young african american boy dental exam

Pediatric Dentistry Residency

Advanced Education in Pediatric Dentistry

Diverse patient population
Strong clinical training
Multidisciplinary faculty
Level 1 Trauma Center
CODA Accreditation

About the Program

About the Program

Hennepin County Medical Center is a level-one trauma center in downtown Minneapolis. With 15 residency and fellowship programs, HCMC offers a collegial, academic environment focused on teaching and quality care. Residents practice as a part of a multidisciplinary healthcare team.

In addition to Pediatric Dentistry, the Dentistry Department at HCMC is home to multiple specialties, including Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Prosthodontics, a TMJ and facial pain specialist, as well as general dentists who provide care to medically complex patients and adults with cognitive and developmental delays. This collaborative setting facilitates comprehensive care for patients and provides pediatric dentistry residents the opportunity to learn from other dental specialists and interact with residents from other advanced education programs.

The 2-year hospital-based Pediatric Dentistry Residency program combines clinical training with an evidence-based didactic curriculum. As part of a small program, residents benefit from a favorable faculty-to-resident ratio and receive exposure to a high number of clinical experiences and treatment settings. The faculty includes board-certified dental and medical specialists from Hennepin County Medical Center, Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare, and the University of Minnesota. The program is dedicated to the preparation of board-certified pediatric dentists who will serve children and families in their communities using patient-centered care and act as leaders in the profession at local, regional, and national levels. The training experience at Hennepin County Medical Center is unique as the hospital is the region's primary provider for urban and underserved individuals, giving residents experience in treating patients from a variety of cultures and socioeconomic backgrounds, with both routine and serious conditions. Serving this diverse population fosters confidence and compassion, enabling residents to become champions for community health.

Salary and Benefits

Hennepin Healthcare offers a competitive salary and benefits package to all residents. Included are paid vacation, free parking, meal allowance, deferred compensation 457 plan, 24-hour workout room, and more. To see a more detailed list, please check out the salary and benefits page.

Curriculum

Curriculum Details

The curriculum is designed to meet the educational requirements outlined in the CODA standards for the Advanced Specialty Education Program and to prepare residents to take the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry Qualifying Exam and Oral Clinical Exam. 

Lectures and seminars are provided by a wide range of area specialists in addition to program faculty, including the University of Minnesota faculty and HCMC medical staff members such as hospital pediatricians, pharmacists, speech-language pathologists, geneticists, anesthesia providers, and emergency room physicians. In addition, residents attend numerous other hospital conferences and lectures with pediatric medicine residents (Pediatric Medicine Grand Rounds, Pediatric Morbidity, and Mortality Conference). Throughout the 24-month program, residents have the opportunity to attend multiple local and national continuing education courses covering issues related to pediatric dentistry.

Didactic course topics:

  • Behavior Guidance
  • Sedation and General Anesthesia
  • Prevention
  • Pulp Therapy
  • Patients with Special Health Care Needs
  • Orthodontics, Growth and Development
  • Dental Trauma
  • Oral Pathology
  • Board Review Course
  • Medical Emergencies
  • Statistics
  • Speech Therapy
  • Pharmacology
  • Genetics
Rotations

Rotations

PGY1:

Anesthesia

Craniofacial Anomalies Clinic (Gillette Hospital)

Emergency Medicine

Operating Room

Orthodontics

Outpatient Pediatric Medicine

Pharmacology

Simulation Clinic

Speech Therapy

PGY2:

Adult Special Needs Clinic

Craniofacial Anomalies Clinic (Gillette Hospital)
Inpatient Pediatric Medicine

Operating Room

Orthodontics

Simulation Clinic

Teaching

Faculty

Program Leadership

Pediatric Dentistry

Full-Time Faculty

Part-Time Faculty

  • Dr. Tiana Barsness, DDS
  • Dr. Lindsay Bedeaux, DDS
  • Dr. Adena Borodkin, DDS
  • Dr. Nathaniel Cook, DDS
  • Dr. Matthew Husman, DDS
  • Dr. Quentin Knutson, DDS
  • Dr. Andrea Leyland, DDS

Orthodontics

  • Dr. Angela Wandera, DDS
  • Dr. Vladimir Leon –Salazar, DDS, MSD

Endodontics

  • Dr. Cale Strait, DDS

General Dentistry

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

Periodontics

  • Dr. Michelle McHale, DDC

Prosthodontics

TMJ, Orofacial Pain, and Sleep Medicine

Application Details

Application deadline: October 1
Registration required: National Matching Service/PASS

Application and curriculum information can be found on the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry website (AAPD). Applicants are accepted through the Postdoctoral Applicant Support Service (PASS). The application deadline is October 1st. Applicants must be registered with the National Matching Service.

Application Requirements:

  • Eligibility to obtain a dentist or resident dental license with the Minnesota Board of Dentistry prior to residency start date
  • INBDE or NBDE I and II exam results.  Results are not required for current dental students but are preferred for interview selection.  The program strongly prefers submission of INBDE or NBDE part I and II results prior to the Match Rank Order List Deadline in January.
  • Dental degree (DDS or DMD) from a CODA-accredited United States or Canadian dental school prior to residency start date
  • United States or Canadian citizenship or permanent residency. The program is unable to sponsor visas for international candidates or consider applicants with temporary residency.
  • Personal interview upon invitation
  • Applicants must be available and qualified to engage in the full spectrum of residency requirements at the time of HCMC orientation (mid-June)

Applications are accepted through the Postdoctoral Applicant Support Service (PASS). The application deadline is October 1st. Applicants must be registered with the National Matching Service.

Eligible applicants will be contacted to schedule interviews on a rolling basis beginning in early September as applications are reviewed.

dentist viewing dental x-ray

Testimonials

“I am amazed at how after just one year of residency, I have grown substantially as a dentist. Not only did my clinical skills improve greatly, but I became a much more compassionate provider and learned to communicate better with my patients.”

About Our Facility

The Delta Dental Oral Health Center is located within the Clinic & Specialty Center in downtown Minneapolis. The clinic serves a diverse population, with a variety of services including general dentistry, oral and maxillofacial surgery, pediatric dentistry, and prosthodontics.

Contact

elizabeth fulling contact photo

Elisabeth Fulling, DDS

Advanced Education in Pediatric Dentistry Program Director
[email protected]

Anne Barnes

Residency Program Coordinator
[email protected]

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