Pediatric Dentistry Westwood

Westwood Pediatric Dentistry Residency Program

• Program Overview
• Admissions Requirements
• Application Procedure
• Interviews
• Decisions Process
• Contact Information

Program Overview

Daniela Rodrigues Silva, DDS, MS
Program Director

The Westwood Pediatric Dentistry Residency Program is a postgraduate certificate program designed to produce strong academically-based pediatric dentists who may choose to pursue a career in teaching, private practice, or both. Instruction is provided through the academic facilities and faculty at the UCLA School of Dentistry and the UCLA medical enterprise.

Curriculum includes rounds, seminars, and conferences to assure that the resident achieves a thorough understanding in the biomedical and clinical sciences. Topics include research methodology, biostatistics and clinical epidemiology, histology, embryology, genetic growth and development, oral pathology, behavior management, preventive dentistry, sedation and anesthesia, pediatric medicine, and practice management.

Residents receive clinical training in all areas of pediatric dentistry, including hospital care, management of child behavior, craniofacial growth, and the provision of care utilizing various sedation and anesthesia modalities. Clinical experiences are provided primarily at the Children's Dental Center in the UCLA School of Dentistry. Along with competency in the traditional areas of the specialty, the program offers strong didactic and clinical orthodontic components to increase the resident’s skills in this area. The resident will rotate through various clinical areas within the UCLA medical enterprise that includes the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, the Santa Monica UCLA Medical Center, and the Mattel Children's Hospital to gain expertise in pediatric medicine, general anesthesia, and the management of children with special needs such as those with chronic diseases and developmental disabilities.

A research project involving the collection and analysis of data resulting and a comprehensive report of publishable quality is required to complete the program. Residents will also gain teaching experience in the second year of the program at the dental school and affiliated off-site clinics.

Individuals who successfully complete this training will meet the advanced education requirements set forth by the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry and will be eligible to qualify for the Board examination and certification.

This program is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association and affiliated with the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center.

Length of Program: 25 months

Number of Positions: 5

Financial Arrangement: B salary

Admissions Requirements

• US citizen or permanent resident
• DDS/DMD from an ADA-accredited program
• National Board Dental Examination, Part I

Application Procedure

Applicants must:

• Submit primary materials through the Postdoctoral Application Support Service (PASS). Please visit the ADEA PASS webpage for more information.
• Submit the UCLA Standard Residency Supplemental Application directly to the Student Affairs Office:

• Participate in the Postdoctoral Dental Matching Program (Match) for pediatric dentistry programs.

Incomplete files will not be considered.

If you are applying to all three pediatric programs you must submit three sets of complete supplemental applications.

PASS Application Deadline: October 1

UCLA Supplemental Application Deadline: October 15

Interviews

Selected candidates will be invited to interview. If you have been selected, you will be contacted by email and/or letter.  No applicant will be accepted into the program without an interview.

Timing of Interviews: Mid-November

Approximate Number of Candidates Selected for Interviews: 40

Decisions Process

The admissions committee considers the following criteria in its decisions:

• Academic achievement
• Commitment to pediatric dentistry
• Content of personal statement, including the applicant's reasons for studying pediatric dentistry and tentative plans following completion of the course of study
• Proven interest and involvement in community health and advocacy
• Extracurricular activities related to pediatric dentistry
• Research experience
• Overall impression at the personal interview
• Content of recommendations. Recommendation Letters from current or former teachers and/or attending staff are required. These must include four (4) Personal Potential Index (PPI) Evaluations (included in the PASS Application). One must be from the Director of Predoctoral Pediatric Dentistry Education at the applicants dental school, or a member of the Pediatric Dentistry faculty who is most familiar with the applicant's clinical preformance in Pediatric Dentistry. An additional (5th) PPI evaluation from an individual other then dental school faculty is highly desirable. In addition, 2 ADEA PASS Professional Evaluation Forms from individuals familiar with the applicants clinical and/or academic competencies shall be submitted through PASS.

Applicants will be notified of acceptance through the Match service. To find out when results will be available, please consult the Match service.

Contact Information