service and advocacy
• Management of a pediatric dental office
• PALS/BLS Certification

Rotations in Pediatric Medicine, Emergency Medicine, Anesthesia, Otolaryngology, Craniofacial Clinic, and other specialty pediatric clinics are also a required component of the program. The sedation educational experience in this program is unparalleled, with in-depth training in oral and intranasal conscious sedation and IV deep sedation techniques practiced on pediatric patients throughout the duration of the program. Time is also spent teaching pre-doctoral dental students in the hospital and university clinics, with each resident obtaining the title of Clinical Assistant Professor at the start of the program.   Residents are sent to the AAPD Comprehensive Review Course and Oral Board Review during their second year of training in effort to prepare them for the ABPD Qualifying Exam, which is a requirement to take prior to graduation.

Clinical Facilities

The clinical facilities currently include 10 sites that residents rotate through.  The Oishei Children’s Hospital site is utilized for resident multiple rotations, operating room experiences, and on-call emergency care, and is located strategically in the downtown medical corridor.  Treatment for patients exclusively with special healthcare needs is provided at the Kaleida Ambulatory Care Center at the Conventus Center for Collaborative Care, which is attached to the hospital.  University Pediatric Dentistry Dental Associates has 7 different offices in which residents rotate through.  Residents will have full auxiliary support during patient care at these sites, allowing the resident to treat the patient with the highest level of care.  Residents also work at the University at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine, providing supervision to pre-doctoral dental students under the supervision of a faculty dentist. 

Accreditation

The program in pediatric dentistry is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation and has been granted the accreditation status of accredited without reporting requirements. The Commission is a specialized accrediting body recognized by the United States Department of Education. The Commission on Dental Accreditation can be contacted at (312) 440-4653 or at 211 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611. The Commission’s web address is www.ada.org/en/coda.

Length of Study

This is a 24-month certificate program, commencing July 1, the first year.