School of Dental Medicine

The School of Dental Medicine has been an integral part of the University of Pittsburgh's growth for nearly a century. Established in 1896 as an independent institution named the Pittsburgh Dental College, the school was incorporated into the University in 1905.

A member of the American Dental Education Association (ADEA), the School of Dental Medicine is fully approved and accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association (ADA). Current enrollment includes specialty dental residents, 320 first-professional students (approximately 80 students in each of the four classes), and 75 dental hygiene students. Many members of the faculty hold positions within the UPMC Health System and Veterans Affairs Medical Centers, which provide additional clinical resources for teaching. Dental residents have numerous opportunities to participate in clinical experiences as fully integrated members of multidisciplinary health care teams.

Salk Hall was dedicated as the home of the School of Dental Medicine in 1967. Renovations, over 10 years ago, have nearly doubled the building's square footage, adding office space, clinical facilities, research laboratories, and lecture halls. The Dental Medicine Fassinger Learning Resource Center, equipped with audiovisual and computer equipment, provides students with state-of-the-art computer technology including dental informatics training.

For information on the first-professional program in Dental Medicine, leading to the DMD, of this bulletin.

The mission and goals of the School of Dental Medicine are consistent with the mission and goals of the University of Pittsburgh:

1. To offer superior educational opportunities in the First-Professional, Residency, and Dental Hygiene Programs that will respond to the needs of the Commonwealth and to the broader needs of society.
2. To provide high quality dental clinical services to the people of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and society at large both within the School of Dental Medicine and within the affiliated hospitals of the medical center.
3. To engage in research and scholarly activities that will advance knowledge and extend the frontiers of oral health.
4. To offer continuing education programs reflecting recent developments and advances in dentistry adapted to personal, professional, and career objectives of the practitioner at the regional, national, and international levels.
5. To engage in public service activities by making available the expertise of the educational programs and clinical services of the School of Dental Medicine to the alumni, local community, public agencies, and the community at large.
6. To provide leadership and cooperation in the development of innovative academic programs to meet the changing and dynamic educational needs of the region, the Commonwealth, and beyond.

Contact Information

Office of Graduate Dental Education

School of Dental Medicine

University of Pittsburgh

440 Salk Hall

Pittsburgh, PA 15261

Phone: (412) 648-8406

Fax: (412) 648-8219

Web site: http://www.dental.pitt.edu/

Residency Training Programs

Detailed below are the programs leading to a certificate of advanced specialty education. These programs are designed for dentists already in possession of a DMD or DDS degree from an accredited dental school in the United States or Canada who desire additional training in a recognized dental specialty.

Admission Information

The University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine utilizes both the Postdoctoral Application Support Service (PASS) and the self-managed application process for applying to the Postdoctoral Programs.

Application deadline dates vary depending on the program into which entry is being sought. Each program application deadline is strictly enforced. Successful applicants will be notified by the MATCH Program or by the specific program director.

Please direct any questions concerning application procedures to:

Office of Graduate Dental Education

School of Dental Medicine

University of Pittsburgh

440 Salk Hall

Pittsburgh, PA 15261

Phone: (412) 648-8406

For information regarding the PASS/MATCH process, you may contact:

Postdoctoral Application Support Service (PASS)

1625 Massachusetts Avenue, NW

Washington, DC, 20036

Phone: (202) 667-9433

Fax: (202) 667-0642

Web site: http://www.adea.org/

Postdoctoral Dental Matching Program (MATCH)

National Matching Services, Inc

595 Bay Street, Suite 301, Box 29

Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 2C2

Phone: (416) 977-3431

Fax: (416) 977-5020

Web site: http://www.natmatch.com/dentres/

Selection Process Criteria

Due to the diverse needs of the individual programs, each specialty residency program will establish specific criteria for selection of applicants that will meet the needs of their program. The following criteria must be met by all candidates for acceptance:

1. Dental degree from an accredited dental school in the U.S. or Canada
2. Academic qualifications that exhibit the potential for success
3. National Board Scores which demonstrate a high level of competency
4. Letters of recommendations
5. An interview

Applications for the Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD), Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopaedics, Advanced Pediatric Dentistry, Periodontics, and Prosthodontics Programs must be filed through the Postdoctoral Application Support Service (PASS), which can be contacted directly at pass@aads.jhu.edu, or phone (202) 332-8790. In addition to filing a PASS application, those applying to the AEGD, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, and Pediatric Dentistry Programs, must also apply through the Postdoctoral Dental Matching Program.

The University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine utilizes a self-managed application process for the residencies in Dental Anesthesiology, Dental Public Health, Endodontics, and Maxillofacial Prosthodontics Programs. The Online Application Materials can be reached at the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine Web site, http://www.dental.pitt.edu. All application instructions should be followed carefully. All incomplete applications received will be returned to the applicant. We hope that by utilizing this site, the application process and experience will be efficient and "hassle free."

