Advanced Pediatric Dentistry Certificate

The advanced pediatric dentistry certificate program is a 24-month course of study designed to provide students with the background information and clinical experience necessary for the practice of pediatric dentistry. The program in pediatric dentistry is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation, a specialized accrediting body recognized by the Council on Postsecondary Accreditation and the United States Department of Education. The program also meets the educational requirements of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry.

First-year studies emphasize advanced pediatric dentistry theory and clinical treatment of the “healthy” child. Students develop a sound basis in genetics, growth and development, nonpharmacologic and pharmacologic behavior guidance, physical evaluation, research methodology and statistics, interceptive orthodontics, prevention and a review of the pediatric dentistry literature. Second year studies concentrate on oral health care of children with physical, medical, intellectual and emotional disabilities. The second year student serves as a hospital-based resident at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Long Beach Memorial Medical Center/Miller Children’s Hospital or Children’s Hospital of Orange County. Residents also rotate to Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center. Students gain experience in performing operating room procedures, oral conscious sedation, participating on interdisciplinary/multidisciplinary teams, providing emergency treatment and treating children with medical disabilities and pathologies in the hospital environment.

In addition to the two-year program, opportunities are available to combine the basic certificate program with a master’s or doctoral degree in Craniofacial Biology (CBY).

The purpose of the combined pediatric dentistry/craniofacial biology program is to prepare highly qualified specialists in pediatric dentistry who can assume leadership positions in dental education, service to the community, dental research and oral health care of children with developmental disabilities and medically compromising conditions. The structured curriculum of this three-year program offers a strong didactic component in basic biological science and in clinical sciences as well as intensive clinical pediatric dentistry training.

An individual who elects to apply to the combined program in craniofacial biology and advanced pediatric dentistry would submit a simultaneous application to the Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry and the Graduate School. See the Craniofacial Biology  section of this catalogue for further information. The first year of the program would be spent in craniofacial biology and the second and third years spent in the pediatric dentistry program. After successful completion of the craniofacial biology program the student would be reviewed by the Pediatric Dentistry Admissions Committee and admitted into the certificate program. The student must satisfactorily complete the Master of Science program to be eligible for the Pediatric Dentistry Certificate.