St. Christopher's Hospital for Children (PA)

Residency Program in Pediatric Dentistry
St. Christopher's Hospital for Children
Front Street at Erie Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19134
Phone: (215) 427-5082

Profile
Fellowship

Program Length and Number of Positions

This is a 24-month program commencing on July 1 of each year. Four new positions are offered each year.

Program Type

Hospital-based certificate program

Application

The application deadline is October 15 of the year preceding matriculation. Correspondence regarding application and admission procedures should be addressed to:

A.J. Chialastri, D.D.S. Director, Pediatric Dental Residency Program, St. Christopher's Hospital for Children, Department of Dental Medicine, Erie Avenue at Front Street, Philadelphia, Pa. 19134.

The program participates in the Postdoctoral Application Support Service (PASS) and the National Matching Service.

Description

The basic training objectives for the Department of Pediatric Dentistry are to educate graduate dentists for clinical practice and to prepare them for certification by the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry. The first year of the program addresses itself to six main areas of specialty training. These include: Comprehensive dental care for the routine pediatric patients including orthodontic diagnosis and treatment of the early and mixed dentitions, hospital procedures, dental and oral trauma, pediatric dental medicine, and preventive dentistry.

The second year is designed to increase responsibility and challenge the trainee. These objectives are accomplished by assigning the resident to the Department of Anesthesiology, Department of Emergency Medicine and Department of Pediatrics. This allows for total involvement in dentistry for the handicapped and/or medically compromised child. A second year resident will be selected as the chief dental resident in charge of all in- patient dental care and throughout the year will be responsible for teaching the first year residents.

The residents are expected to develop expertise in hospital protocol. It is intended that by graduation they be totally familiar with all aspects of pediatric dentistry practiced within a hospital environment. They should be familiar with admission notes, orders for pre/post-operative care, utilization of consultation services, and all the techniques required to render dental care to patients under the effects of a general anesthetic. It is further intended that residents by the end of their training shall have a thorough understanding of the role of dentistry in the interdisciplinary approach to developmental disabilities. In order to accomplish this, much of the second year of residency is spent learning about dentistry's role in the care of children with cerebral palsy, spina bifida, mental retardation, craniofacial disorders, central nervous system disease and injury, and many other acquired and developmental disabilities.

Curriculum

Clinically, the residency provides training in routine pediatric dental care, emergency dental treatment, dental care of the physically and mentally handicapped, interceptive orthodontics, cleft palate care, dental management of the oncology patient, and total dental rehabilitation utilizing general anesthesia. A team program for the diagnosis and treatment of craniofacial and dentofacial anomalies is staffed by the department, as in a program for the treatment of children with cerebral palsy. Training in the pharmacology and physiology of anesthesia and the technique of administration is provided through a one-month, full-time assignment to the Department of Anesthesiology. The patient population is equally divided between well children and children with significant medical histories. There is a close liaison with all medical and surgical departments encouraging free exchange at all times.

The didactic curriculum encompasses dental radiology and oral pathology seminars, a growth and development seminar, clinical application of head and neck anatomy, seminars in pediatric medicine, a weekly case presentation, a lecture series on endodontics and dental pulp, and seminars in all aspects of pediatric dentistry given by the dental faculty.

Program Stipend and Tuition

The stipend is $38,400 for the first year and $39,300 for the second year. Tuition is not required.

Facilities

1. MCP/Hannemann Medical School/Hospital
2. University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine
3. Temple University - Kornberg School of Dentistry
4. Ronald McDonald Dental Van
5. Family Health Services of Drexel University

Admission Requirements

Applicants must have the following to be considered for admission:

1. DDS or DMD from an accredited North American dental school.
2. PASS application.
3. Recent photograph.
4. Personal interview.

Program Strengths

1. Outstanding hospital environment with established dental role.
2. Extensive clinical expertise in the well child and medically compromised child.
3. Heavy involvement with medical services within the Hospital and the affiliated institutions.

Program Faculty

A.J. Chialastri, D.D.S., Director, Pediatric Dentistry
David Metroka, D.D.S., Associate Director, Pediatric Dentistry*
Michael Suchar, D.D.S., Associate Director, Pediatric Dentistry*
David Bresler, D.D.S., Pediatric Dentistry*
Lennie Checchio, D.D.S., Pediatric Dentistry*
John Del Gaiso, D.M.D., Pediatric Dentistry
Kathryn Mullen, D.M.D., Pediatric Dentistry
Mark Raab, D.M.D., Pediatric Dentistry
Michael Bianchi, D.D.S., Oral/Maxillofacial Surgery*
Allen F. Fielding, D.M.D., Oral/Maxillofacial Surgery*
Andrew Kantor, D.M.D., Oral/Maxillofacial Surgury*
Thomas Nordone, D.M.D., Oral/Maxillofacial Surgery
Susan Chialastri, D.M.D., Periodontics
Charles Hertzog, D.M.D., Prosthodontics
Carol Anderson, M.D., Clinical Genetics
Laura Chandler, Ph.D., Microbiology
Evan Geller, M.D., Radiology*
Paul Glat, M.D., Plastic Surgery*
Gregory Halligan, M.D. Oncology*
Augustin Legido, M.D., Ph.D., MBA, Neurology*
Adrian Lo, M.D., Plastic Surgery
Sarah Long, M.D., Infectious Diseases*
Beth Parrish, M.D., Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics*
Frank Shafer, MD, Hematology*
Elizabeth Suarez, MD, Endocrine*
Frances Pinnel, M.S., Library Sciences
Michael Ratti, M.S., Library Sciences

* Board Certified

School Profile

Program Type:	Hospital-based Certificate
Program Director:	Full-Time
Program Faculty:	1 Full-Time 1.6 Part-Time 6 Board Certified
Program Length:	24 Total Months June 15 Start Date
Program Accreditation:	Approved
State Licensure:	Restricted License Available
No. of entering positions:	3 to 4
Salary/Stipend:	$30,000 First Year $35,000 Second Year
Application:	October 15 Deadline
Participant in National Matching Service:	Yes
Participant in PASS:	Yes
Only US citizens from ADA accredited dental schools considered:	N/A
US citizens from foreign dental schools considered:	No
Non-US citizens from ADA accredited dental schools considered:	Yes
Non-US citizens from foreign dental schools considered:	No
Clinic Experience:	Orthodontics Conscious Sedation Hospital Rotations Anesthesia Emergency Call Operating Room Oral Surgery Infant Oral Health Medically Compromised Mentally Disabled Craniofacial Disorders Physically Disabled
Didactic Experience:	Seminars Literature Review Courses Case Conferences
Research Requirement:	Data Collection Project Case Report
Teaching Experience:	8 Clinic Half-Days 3-4 Lecture/Presentations
Facilities:	7 Chair/Operatories 3 Clinic Receptionist 2 Dental Assistants 0 Dental Hygienists

Fellowship