University at Buffalo (UB)
Pediatric Dentistry Certificate
The Advanced Education in Pediatric Dentistry program is fully accredited, diverse, and dynamic in nature. Although it is a hospital-based program, it consists of multiple unique rotation sites where residents will spend a lot of their training that allows them to become proficient in working with in many types of clinical environments with diverse patient populations. Residents rotate through the John Oishei Children’s Hospital, the Kaleida Ambulatory Care Center at the Conventus Center for Collaborative Care, the University at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine, and multiple University Pediatric Dentistry Dental Associates off-site faculty-practice clinics. Residents will gain extensive experience in treating patients of all ages, cultures, and healthcare needs. A comprehensive education is provided in the form of clinical and didactic training, supplemented with close personal interactions with faculty and related healthcare providers.
FALL 2025 ENROLLMENT | Applications accepted May 8 - October 1, 2024
Program Director:
Meelin Dian Chin Kit-Wells, DDS
Department of Pediatric & Community Dentistry
114 Squire Hall | mc30@buffalo.edu
Faculty and Curriculum
Faculty at UB's School of Dental Medicine are committed to providing students an inclusive and diverse learning environment and promoting improvements to oral health, not only at our school, but worldwide. Our highly trained faculty, innovative curriculum, and clinic experience are among the top reasons our students choose our school.
All residents are required to complete and present an approved research project during the two-year duration of the residency program. Residents develop and implement the scientific process of research design, data collection, and statistical analysis and are required to present their findings in a public forum. Residents attend the AAPD Annual Session during their second year of training to present their research. Residents are encouraged to seek publication of their research during the program and after graduation.
Incoming residents go through a one-week orientation. Topics covered are:
- PALS Certification
- GME Policies
- Benefits Overview
- Physicals and Health assessments
- Hopsital policies and computer training
- Completion of the AAPD In-service examination
- Review of Resident Handbook
- Reimbursement policies
- Clinic Protocol
- Hospital On-call protocal
- In-house Consultations and Special Clinics Overview
- Infection control policies
- Introduction to Scientific Research
- Introduction to Treatment Planning and Diagnosis
- Radiographic Policies
- Scheduling Overview
During orientation, first-year residents will spend time initially working alongside the second year residents in clinics and on-call. After the initial introduction, each resident is will begin treating patients independently in the clinic and hospital setting alongside the pediatric dental faculty.
Resident’s Program Time
- 75% Clinical Activities
- 15% Didactic
- 5% Research Activities
- 5% Teaching Activities
Formal Courses
- Head and Neck Anatomy
- Oral Microbial Ecology
- Pediatric Core Medicine Clerkship
- Dental Pharmacology
- Interdisciplinary Patient Care
- Oral Diagnosis
- Oral Medicine and Oral Radiology
- Dental Public Health
- Ethics and Risk Management
Seminar Topics
- Sedation and Anesthesia
- Emergency Management
- Biostatistics
- Research Design
- Epidemiology
- Genetics
- Embryology
- Growth and Development and Orthodontics
- PALS
- Practice Management
- Craniofacial Case Conferences
- Case Presentations
- Literature Reviews
Core Topics in Pediatric Dentistry
- Interceptive Orthodontics
- Hospital Dentistry
- Management of Patients with Special Healthcare needs
- Dental and Orofacial Trauma
- Treatment Planning
- Pediatric Dental Procedures
- Behavior Guidance Technicques
- And More ...
Off-Service Assignments
- Anesthesia
- Pediatric Medicine
- Emergency Medicine
- Operating Room
- Community Outreach
- Special Care Clinics - ENT, Williams Syndrome, Craniofacial
Conferences
- American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry Comprehensive Review Course
- American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry Oral Board Review Course
- American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry Annual Session
- Joseph E. Bernat Symposium (sponsored by the Department of Pediatric and Community Dentistry)
- Craniofacial Center of Western New York Conferences
Clinical Associate Professors
Paul R. Creighton, DDS, Interim Department Chair
Justin Eckler, MD, PhD
Christopher M. Heard, MD
Juan Yepes, DDS, MD, MPH, Dr. PH
Clinical Assistant Professors
Rachel Anderson, DMD
Victor Bochacki, DDS
Meelin D.ChinKit-Wells, DDS
Douglas Olson, DMD, MS
Suketu N. Patel, DDS
Tammy Thompson, DDS
Carrie Wanamaker, DDS
Clinical Instructors
Kelly R. Burke, DDS
Mary E. Dunn, DDS
J. Bradley Ecker, DDS
Amy Nagai, DDS
Mark Trautman, DDS