Predoctoral Pediatric Dentistry Curriculum

  1. Year III "Theory and Practice of Pediatric Dentistry" (D7710 & D7656)

    1. Lecture Series (28 total lecture hours)
      12 lectures;  2 one-hour written examinations (Midterm & Final) based on assigned readings and lectures.


    2. Pre-Clinical Laboratory
      11 two-hour sessions; one 2-hour nitrous session; two 2-hour competency examination.

    3. Clinical Pediatric Dentistry (D8651 Practice of Pedicatric Dentistry)
      approximately 1 session per week - begins in April and continues through end of Year IV.

    Schedules for lectures, laboratories, and clinics will be distributed at the beginning of each phase.

  2. Year IV “D8651 Practice of Pediatric Dentistry” (continued from end of Year III)
     1 session per week, begins in Senior Session IV ends approximately January 31.
Student Evaluation
You will receive three grades in Pediatric Dentistry:
  • a preclinical technique grade;
  • a didactic grade; and
  • a clinical grade. (70% clinic grade + 30% competency examination)
Preclinical:
You are required to attend each assigned laboratory session and to come for a doctor's appointment or other planned commitment), you must notify the Division Secretary,  in writing, at least five days in advance.  If you are absent due to illness or other unplanned absence, call the Division Secretary at 305-7951 before your assigned session begins and leave a message. If you fail to make-up a session then your grade will be lowered by half a point.

The daily assignments constitute 50% of your preclinical grade.  The competency  examination constitutes the other 50%.  Any student who fails the competency exam will be permitted to retake the examination once.  You must pass this exam before you may begin treating pediatric patients.

Didactic:
Attendance at the lectures is required and students are expected to review the online syllabus prior to each lecture.  The syllabus is designed to reduce the need for extensive note-taking.  You are encouraged to make notes in the margins of the pages of the section for the subject being discussed. Read assigned material PRIOR to each lecture. There will be two written examinations, each given as indicated on your academic schedule.  The examinations primarily will consist of multiple choice, true/false, and short answer items.  You must pass both examinations to pass the didactic course.  The first examination will constitute 40% of your didactic grade; the second examination will constitute 60% of the grade.


Clinical:
Attendance is required for all assigned Pediatric Clinical sessions.  Students are expected to be prompt in arriving and setting up for clinical patient care. 

 We will assign and appoint patients for you for each of your assigned pediatric dentistry sessions.  For this reason, it is important for you to attend your assigned session.  Do not "switch" sessions without written approval.  If you will miss an assigned clinic session (e.g., doctor's appointment, residency interview, etc.), you must notify our division, in writing, at least five days in advance.  Forms for requesting an excused absence are available in the Pediatric Dentistry Clinic VC9-202 and from the Division Secretary located in P&S 3-454.  If you miss a clinic session without notifying us as outlined above, you will be required to make up two sessions for each one missed.

Your clinical grade will consist of 70% clinic grade and 30% competency grade, including all pediatric patient care. On the following page, the Pediatric Dentistry Point System is outlined.  In computing your clinical grade average, each grade is multiplied by the point value of the procedure.

When a failing grade has been achieved, in any activity the highest grade achievable by passing a "make-up" activity is "C-".          

Attendance and professional demeanor problems will result in a significant change in evaluation.

Attendance

  1. Be punctual for clinic. Each student is expected to begin work promptly at the start of each clinical session and remain until the end of each scheduled session whether he/she has a patient or not. When two patients are assigned to you, dismiss the first patient promptly at the end of the first half of the period. Do not keep the second patient waiting. The clinic session will conclude exactly on time; instructors may leave the floor promptly. An "incomplete" grade will be given for any treatment not checked with an instructor by that time.
  2. Attendance will be taken ten minutes after clinic is scheduled to begin.
  3. Students whose patients cancel or disappoint will be assigned walk-in patients or are to spend their time assisting fellow students. A grade sheet must be submitted for "assistance" credit. Students may not leave the clinic floor before the clinical session ends without permission of an attending and notice of planned whereabouts.