Department of Dental Services 
UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, 3rd Floor Plaza Building, Suite 310
4401 Penn Avenue
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15224
Email: alene.d'alesio@chp.edu
Web: http://www.chp.edu/CHP/pediatric+dentistry+residency+program

Program Length and Number of Positions

The program is 24 months in length starting on July 1st and ending on June 30th. Four (4) positions are offered each year through the PASS/Match application service.

Program Type

Hospital-based training program

Application

The deadline for each cycle will be September 1.

Completed applications consist of:

1. PASS Application
2. Supplemental materials sent via email to chpdent@yahoo.com (Subject line: last name, first name, middle initial)
   1. 2x2 passport style photo 
   2. CV/Resume

An application fee of $50.00 may be sent to chpdent@yahoo.com via PayPal:

1. Log in to PayPal
2. Click Send Money to: chpdent@yahoo.com; Amount: $50.00
3. Click: “I’m paying for goods or services”
4. On next page scroll down to the email portion
5. In subject line please type: Last name, First name, and Middle Initial. Please leave message box empty

Once an interview invitation has been offered, the residency coordinator will contact the applicant and schedule the interview date. A personal interview is mandatory and is scheduled at the hospital in the fall prior to the starting date.

All correspondence and questions regarding applications should be directed to:

Dr. Alene D’Alesio, DMD
Residency Program Director
Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC
One Children’s Hospital Drive
4401 Penn Ave. Faculty Pavilion, Floor 7 
Pittsburgh, PA 15224
alene.d’alesio@chp.edu

Description

UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh is dedicated to improving the health and well-being of children, teenagers, and young adults through excellence in patient care, teaching, research, and advocacy.
Starting in May 2009, the hospital was moved to a new facility in Pittsburgh’s Lawrenceville neighborhood which includes 9 floors of inpatient and outpatient care areas, a 10 story, 300,000 square foot research facility, and a 130,000 square foot faculty pavilion. 

The pediatric dentistry residency program is located within the main children’s hospital on the 3rd floor and provides comprehensive dental care on both an inpatient and outpatient basis. Residents are exposed to a plethora of comprehensive clinical experiences that includes treatment planning & diagnosis, preventive care, traditional behavioral management, oral conscious/IV sedation, OR care, multi-chair practice, and interdisciplinary care for medically compromised patients. An integral part of the hospital’s delivery system, the dental clinic serves both well and medically-compromised patients around the region including PA, OH, WV, and NY; extensive collaboration occurs on a daily basis with other hospital services in the interdisciplinary care of many inpatients and provides residents with a truly integrated perspective in hospital dentistry. Owing to the strong tradition and role that dentistry has played in the history of this hospital’s delivery care system, residents are given the unique opportunity to learn, train, and collaborate as part of a comprehensive, health delivery team.

Curriculum

Clinical Training:

Residents receive extensive training in both pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic behavior guidance. Beginning their first year, residents will gain experience providing care under conscious sedation, IV sedation, and general anesthesia in the OR. During their 2 years of training, residents see on average ~400 sedation cases as operator (oral/IN/IV) and 130 OR cases. 4 mornings a week are dedicated to various sedation modalities where residents have the opportunity to act as either operator or monitor. As an operator, residents have the opportunity to gain experience providing treatment and behavior guidance to sedated patients. As a monitor, residents have the responsibility of monitoring patient vitals, managing the operators’ schedules, sedating patients, and performing hygiene checks. Both roles provide residents comprehensive training that encompasses all aspects of patient management including clinical skills, behavior guidance, sedation experience, and time/schedule management. Residents are also exposed to a wide array of surgical experience both in the clinic and the operating room including impacted third molar removals, surgical exposures, and pathology removal. Additionally, residents gain significant exposure to interceptive orthodontics and provide Phase I treatment under the guidance of orthodontic attendings. 

In addition to running their own schedules, residents are also responsible for providing hygiene checks for the hygiene department located in the dental clinic where five hygienists see patients for recall visits/hygiene. This provides residents valuable private-practice experience learning to balance multiple schedules in the context of a busy multi-chair practice.

Management and treatment of medically complex, special needs patients is a daily occurrence for all residents. Residents regularly perform in-patient consults and work closely with other medical specialties to coordinate treatment and care that emphasizes the overall health of these patients. The dental clinic is located next to the Cleft-Craniofacial Clinic where residents participate as part of the Cleft-Craniofacial team along with other specialties including Plastic Surgery, Audiology, ENT, and Orthodontics. 

Didactics:

The didactic foundation of the program comprises seminars, literature reviews, lectures, and case reviews. Seminars are held several times per week and provide a forum for discussion amongst residents and attendings about various topics within pediatric dentistry. Literature reviews catch residents up with both past and current literature that gives residents a foundation for providing proper evidence-based care. Lectures are given by pediatric dentistry attendings, other dental specialists, and medical specialists. The breadth of lecture topics provides residents with a wide range of perspectives that help enhance resident confidence in pediatric dentistry topics along with providing interdisciplinary care to medically complex patients. Case reviews provide an excellent opportunity for fellow residents and attendings to share interesting and unique cases. Residents also attend weekly Grand Rounds lectures with fellow medical colleagues. Teaching opportunities come in the form of pre-doctoral education where residents will travel to the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine Pediatric Dentistry Clinic and supervise pre-doctoral students and provide education and guidance.

