Department of Pediatric Dentistry
Comprehensive training and care focused on children
Video:Â Excellence in Children’s Oral Health CareÂ
The Department of Pediatric Dentistry provides pre-doctoral and post-doctoral training in comprehensive oral health care for pediatric patients. The Department operates a general pediatric clinic, and a specialty pediatric clinic in conjunction with the University of Illinois Hospital & Health Sciences System. Faculty provides leadership in the field by conducting research and other scholarly activity. The mission of our two unique pediatric dental clinics reflects our belief that children deserve the best of oral health care. We offer a full spectrum of services for all children at every stage of their lives from infancy through adolescence including those with special and complex oral health needs, and patients with special developmental and behavioral care needs. Our clinics provide comprehensive oral health examinations, teeth cleaning, fluoride treatments, sealants, restorative procedures (fillings, crowns, etc.), extractions and minor surgical procedures, space-maintainers, athletic mouth guard, teeth whitening (for adolescents), interceptive orthodontic when applicable, and urgent care (trauma, infection, etc.). These services can be completed using inhalation sedation (Nitrous oxide), moderate sedation, and general anesthesia. We do more than 1,000 cases under general anesthesia every year. In the fiscal year ending in June 2021, we saw 8,191 individual children in 23,772 scheduled appointment and performed 90,131 dental procedures.
Our Faculty
The Department has a diverse and rich clinical faculty that includes 9 full-time and 6 part-time clinical faculty members. In addition to pediatric dentists, the Department also has a full-time social worker, 2 part-time social work interns, 1 full-time nurse, 2 part-time nurse practitioners, anesthesiologists from the university hospital, orthodontists, and endodontists, The Department has a Division of Public Health and Preventions.
Protect - Preventing Recurrent Operations Targeting Early Childhood Caries Treatment
Access to dental treatment under general anesthesia is exceedingly difficult in Illinois, particularly for families enrolled in Medicaid and living in urban Chicago or rural Illinois. Families struggle to find providers and facilities who can care for their young children. Finding a provider families can trust is a huge source of stress, in part because severe cavities impacts a child’s sleep, eating habits and self esteem. Unfortunately, even after a child receives treatment under general anesthesia, this can be a short-term fix. Cavities can recur in these same families, either in the same child or others living in the same household.
Through an innovative collaboration across UIC and DePaul University, a multidisciplinary team of clinicians and scientists have developed PROTECT. Dr. Helen Lee, an anesthesiologist, and Dr. Joanna Buscemi, a clinical health psychologist, along with Dr. David Avenetti (Department of Pediatric Dentistry) recognized that to decrease need for surgeries, caregivers need resources and support to build their skills and knowledge on their child’s tooth health. After 5 years of relationship-building, publishing preliminary qualitative work and building a team with the appropriate skills and knowledge, they developed a parenting support program called PROTECT.
Supported by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research of the National Institutes of Health, the PROTECT intervention focuses on helping parents and other caregivers (e.g. grandparents) develop parenting and other behavioral skills. PROTECT will provide a community health worker (CHW) who is trained in helping families change health behaviors to improve a child’s oral health. Together, families and their CHW will identify goals that are important and doable for each family. PROTECT is designed to be tailored to the unique needs of each family. The PROTECT program lasts for six months, starting at the point of a child’s dental surgery at UIC. The long term goal of PROTECT is to prevent children from needing general anesthesia to treat severe cavities.
Training Programs
Pediatric Dentistry Graduate Residency Program
The program is university-based/hospital-affiliated and fulfills the requirements for advanced education in pediatric dentistry as approved by the American Dental Association Commission on Dental Accreditation. The Department accepts up to 10 residents per year. Its latest accreditation was in November 2021. Upon completion, graduates are eligible to pursue board certification through the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry.
Learn more about the Pediatric Dentistry Graduate Residency Program
Current Pediatric Dentistry Residents
Pediatric Dentistry Externships
The goal of the externship is to provide interested Pre-Doctoral Dental students or General Dentists the opportunity to observe Pediatric Dental residents function within the residency program. Successful participants will to be able to see the day-to-day interactions of residents within a program and also evaluate their own compatibility with this specific residency program.
Learn more about Pediatric Dentistry Externships
Visiting Dentist Non-Degree Program
The Visiting Dentist Program in the Department of Pediatric Dentistry is a non-degree full time program (40 hrs/week) for dental professionals from around the world who wish to broaden their knowledge of pediatric dentistry through participation in the Department’s didactic, clinical and research activities. The clinical activities are observational in nature; no hands-on experience with patients is offered. The program varies from 1 week to 9 months in length, determined by the availability of both the applicant and the Department of Pediatric Dentistry. Applications are open year-round.
Learn more about the Visiting Dentist Non-Degree Program
Pediatric Dental Care
Experts in Pediatric & Special Needs Dentistry
Our Pediatric Dentistry clinics offer a full spectrum of oral health services for all children at every stage of their lives from infancy through adolescence including those with special and complex oral health needs, and patients with special developmental and behavioral care needs.
Our general dentists and Pediatric Dentistry specialists provide comprehensive oral health examinations, teeth cleaning, fluoride treatments, sealants, restorative procedures (fillings, crowns, etc.), extractions and minor surgical procedures, space-maintainers, athletic mouth guard, teeth whitening (for adolescents), interceptive orthodontic when applicable, and urgent care (Trauma, infection, etc.). These services can be completed using inhalation sedation (Nitrous oxide), moderate sedation, and general anesthesia.
More about our Pediatric & Special Needs Dental Care Services
Giving Back to the Community
Providing Access to Care for Special Needs
Give Kids a Smile Day
The University of Illinois Chicago College of Dentistry holds an annual Give Kids a Smile Day event to serve kids in need of care – and have some fun! Children from Chicago area communities receive oral health education and screenings in Pediatric Dentistry clinics.
Contact Us
Appointment Scheduling
Pediatric Dental Services
(312) 996-7532
dentpediatrics@uic.edu
Clinic Location
UICÂ College of Dentistry
Department of Pediatric Dentistry (MC 850)
801 South Paulina Street, Second Floor
Chicago, IL 60612-7211
Department Directory
Explore our department directory at the College of Dentistry
Request an Appointment in Pediatric Dentistry
The Pediatric Dentistry clinics at UIC College of Dentistry in Chicago offer a full spectrum of services for all children at every stage of their lives from infancy through adolescence including those with special and complex oral health needs, and patients with special developmental and behavioral care needs. Our Pediatric Dentistry clinics provide comprehensive oral health examinations, teeth cleaning, fluoride treatments, sealants, restorative procedures (fillings, crowns, etc.), extractions and minor surgical procedures, space-maintainers, athletic mouth guard, teeth whitening (for adolescents), interceptive orthodontic when applicable, and urgent care (Trauma, infection, etc.). These services can be completed using inhalation sedation (Nitrous oxide), moderate sedation, and general anesthesia.
For Appointments
312.996.7532
dentpediatrics@uic.edu