Pediatric Dentistry Residency Program
Sponsored by Detroit Receiving Hospital and offered in
collaboration with Children's Hospital of Michigan, our Pediatric Dentistry
Residency Program welcomes a culturally diverse group of residents. Our
residents are independent, goal-oriented, and possess strong clinical acumen,
distinguishing themselves through hard work and dedication.
Children’s Hospital of Michigan provides care to a broad
socioeconomic population, serving both urban and suburban communities. Patients
typically range from infancy through adolescence and often present with complex
medical and dental needs, including individuals with severe pathology. A key
component of the program is its community-focused mission, offering care to
patients who may otherwise have limited access to dental services.
Our Pediatric Dentistry Residency Program is fully accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA).
Educational Curriculum
Our program is designed to prepare residents to become exceptional pediatric dentists, fully equipped to practice independently in any clinical environment—whether in private practice, hospital-based care, or academic settings—with a strong emphasis on treating patients with special health care needs. Clinical training is divided between the hospital-based experience at Children’s Hospital of Michigan and an outpatient experience in a private pediatric dental office.
Residents acquire extensive operating room experience through multiple dedicated OR block days for pediatric dentistry. They also participate in in-office general anesthesia cases, allowing residents to enhance their proficiency in comprehensive oral rehabilitation.
As part of their hospital responsibilities, residents provide 24/7 on-call dental coverage, ensuring care for pediatric patients in need and exposing residents to all facets of dental emergencies.
The academic component of the program includes faculty-led didactic sessions in pediatric dentistry which occurs once to twice a week. These sessions are comprised of lectures and seminars, journal clubs, and the AAPD core curriculum. Additional instruction in biomedical sciences and orthodontics is provided by invited speakers.
Rotations by Training Year
First-year residents complete a series of hospital rotations at Children’s Hospital of Michigan, including pediatric anesthesia, ambulatory medicine, infectious disease, plastic surgery, otolaryngology, and emergency medicine. Throughout their training, residents also participate in interdisciplinary specialty clinics, such as the Craniofacial and Cleft Palate Clinic and the Hemostasis and Thrombosis Clinic.
Second-year residents complete rotations in an outpatient orthodontics clinic which will solidify their training as pediatric dentists in growth and development and orthodontics.
Applying to our Program
All application materials are processed through the ADEA PASS website:
https://programs.adea.org/PASS/programs/children's-hospital-of-michigan-pediatric-dentistry
To be considered eligible, applicants to the program must meet all of the following criteria: 1. Have successfully completed a predoctoral dental program in the United States or Canada that is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation. 2. Be a citizen of the United States, a permanent resident of the United States, or a citizen of Canada who is eligible to obtain a TN visa by the start of their contract hire date. 3. Be eligible for a State of Michigan dental license by the start of their contract hire date.
Benefits
- Link to GME
Where we Train
Meet the Faculty
Program Director: Kristen Ponichter, DMD
