Program Description
The goals of the program are to provide foundation knowledge and educational experiences in pediatric dentistry and offer diverse experiences in all aspects of pediatric dentistry clinical care as recognized by the specialty. The program instills in the post graduate students all the values and beliefs of the specialty and ensures they have the skills to be responsible for care of the growing child. Graduates become skilled as the primary care provider for the pediatric patient from infant, child, and adolescent and for the special needs patients. There is a strong hospital component ensuring the graduate is able to fully integrate into the medical community. The program experiences foster interest in community service and helps to prepare and encourage the graduate to become committed to dental education. The program comprises formal instruction in the biomedical sciences and clinical and didactic subjects of pediatric dentistry. Post graduate students become fully integrated in the medical care of the pediatric patient through rotations at affiliated hospital experiences including anesthesia, pediatric medicine and its subspecialties, pediatric emergency services, and operating room services.
Program Strengths
- The program will provide the student with a wide range of clinical, didactic, and research experiences.
- Based in a major urban setting, the program provides opportunities to interact and treat diverse populations.
- Strong hospital training component at Bellevue Hospital Center and NYU Langone Health.
- Pediatric and public health concerns at the community level are addressed.
- The program offers multifaceted faculty that include full- and part-time practitioners.
- Flexibility is built into the program to allow for independent studies.
- Post graduate students are prepared to successfully complete ABPD certification.
- All post graduate students are encouraged to pursue a full- or part-time academic career.
Eligibility for Licensure
Completion of the CODA-accredited Advanced Education Program in Pediatric Dentistry satisfies the training requirements for eligibility for participation in the board certification process for the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry. Eligibility for dental licensure is based on pre-professional, professional and post-graduate training and varies by state/jurisdiction. Candidates should check the state/jurisdiction regulations for dental licensure for the state(s)/jurisdictions(s) in which they are seeking licensure in order to ensure that they comply with all requirements.
Admissions
See Admissions & Application Process for admission requirements and instructions specific to this program.
Program Requirements
Didactic Program
Approximately 20 percent of the overall program time is dedicated to the didactic component. Emphasis is placed on gaining a critical and analytical attitude toward existing and new information. Seminars are evidence-based and used to provide education in the areas of growth and development, child development and its applications to dentistry, health promotion and prevention of disease, patient care, behavior guidance, and moderate sedation techniques.
Year One
Pediatric courses include Core Techniques, Evidence-Based Studies, Community Practice, Moderate Sedation, Orthodontic Seminar and Clinic, Literature Review, Child Psychology and Development, Pediatric Dentistry Case-Based Seminar, Pediatric Oral Pathology and Growth and Development. Interdisciplinary Seminars are scheduled throughout the year to interact about cases that require multi-specialty care. All first-year post graduate students must also successfully complete BCLS, PALS, and Human Subjects Training.
Core basic science courses are taken during the first year to provide the post graduate students with foundation knowledge. These courses include Craniofacial Development, Clinical Pharmacology, Research Design, and Practice Management. Prior to post graduate students’ clinical teaching assignments, a course in Introduction to Pedagogy presents the theory and application of clinical education methods.
Year Two
Pediatric courses include Literature Review, Evidence-Based Studies, Orthodontic Seminars and Clinic, Pediatric Dentistry Diagnostic Seminar, Practice Management, Hospital Dentistry and Related Studies in Pediatric Dentistry.
Clinical Program
Clinical training overall comprises approximately 65 percent of the program time. The pediatric patient population available for care is extensive and diverse, and a very wide range of clinical opportunities is available. Post graduate students become skilled in being the primary care provider for the pediatric patient in different clinical settings, including university, hospital, mobile dental van, and community health centers. Care of the special needs pediatric patient is provided on-site and at affiliated hospitals. Post graduate students become part of the health care team and work in a multi-specialty interdisciplinary group.
Outreach
An extensive outreach program provides unique educational and service delivery experiences for post graduate students and offers an exciting opportunity to work with children in community-based settings and in the College of Dentistry’s Smiling Faces, Going Places mobile dental care van. There are international outreach opportunities throughout the year that qualified post graduate students participate in. To encourage future participation in academic venues, all post graduate students teach in both preclinical and clinical aspects of the pre-doctoral program.
Hospital Rotations
Hospital rotations occur at Bellevue Hospital Center, NYU Langone Health (at both Manhattan & Brooklyn locations), and Rose F. Kennedy Children's Evaluation & Rehabilitation Center. The rotations include: Anesthesia, Physical Diagnosis, Operating Room Services, Pediatric Medicine, Pediatric Emergency Services, Oral Maxillofacial Surgery, Infectious Disease Clinic, Family Care Center, Special Care, Institute of Reconstructive Plastic Surgery Craniofacial Center, and the Stephen D. Hassenfeld Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders.
Research Program
All post graduate students are required to complete an approved research project. This project requires post graduate students to learn and demonstrate their ability to understand the scientific process including data collection, statistical analysis, and presentation in a scientific forum or as a submission for publication. Post graduate students take a course in research design and have consultation for the statistical aspects of the project. All post graduate students must complete the Human Subjects Tutorial. Opportunities exist for association and guidance from a wide array of biomedical and clinical experiences.
Teaching Program
Post graduate students teach both at the graduate and undergraduate level.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the program, graduates will:
Comprehensive Care
- Demonstrate competency in providing primary and comprehensive, preventative, and therapeutic oral health care for infants and children through adolescence (including underserved pediatric populations and those with special needs).