Core Curriculum

The core curriculum for all residents in the various specialties includes, but is not limited to, the following subjects:

Advanced Education in General Dentistry

The one-year Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) Program at the School of Dental Medicine is structured to refine and enhance the resident's clinical skills and scientific knowledge in support of the practice of general dentistry. The overall goal of the program is to facilitate the transition of the resident from a first-professional dental student to a highly competent general practitioner through postdoctoral didactic education and clinical experiences. These clinical experiences include a broad range of patients requiring comprehensive care and will be designed to match the resident's specific educational needs and interests.

The curriculum includes conferences, multidisciplinary treatment planning presentations, and clinical assignments. Didactic instruction, which constitutes approximately 20 percent of the program, is provided by program faculty in conjunction with other advanced specialty education programs offered by the School of Dental Medicine and at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center at University Drive. The patients seen in the AEGD Program are primarily adults who present with varied treatment needs. The procedures are consistent with what one would see in a general dental practice. All treatment is delivered at the School of Dental Medicine.

The specific objectives of the program are to:

Application to AEGD

For application materials, visit the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine's Web site at http://www.dental.pitt.edu/. Three residents are accepted per year.

Certificate in Dental Anesthesiology

The Dental Anesthesiology Program is a two-year Dental School/Hospital Certificate program that prepares residents in dental anesthesiology. For the first six months of the program, the resident is introduced to the clinical applications of anesthetic modalities for dental patients being treated at the School of Dental Medicine. Because management of medical emergencies is an important aspect of the resident's training, the resident enrolls in an American Heart Association (AHA) Advanced Cardiac Life Support course. Concurrently, the resident begins classes in medicine and physical diagnosis at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and attends all conferences for postgraduate first-year anesthesiology residents at the UPMC Health System. A one-month rotation is devoted to treating patients in the intensive care unit of UPMC Montefiore.

The program also trains the resident as an educator. The resident becomes acquainted with fundamental teaching techniques through completion of an AHA Basic Life Support Instructor course. Teaching classes in Basic Life Support and the management of medical emergencies gives the resident a practical opportunity for instruction.

After completing these six months, the resident begins a one-year rotation in general anesthesia at UPMC Presbyterian. During this rotation, the resident becomes familiar with the various phases of anesthetic management for patients undergoing all forms of cranial, otologic, dental, and head and neck surgery. During the last month of this rotation, the resident devotes time to treating patients in a pain clinic.

The resident spends the final six months in a School of Dental Medicine rotation. For approximately one month during this rotation, the resident devotes time to developing skills in delivering spinal and epidural anesthesia at Magee Women's Hospital in the obstetric unit. The resident is also responsible for instructing the first-year anesthesia resident in the proper use of sedative and general anesthetic techniques, and also supervises first-professional dental students in the use of pain and anxiety control techniques in various clinics. During this rotation, the resident is encouraged to complete a paper for publication, preferably on a research project of interest to the resident.

Application to Dental Anesthesiology

For application materials, visit the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine's Web site at http://www.dental.pitt.edu/. One resident is accepted per year.

Dental Public Health

The University of Pittsburgh offers a 12-month full-time or 24-month half-time residency program leading to a certificate in Dental Public Health. Applicants must possess an MPH degree before applying to the program.

The resident is involved in:

Additionally, the department operates a mobile dental van and several treatment facilities in low-income communities.

The primary objective of the program is to provide a high quality residency program in dental public health that will prepare graduates to become leaders in the specialty. The Residency in Dental Public Health will provide instruction and experiences that lead to student proficiency in dental public health, and will prepare the resident for the American Board of Dental Public Health Specialty Examination.

Specifically, this program provides:

Application to Dental Public Health

For application materials, visit the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine's Web site at http://www.dental.pitt.edu/. One resident is accepted per year.

Certificate Programs in Endodontics

This two-year residency program prepares specialists in endodontics who are trained to provide proficient treatment and specialized dental care. The program helps residents develop and master clinical endodontic skills and identify and pursue avenues of interest in relevant basic science areas. Successful completion of the program enables graduates to participate in the American Board of Endodontics certifying examination.

The program's overall goals are as follows:

Endodontic Curriculum

The curriculum, designed to encourage students to explore a wide range of topics while pursuing specialty training includes: (1) the core curriculum for all speciality residents and (2) endodontic specific conferences in:

Application to Endodontics

For application materials, visit the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine's Web site at http://www.dental.pitt.edu/. Three residents are accepted per year.

