University of Pennsylvania
- Pennsylvania
- Pediatric Dentistry
- dental.upenn.edu
Program Contact
Program Director: Dr. Alina O'Brien, contact
Program Overview
Penn Dental Medicine, in affiliation with The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, offers a two-year residency training program in Pediatric Dentistry. This program is fully accredited by the American Dental Association’s Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA). 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.
Residents 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 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 help residents gain a deeper understanding of medical conditions and learn to work closely with medical colleagues and other members of the health care team. Residents have time designated for research and involvement in community activities. They also teach at the Penn Dental Medicine Pediatric Dentistry Clinic. Elective rotations and continuing education opportunities are also encouraged. The program promotes 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 residents 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 residency programs to combine their specialty training with advanced research and academic opportunities. To that end, Penn Dental Medicine offers a Master of Science in Oral Biology and a Doctor of Science in Dentistry 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.
Academic Track: MSOB and certificate (3 years), DScD and certificate (5 years)
Clinical Certificate Track: certificate only (2 years)
The Pediatric Dentistry Residency Program has full accreditation from the American Dental Association.
Clinical Education
The clinical portion of the residency takes place in both the Penn Dental Medicine and The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Pediatric Dentistry clinics.
The clinical curriculum includes:
- Interaction and consultation with medical and dental personnel
- Patient management – pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic
- Preventive dentistry and oral health education
- Comprehensive restorative and prosthetic care
- Oral facial trauma – evaluation, diagnosis, treatment, and child abuse considerations
- Periodontal diseases – diagnosis, treatment, and referral
- Pulp therapy for primary and young permanent teeth
- Oral surgery for the pediatric dental patient
- Management and care of special needs patients
- Preventive and interceptive orthodontics and space maintenance
- Dental emergencies
Program Information
| Program Type | Pediatric Dentistry |
|---|---|
| Program Code | PED365 |
| Degrees Offered | Certificate, Masters, Other |
| Program Size | 4 |
| Program Length | 24 months |
| Application Deadline | October 1 |
| Program Start Date | July 1 |
| Supplemental Application | Yes |
| Supplemental Fee | Yes |
| Stipend Offered | Yes |
| Match Participating | Yes |
| Program Website | dental.upenn.edu |
Application Requirements
Required Standardized Tests
- INBDE
- NBDE1
- NBDE2
- Passing the INBDE before the Match deadline
Supplemental Requirements
- Requires supplemental application
- Requires supplemental fee
International Student Eligibility
This program will consider applicants who graduated, or plan to graduate, from a non-CODA accredited dental school: No
Applicants are eligible to enroll if they are:
- US Citizen
- US Permanent Resident
Interview Schedule
Admissions Process
Application Deadline: October 1 — See Graduate Dental Education Programs Admissions Requirements and Procedures for detailed information and instructions.
An applicant to be considered for admissions to the Pediatric Dentistry Residency Program requires:
- Participation in National Matching Services
- Participation in PASS
- Supplemental Application sent directly to the school by October 1 — See Graduate Dental Education Programs Admissions Requirements and Procedures for detailed information and instructions.
All application materials are reviewed by the Pediatric Dentistry Residency Program Admissions Committee. Late or incomplete applications are not considered. Qualified candidates are selected for an interview based upon the following criteria: past academic performance, class standing, motivation and interest, personal and career goals, experiences beyond pre-doctoral education, evidence of scholarly activity, letters of recommendation.
A personal interview is required as part of the selection process. Selected applicants are invited to interview at Penn Dental Medicine. Interview invitations are sent via email shortly after the application deadline. Travel and lodging information are included in the interview invitation. The interview day consists of either a morning session or afternoon session. All candidates have breakfast or lunch with faculty, residents, staff and other invited candidates followed by individual panel interviews with department faculty and residents, and a tour of the facilities.
Official letters of acceptance are sent within 10 days of the release of Match results from Penn Dental Medicine’s Office of Graduate Dental Education. All admitted candidates are obligated to submit a non-refundable acceptance deposit in the amount of $2,000 within ten business days of acceptance notification from Penn Dental Medicine. The Office of Graduate Dental Education provides assistance to coordinate pre-enrollment activities such as establishing a PennKey for access to the University’s online resources, establishing a university email address, and initiating the visa process for international students.
Additional Information
Applicants to this program are eligible to apply concurrently to the following degree programs which extend the length of their curriculum.
Only upon request, accepted applicants will be required to complete the following:
- Successfully pass several Criminal Background Checks.
- Meet University and School of Dental Medicine vaccination and health screening requirements.
- Provide official INBDE scores if not provided to ADEA PASS at the time of application.
- Complete all required knowledge based compliance courses
- Submit a final set of official transcripts from all postsecondary schools attended. For international dental school graduates we require official transcripts in the original language and an original certified English translation, a notarized copy of your dental diploma and original certified English translation, and an official ECE course-by-course evaluation.