- Provide restorative and surgical therapies for children.
- Construct and execute vital and non-vital pulp therapy and management in primary and developing permanent teeth.
- Demonstrate competency in radiology principles and techniques.
Anatomy/G&D
- Demonstrate an understanding of craniofacial development and general principles involved in growth, development of jaws, dentition, and malocclusions.
- Critically evaluate dentofacial growth and development, understand the differences between dentofacial growth and changes resulting from treatment, and discuss the limitations of dentofacial growth and development.
- Manage the diagnosis and appropriate treatment modalities for malocclusion problems affecting orofacial form, function, and esthetics in infants, children, adolescents, and individuals with special health care needs and evaluate the need for appropriate consultation with and/or timely referral to other specialists.
Pharmacology and Anesthesia
- Demonstrate an understanding of principles and modalities of sedation including recognition, treatment, and management of pharmacologic-related emergencies and indications and contraindications for their use.
- Demonstrate an understanding of clinical pharmacology as it relates to medications commonly encountered or prescribed in the dental office setting.
- Appropriately assess and manage the effects of pharmacological agents and anesthetic emergencies in the child and adolescent populations.
- Act as primary operator and monitor of sedation, inhalation analgesia, and non-pharmacological techniques in infants, children and adolescents, including individuals with special health care needs.
- Provide comprehensive care, follow-through, and post-operative care to pediatric patients under general anesthesia in the operating room.
- Perform pre, peri- and post operative assessments for pharmacologic management.
- Appropriately assess pre, peri and post op fluid management, venipuncture techniques, medical emergencies, intubation, and all aspects of medical care during general anesthesia.
Behavioral Health
- Demonstrate competency in child behavior management.
- Demonstrate an understanding of principles of child psychology and the developmental milestones of childhood as they relate to the practice of pediatric dentistry.
- Recognize psychological and emotional issues frequently encountered in the adolescent population, and apply evidence-based behavioral strategies and interventions using pharmacological and non-pharmacological approaches.
Hospital Protocols and Practice Management
- Assume a leadership role as an oral care team member and accept and manage the responsibilities of that specialist role in the health care community.
- Collaborate with health care providers as part of an interprofessional care team.
- Utilize clear and structured communication techniques with children and apply the principles of informed consent with parents.
- Recognize, assess, evaluate, and report child abuse and neglect, and non-accidental trauma.
- Perform biopsies and diagnostic tests and refer patients to appropriate oral pathology specialists.
- Effectively utilize practice management and telehealth systems.
- Contribute to quality, infection control, and safety evaluation activities to improve patient care outcomes.
- Function as health care provider in a hospital setting.
Research
- Critically analyze current evidence in research and apply it to clinical practice.
- Critically analyze research and statistics to formulate discussion, hypotheses, and results.
- Complete a research project including a critical review of the literature, development of a hypothesis, design of the project combined with the appropriate statistical analysis and interpretation of data, concluding with the outcome/findings of the project.
- Utilize ethical guidelines in practice management that adhere to the highest standards of jurisprudence and risk management.
Community/Public Health
- Demonstrate an understanding of health promotion and disease prevention modalities, social determinants of health, the role of diet and nutrition in oral health, and the relationship between oral health and systemic conditions.
- Provide education, preventative strategies, and risk-based comprehensive treatment plans to parents/caregivers of pediatric patients.
- Identify disparities in the delivery of dental care, access barriers to dental care, and potential solutions.
- Identify and recommend services available through healthcare and oral healthcare programs for at-risk populations.
- Advocate for public health policy legislation and regulations to protect and promote the oral health of children at the local, state, and national level.
Trauma
- Diagnose, treat, and manage the pulpal, periodontal, and associated soft and hard tissues following traumatic injury.
Special Needs
- Modify dental care treatments for patients with special health care needs.
Policies
Educational Visits/Observership Opportunities
NYU College of Dentistry welcomes dentists and dental students who are interested in applying for specialty dental education to visit our programs. Visitors to the Advanced Specialty Education Programs at NYU College of Dentistry may attend lectures/seminars and may observe, but may not participate in, direct clinical patient care.
For additional information and application, interested individuals should email dental.peds.observe@nyu.edu.
Accreditation
The Advanced Education Program in Pediatric Dentistry is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation and has been granted the accreditation status of “approval 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:
Commission on Dental Accreditation
211 East Chicago Avenue
Chicago, IL 60611
To learn more please visit the Commission’s website.
COVID-19 Vaccine-Related Requirements
Mandatory Vaccinations, Boosters, and Records Upload
All members of the NYU community — students, faculty, employees, vendors, affiliates, and campus visitors — are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, to upload proof of their vaccination to NYU's portal, and to have that vaccination documentation accepted by NYU.
NYU Dentistry also must abide by the New York State Department of Health (DOH) regulations "Prevention of COVID-19 Transmission by Covered Entities" (10 NYCRR 2.61).
Note: As of January 13, 2023, the information regarding the applicability and scope of DOH regulations is subject to change, as the regulations are subject to ongoing litigation between the state of New York and a non-NYU party. NYU is monitoring the status of the regulations and this page will be updated prior to matriculation of currently admitted students.
Read the Message to all Admitted Students regarding Proof of COVID-19 Vaccination
NYU Policies
University-wide policies can be found on the New York University Policy pages.
School of Dentistry Policies
A full list of related academic policies can be found on the School of Dentistry Academic Policies page.