Maxillofacial Prosthetics

The Maxillofacial Prosthetics Program is a one-year residency program designed for residents who have completed an accredited three-year residency program in prosthodontics.

The program provides training in all phases of maxillofacial prosthetics. The residents are required to attend and participate in Head and Neck Cancer Grand Rounds, Tumor Board Conferences, Radiation Oncology and Cleft Palate Clinic Rounds.

Additional didactic conferences include speech pathology, advanced head and neck anatomy, implant prosthodontics, oncology and multidisciplinary treatment planning.

The program's clinical component focuses on the prosthetic treatment of acquired defects of the head and neck due to cancer surgery or trauma, congenital defects such as cleft lip and palate, and radiation oncology. The training is provided at UPMC Montefiore Hospital, the Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Center at the School of Dental Medicine and the Veterans Affairs Medical Center at University Drive.

Application to Maxillofacial Prosthetics

For application materials, visit the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine's Web site at http://www.dental.pitt.edu/. Three residents are accepted per year.

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

The University of Pittsburgh's combined Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery/Medical Degree Program is six years in duration and leads to an MD degree. Residents begin their training as first-year interns in the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (OMS) Program, and join their corresponding first-year medical school class in the spring of their first year. Essentially, the basic science curriculum of the first year of medical school has been eliminated from the combined OMS/MD track. This allows for a comprehensive training curriculum while not sacrificing oral and maxillofacial surgical experience. The residents in this track spend a total of 32 months on the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Service. Research involvement, presentations, and publications in peer-reviewed journals are required.

Training is provided by full-time Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery faculty, part-time faculty, and private practice oral and maxillofacial surgeons from the Pittsburgh area. The School of Dental Medicine has an on-site, modern ambulatory surgical suite that enhances caseload and outpatient surgical management.

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Curriculum

The following is a typical curriculum for the six-year OMS program. (Note: Course list is subject to change.)

First Year Courses

Medical School, First Year

Second Year Courses

Medical School, Second Year

Third Year Courses

Medical School, Third Year

Fourth Year Courses

Medical School, Fourth Year

Fifth Year Courses

Sixth Year Courses

These courses are provided continually or annually throughout the training:

Application to Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

Applicants must apply through the Postdoctoral Application Support Service (PASS). For application materials, visit the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine's Web site at http://www.dental.pitt.edu/. Two residents are selected.

The match selection process (Phase II) results are announced in February. Applicants matched to the University of Pittsburgh are enrolled in both the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Program and the School of Medicine. There are no prerequisites or contingencies (i.e., MCAT, prior completion of Part I USMLE) for admission.

Residents receive a full UPMC Health System postgraduate trainee stipend during each year of the program. Tuition is incurred while residents are enrolled in the medical school phase of the program.

Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics

The Orthodontic and Dentofacial Orthopedic Program requires a three-year course of study. The goals of the program are to provide excellent education in the specialty of orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics, provide high quality clinical care, and conduct research designed to advance knowledge of the specialty. The curriculum reflects this mission and provides residents with necessary knowledge and experience to enter the specialty well prepared for practice. The curriculum is based upon a solid foundation of scientific principles and methods that residents may use as a rational framework for understanding treatment and evaluating future changes. The application of basic and clinical scientific knowledge to the practice of orthodontics is the fundamental tenet of the curriculum. Successful completion of the program enables graduates to participate in the American Board of Orthodontics certifying examination.

The Orthodontic and Dentofacial Orthopedic Program is made up of complementary components designed to produce well-rounded orthodontists. The components are as follows:

The curriculum for the Orthodontic and Dentofacial Orthopedic Program is designed to be taught on the postdoctoral level. The path of study followed by the residents comprises a core curriculum of graduate level basic sciences followed by a broad course of study in craniofacial biology, clinical sciences, and orthodontic techniques. A significant portion of the curriculum is devoted to clinical orthodontics, allowing the resident to attain proficiency developed through a broad and diverse experience in patient care. Conferences involving growth and development, dental statistics, occlusion and malocclusion, development of the dentition, dentofacial abnormalities, biomechanical orthodontics, genetics, bone biology, cephalometrics, diagnosis and treatment planning, evidence-based care, oral physiology, surgical orthodontics, practice management, and orthodontic technique provides an excellent foundation in the basic and clinical sciences. Orthodontic conferences and literature review sessions provide opportunities for critical analysis of historical and current literature, with application to contemporary orthodontic principles in case diagnosis and treatment planning.

Scholarly activity in the form of basic or clinical research is a fundamental component of the curriculum. Residents design, implement, and complete a research project that provides new knowledge of the specialty and allows residents to develop the ability to apply the scientific method.

