Section of Hospital Dentistry
Contact Us
Victoria Sandoval, Management Services Officer
(310) 206-8515 | Email
Dr. Eric Sung, Chair
Hospital Dentistry is an area of dentistry where we integrate medicine and dentistry. Given such, we provide comprehensive dental care on patients with medical conditions, psychiatric disorders, or physical limitations and necessitating dental care.
Teaching Programs
The primary focus of the Section of Hospital Dentistry is to instruct students and residents in the role of dentistry for the medically compromised patient, either in an out-patient setting or in a hospital setting. Students and residents are also trained to manage and treat patients with cancer of the oral cavity, and become aware of treatment options and outcomes.
The Section of Hospital Dentistry participates in three (3) teaching programs:
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Pre-doctoral training – This includes courses on oral and systemic diseases, special patient care rotation, and head and neck cancer and maxillofacial prosthodontics.
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General Practice Residency Program, and the
Research
Faculty members of the Section of Hospital Dentistry conduct a number of clinical studies, which evaluate a variety of oral conditions in the medically complex patients. Their goal is to determine interactions with chronic and acute medical conditions, and how these patients may be better managed for both their oral and medical health. Future plans include expansion of these clinical trials and development of the institutional and private-sector funding to support these projects.
Patient Care
The Hospital Dentistry clinic provides comprehensive dental care for patients with special needs, complex medical conditions, physical limitations, and those who are dental phobic. Dental services are provided both in-patient and out-patient settings.
Volunteer Opportunities
The Section of Hospital Dentistry has a number of volunteer faculty who have given their valuable time unselfishly throughout the years to the teaching activities of the Section. The clinical expertise and private office experience they bring to the program are invaluable. The Section is very grateful for the volunteer faculty, and appreciates and welcomes the interests of volunteer dentists.