Residents are expected to complete an original research project under the supervision of an attending who serves as the research mentor. Residents have dedicated time each week for research and have the opportunity to present their research at the AAPD Annual Session.

Emergency/On-Call

Residents provide 24/7 on call service for the Children’s Hospital both years of residency and gain comprehensive experience in the diagnosis, care, and management of emergency situations including oro-facial pain, trauma, and odontogenic/non-odontogenic infections. Residents often work with other medical services in the care of complex traumas or infections and gain significant exposure to the interdisciplinary management of these cases and the valuable role that dentistry plays in that care.

Program Stipend and Tuition

First year stipend is $58,556 Second year is $60,259. No tuition is charged. 

Benefits:

Health insurance is provided through UPMC. Each resident is given two weeks' vacation annually. Limited funds are available for professional meeting travel expenses in the senior year.

1. Health Insurance: The health insurance plan for the trainee and eligible dependent(s).
2. Vacation: Two weeks per year, with requests subject to approval by the Chief of Service.
3. Parking: Available on a lease basis.
4. Life Insurance: Life insurance is provided in the amount $1000 above the annual stipend and includes Accidental Death and Dismemberment.
5. Disability Insurance: Paid short-term disability up to 12 weeks complete disability if provided. Proof of disability and evidence of physician continued care is required. Long-term provisions are also provided with further restrictions.
6. Professional Liability Insurance: The hospital provides coverage at state mandated levels underwritten by the Tri-Century Insurance Co.
7. Meal tickets: Meal tickets are provided.

Facilities

• Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh
• University of Pittsburgh Medical Center

Admission Requirements

Applicants must fulfill the following requirements and provide proper documentation to be considered for admission:

1. Graduated and earned a DDS/DMD degree, or equivalent, from a US or Canadian Dental School
2. Be a citizen of the US or Canada or have a permanent immigration card
3. Completed PASS application
4. Submit supplemental materials to chpdent@yahoo.com
5. Passed Parts I and II, National Dental Board Examination
6. Must be eligible for State of Pennsylvania Dental License
7. TOEFL scores for applicants whose first language is not English
8. Personal Interview

Program Strengths

1. Strong and respected tradition of dental integration in a top children’s hospital
2. High volume and medically diverse patient base that offers residents wide exposure to patients both healthy and with special health care needs
3. Thorough exposure to various sedation modalities that offers residents the experience needed for proper and successful pharmacologic treatment planning, care, and management
4. Extensive exposure in the management and treatment of emergency encounters including oro-facial pain/trauma and odontogenic/non-odontogenic infections.
5. Strong commitment to providing residents with the highest quality training that will prepare them for multiple career paths including private practice, academia, or hospital dentistry

Program Faculty

Brian S. Martin, DMD, Vice President, Medical Affairs*
Alene D’Alesio, DMD, Chief of Dental Services, Program Director*
Heather Baumhardt, DDS, Pediatric Dentistry*
Katelyn Woods, DMD, Pediatric Dentistry*
Maurielle Stacy, DDS, Pediatric Dentistry*
J. Matthew Stacy, DDS-MDS, Orthodontics* 
James Abraham, DMD, Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry
Benjamin J. Costello, DMD, MD, Oral/Maxillofacial Surgery*
Martin Eichner, DDS, Oral/Maxillofacial Surgery*
James Goldsmith, DDS, Pediatric Dentistry*
Maggie Gurtner, DMD, Pediatric Dentistry*
Michael Hanna, DMD, Pediatric Dentistry*
Michael Kahn, DMD, Oral/Maxillofacial Surgery*
Kraig McKee, DMD, Pediatric Dentistry*
James Rosen, DMD, Pediatric Dentistry
Richard Ruffalo, DMD, Pediatric Dentistry

*Board Certified

School Profile

 

Program Type:	Hospital-based Certificate
Program Director:	Part-Time
Program Faculty:	5 Full-Time 11 Part-Time 12 Board Certified
Program Length:	24 Total Months July 1 Start Date
Program Accreditation:	Approved
State Licensure:	Restricted License Available
Number of Entering Positions:	4
Tuition In-State:	0 First Year 0 Second Year
Tuition Out-Of-State:
Salary/Stipend:	$58,556 First Year $60,259 Second Year
Application:	50 Fee September 1 Deadline
Participant in National Matching Service:	Yes
Participant in PASS:	Yes
Only US citizens from ADA  accredited dental schools  considered:	Yes
US citizens from foreign dental  schools considered:	No
Non-US citizens from ADA  accredited dental schools  considered:	No
Non-US citizens from foreign  dental schools considered:	No
Acceptance Applicant Ratio:	1:30
Clinic Experience:	Orthodontics Conscious Sedation Hospital Rotations General Anesthesia Emergency Call Operating Room Oral Surgery Infant Oral Health Medically Compromised Mentally Disabled Craniofacial Disorders Physically Disabled Community Clinics Outreach Public Health Minimal and Moderate Sedations Special Health Care Needs Behavior Guidance
Didactic Experience:	Seminars Literature Review Case Conferences Lectures
Research Requirement:	Data Collection Project Case Report
Teaching Experience:	Yes Clinic Half-Days Yes Lecture/Presentations
Facilities:	14 Chair/Operatories 3 Clinic Receptionist 8 Dental Assistants 8 Dental Hygienists