Application to Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics

Applicants must apply through the Postdoctoral Application Support Service (PASS). For application materials, visit the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine's Web site at http://www.dental.pitt.edu/. Five residents are accepted per year.

Advanced Pediatric Dentistry

The program offers a two-year advanced training in the specialty of Pediatric Dentistry. The program trains residents in the advanced diagnostic and clinical techniques necessary to provide specialty and preventive dental care to children, adolescents, and individuals with disabilities. The program's didactic and clinical components are designed to advance the resident's knowledge in all aspects of pediatric dentistry. Upon successful completion of the program, residents will be eligible to participate in the board certification examinations of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry.

Advanced Pediatric Dentistry Curriculum

The multifaceted Advanced Pediatric Dentistry curriculum integrates scientific principles and methods with the clinical application of pediatric dentistry. Ample time is provided for either basic science or clinical research. Emphasis is also given to community and dental public health clinical experiences. In addition to the core curriculum for all specialty residents, the following Pediatric Dentistry specific conferences are offered to the residents:

Application to Advanced Pediatric Dentistry

Applicants must apply through the Postdoctoral Application Support Service (PASS). For application materials, visit the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine's Web site at http://www.dental.pitt.edu/. Two residents are accepted per year.

Periodontics

The Periodontic Program is a three-year program that prepares specialists in all facets of periodontology. The program provides residents with the skills and knowledge needed to master clinical periodontics. The curriculum incorporates the scientific and biological background needed to critically evaluate current and future therapies in the clinical practice of periodontics. Successful completion of the program enables graduates to participate in the board examination of the American Board of Periodontology.

The resident will become thoroughly familiar with the periodontal literature and will participate in broad clinical experiences in examination, diagnosis, and all accepted modes of periodontal therapy, including regenerative modalities, dental implants, intravenous sedation, and hospital dentistry. The program sets the stage for lifelong learning and provides residents with the training necessary to meet the present and future challenges of periodontal practice.

Following are the specific conferences in Periodontics:

• Advanced Periodontal Concepts
• Dental and Periodontal Research
• Hospital Periodontics
• Implant Dentistry
• Interdisciplinary Conferences
• Periodontal Literature Review
• Periodontics and Occlusion
• Periodontics Journal Club
• Periodontics Treatment Plan
• Principles of Periodontal Education
• Scientific Basis for Clinical Therapy

Application to Periodontics

Applicants must apply through the Postdoctoral Application Support Service (PASS). For application materials, visit the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine's Web site at http://www.dental.pitt.edu/. Three residents are accepted per year.

MDS and Prosthodontics

The Prosthodontic Program is an advanced three-year course of study in all phases of prosthodontics, with special emphasis on total prosthetic rehabilitation of the patient. The program's didactic and clinical components are designed to train and equip the graduate to transfer new knowledge and approaches, to implement evidence-based prosthodontic knowledge in clinical practice, and to prepare for certification by the American Board of Prosthodontics.

The program's didactic aspects complement and advance the resident's knowledge in prosthodontics, related disciplines, and research methodology. Residents enrolled in the prosthodontic program must complete the prescribed advanced prosthodontic curriculum detailed below. Additionally, research involvement and submission of a publication in peer-reviewed journals are required.

The program's clinical components focus on diagnosis, treatment planning, and treatment of dentulous, partially edentulous and totally edentulous patients. Fixed, removable, and implant prosthodontics constitute the major portion of the clinical training, with occlusion, TMD, and geriatrics as integral components. Residents are required to manage and treat patients requiring complete dentures, removable partial dentures, fixed partial dentures, and implant restorations. Residents are also trained in all aspects of implant treatment including implant placement. The program emphasizes the resident's involvement in the treatment of patients with congenital and acquired defects. Rotation is required in the Veterans Administration Medical Center at University Drive and Highland Drive.

Prosthodontic Curriculum

The prosthodontic curriculum comprises: (1) the core curriculum for all dental residents, and (2) prosthodontic speciality specific conferences. Didactic and clinical curriculum components include the following:

• Advanced Fixed Prosthodontics
• Advanced Removable Prosthodontics
• Biomaterials
• Implant Prosthodontics
• Implant Dentistry Review
• Literature Review
• Maxillofacial Prosthetics
• Multidisciplinary Treatment Planning
• Occlusion
• Prosthodontic Laboratory Procedures
• Prosthodontics Conferences
• TMD Management
• Veterans Administration Medical Center Rotation

Application to Prosthodontics

Applicants must apply through the Postdoctoral Application Support Service (PASS). For application materials, visit the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine's Web site at http://www.dental.pitt.edu/. Three residents are accepted per year.

School of Dental Medicine Faculty

Please see page 384 in the First-Professional section of this bulletin for a list of faculty in the School of Dental Medicine.