Advanced Dental Education and Residency Programs

The School of Dental Medicine offers nine Advanced Dental Education and Residency Programs leading to a Certificate of Completion in the respective program. Programs of three-year duration offer an optional educational tract leading to a Master of Dental Science degree (MDS).

All residents in the various specialties begin their advanced education by studying a core curriculim. This core curriculum includes, but is not limited to, an orientation program; Clinical Operations; BLS Certification; Infection Control Policies and Procedures; Ethics in the Dental Specialties; Chemical Dependency; Hospital Protocols and Procedures; Conferences / Classes; Advanced Oral Pathology; Applied Head and Neck Anatomy; Clinical Pharmacology; Intravenous and Inhalation Sedation; Management of Medical Emergencies; Mineralized Tissue Biology; Multidisciplinary Treatment Planning Grand Rounds; Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology and Imaging; Pathobiology and Immunology; and Research Design and Methodology

Details about the residency programs at Pitt Dental Medicine is available on our website at https://www.dental.pitt.edu/education/advanced-dental-education-and-residency-programs.

About the School

Established in 1896, the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine has been educating students to take their places among the best dental practitioners, researchers and educators in our region, across the country, and even around the world. We are one of six Schools of Health Sciences at the University and are the only school to provide direct patient care in our own clinics. Our accomplishments reflect the dedication and success of each member of the School of Dental Medicine community.

We are proud of our long tradition as innovators in dental medicine. Our first female student was admitted 126 years ago, and today more than half of our vibrant and diverse pre-doctoral class are women. We nurture in our students a strong foundation in the biological, behavioral and clinical sciences  and a belief in the importance of professionalism and life-long learning.

More than half a century ago we pioneered the specialty dental care that we now deliver in our fully equipped Center for Patients with Special Needs. The School’s general dental clinics and 11 specialty clinics play an integral role in improving the oral health of the patient population of southwestern Pennsylvania and beyond. Some patients travel hundreds of miles to access the high-quality care our students, residents and faculty provide every day.

Our researchers expand the horizons of knowledge and are internationally renowned for their groundbreaking developments in the areas of craniofacial genetics and craniofacial regeneration. We are identifying genes that contribute to complex human phenotypes, and are using tissue engineering to heal wounds and restore function and appearance to defects of the face and skull. Every day, the positive contributions of our faculty, staff, residents and students demonstrate their commitment to our mission of advancing the future of dental medicine through teaching, research and service.

General Dentistry and Specialty Clinics

The School of Dental Medicine provides clinical education and patient care through 16 dental clinics encompassing general dentistry, anesthesiology, special needs, emergency, endodontics, implants, oral and maxillofacial pathology, oral and maxillofacial surgery, orthodontics and dentofacial orthopaedics, pediatric dentistry, periodontics and preventive dentistry, dental hygiene, endodontics, prosthodontics, radiology, and restorative dentistry/comprehensive care.

Clinical Centers

The Multidisciplinary Implant Center focuses on patient care, teaching, and research related to the treatment of tooth loss and the functional bone and soft tissue deficits that can follow tooth loss.
The Center for Patients with Special Needs (CPSN) was formally established in 2008-after more than 50 years of treating patients with special health care needs-to centralize and increase treatment capacity for patients with physical, developmental, neurological, and intellectual disabilities.

University Dental Health Services (UDHS) is a legally separate nonprofit practice plan that is closely affiliated with the School of Dental Medicine. UDHS providers are full- or part-time faculty members, many of whom are board-certified specialists and nationally recognized experts in their respective fields.

Research Strengths

Research efforts include dental and craniofacial genetics, craniofacial anomalies, caries, periodontal disease, pharmacology, pain control, tissue engineering, craniofacial regeneration, educational research, informatics, and implantology.
Identification
The School of Dental Medicine is undertaking investigations to identify genes that contribute to complex human phenotypes, primarily those involved in dental and craniofacial disorders, including behavioral and epidemiological factors. New territory is being charted to develop the first-known collection of DNA samples paired with anonymized dental records to support genetics research.
Treatment
Tissue engineering-based approaches are being developed to treat complex multi-structural wounds and defects of the face and skull in a way that restores both function and appearance. The school is at the forefront of research to develop relevant translational treatment solutions usable by practicing dentists.
Application
The School of Dental Medicine is identifying factors that lead to oral health disparities in children and families in Appalachia. Oral public health research leads to improved interventions, understanding, and advancements for the future of oral health education and treatment.

Programs

Add to Portfolio (opens a new window)