Residency Program
Program Director
Michael D. Webb, DDS
Associate Professor, Pediatric Dentistry
The Advanced Education Program in Pediatric Dentistry is a comprehensive
24 month course of study that is designed to meet the educational requirements
to allow the resident to sit for the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry
examinations. The program emphasizes a diverse educational experience and
includes didactic and clinical training in all phases of contemporary pediatric
dentistry. A team concept of patient treatment is taught with the resident
working in conjunction with pre-doctoral dental students and dental assistants
to treat a group of patients during a given clinic session. The program enables
the resident to provide comprehensive oral health care for the well child, the
medically compromised child and the child with special health care needs.
The two year program in Pediatric Dentistry consists of seminars, courses
and clinical activities that are designed to enable the graduate to be prepared
to enter practice with a firm foundation in the didactic and clinical knowledge
necessary to treat the child dental patient. In addition the resident develops
an appreciation for critical analysis of the current and classic literature.
When the resident begins the program there is a review course in pediatric
dentistry that covers the basic information needed for entrance into the clinics.
Weekly seminars are held to review the literature and its clinical implications
on a wide variety of topics such as growth and development, restorative dentistry,
pediatric medicine, orthodontics and behavior management. In addition there
are specific courses in basic science, research methods and biostatistics,
pediatric advanced life support and neurodevelopmental disabilities.
Specific clinic rotations are held in anesthesiology, pediatric medicine,
craniofacial anomalies and infant oral health. First year residents participate
in first call and second year residents participate in second call and are
responsible for any emergency pediatric dental care for children admitted to the
MCV Hospital Emergency Department.
Students completing the program earn a Specialty Certificate in Pediatric
Dentistry and a Master of Science in Dentistry. Students must complete the
requirements for both the certificate and master’s degree concurrently with both
being awarded simultaneously.
Research is coordinated in the department and generally falls within the
scope of expertise of the faculty. This includes topics related to health care
disparities, the interaction between pediatric medicine and pediatric dentistry,
and pharmacologic behavior management techniques. Each resident is required to
complete a research project. Funding for resident travel to the American Academy
of Pediatric Dentistry Annual Session is dependent on presentation of their
research at this meeting.
The Pediatric Dental Clinic is housed in the Wood Memorial Building and is
composed of 14 chairs. Within the clinic there are two suites for the delivery
of general anesthesia, a seminar room, two rooms for oral sedation, and central
nitrous oxide. Each resident is provided with desk and filing space and the
faculty offices are located conveniently across the hall from the clinic.
The Tompkins-McCall Library and the Ambulatory Surgical Center of the
Medical College of Virginia Hospital are located across the street from the
dental school. The Tompkins-McCall Library is the largest health science
library in Virginia and serves as a resource for resident research and patient
care information. The majority of the hospital based general anesthesia cases
are performed at the Ambulatory Surgical Center. In addition to providing
training to the residents in the delivery of restorative and surgical care of
children under general anesthesia, it also serves a training site during the
residents’ anesthesiology rotation.
The application deadline is October 1 for the year preceding matriculation.
Students seeking admission to the Advanced Education Program in Pediatric Dentistry
must meet the following minimum requirements:
- DDS or DMD from an ADA accredited dental school
- Successful completion of Part I of the National Dental Boards at the time of
application (minumum 84) and completion of Part II by the time of matriculation
- Minimum grade point average of 3.0 (4.0 scale) or equivalent
- Ranking in the top 50% of the class
- Participation status with PASS and National Matching Service
- Personal interview
- Students with less than minimum requirements will be considered with significant
clinical experience
All advanced education students will be required to successfully pass a
pre-matriculation drug screen and background check. Failure to pass either test
will be grounds for removal from the program.
- Diverse and balanced pediatric dentistry educational program with excellent
dedicated and experienced dental faculty support
- Orthodontic treatment under orthodontic department supervision
- Collegial relationship with other dental specialties in the school
- Conscious, deep sedation and general anesthesia in general anesthesia
suites in the Pediatric Dentistry Clinic
- Dental care in the operating room
- Outstanding consultants are available in medical and dental specialties
- The Pediatric Dentistry Clinic is managed similarly to a private practice
Dr. Michael D. Webb, Director
Advanced Education Program in Pediatric Dentistry
Virginia Commonwealth University
School of Dentistry
P.O. Box 980566
Richmond, VA 23298-0566
Email: mdwebb@vcu.edu