Medical University of South Carolina

In order to meet our curriculum goal of providing a wide range of clinical and didactic experiences grounded in a process of critical analysis, the program provides the following:

Clinical pediatric dental care including the diagnosis and treatment of infants, children, adolescents, and individuals with special healthcare needs in the primary, mixed, and young permanent dentitions to include: preventive care, restorative techniques, pulp therapy, management of traumatic injury, management of dental emergencies, pediatric oral pathology, space management, interceptive orthodontics, and oral surgical procedures. Direct pediatric dental care is scheduled on an eight half-day per week basis supported by a half-day per week seminar schedule, and half-day per week of focused orthodontic management.

Behavior guidance methods incorporating non-pharmacologic and pharmacologic techniques for control of apprehension and pain management support the treatment activities encountered in pediatric dental care. The clinical application of pharmacologic conscious sedation using a variety of oral sedation medications and techniques are realized on approximately 50 to 90 patients by each individual resident over the course of the two year program.

Comprehensive dental care and multifaceted behavioral management of medically, physically, and intellectually compromised patients are experienced in serving our patient population.

A four-week anesthesia rotation with the Department of Anesthesia & Perioperative Medicine in the Medical University of South Carolina Shawn Jenkins' Children’s Hospital. 

A rotation of at least two weeks in pediatric medicine with the MUSC Department of Pediatrics.  During this time, the trainee learns to perform physical examinations, obtain medical histories, and increase thier understanding of diagnosis, management & treatment of medical conditions in pediatric patients.  

Craniofacial Anomalies - clinical management of children and adolescents with craniofacial anomalies are experienced in the program's role as a primary care component of the MUSC Craniofacial Team. The Craniofacial Anomalies Clinic is scheduled on a monthly rotational basis throughout the program.  

Out-patient and in-patient treatment of children's complex dental problems using general anesthesia, and proper hospital protocol are scheduled on a six half-day per week basis with residents paired on a rotational basis. The typical experience involves OR dental management of approximately 100 to 140 patients over the course of the two year program by each resident.  

Growth and development in the context of management of occlusion through integrated diagnostic, treatment planning, and biomechanical orthodontic applications is approached with a clinical involvement of a minimum of two half day per month for both first and second year residents. These clinical orthodontic experiences involve interceptive, multiple-phase, growth modification, and comprehensive levels of biomechanical orthodontic treatment. The clinical experiences are supported by a structured orthodontic curriculum of seminar and laboratory exercises.

All residents prepare a select group of case reviews that document the clinical management of pediatric patients in addressing major treatment issues common to advanced specialty care. The experience documents the resident’s performance in the delivery of quality dental care, critical analysis and patient documentation.

During the second year of the program residents gain teaching experience as clinical instructors in the predoctoral pediatric dental clinic.  Second year residents also create and present didactic lectures as a part of the pre-docoral pediatric dentistry curriculum.  

Regularly scheduled intra- and interdepartmental seminars on topics in pediatric dentistry and other specialties along with interdepartmental courses in Biomedical and Clinical Core sciences supplement the resident's academic knowledge base.

All residents conduct a data collection research project, which includes a comprehensive literature review and paper which is of publishable quality. Besides providing informational service to the profession, the experience of conducting research will enhance the resident's ability for critical analysis.

Exposure to practice management and dental care delivery is experienced through seminars and visits to varied private offices and public clinic sites.

Preliminary Virtual Interviews: Tuesday October 7, 2025

In-Person Interviews: Monday-Tuesday, November 10-11, 2025

No supplemental information required at the time of application.  All candidates who are invited to interview must provide a dental school diploma and dental license if they are not currently in dental school.