Pediatric Dentistry, M.S. in Dentistry

The Center for Advanced Dental Education at Saint Louis University offers a program in the specialty of pediatric dentistry that leads to a Master of Science in Dentistry and a certificate in pediatric dentistry. SLU's program is designed to meet the educational requirements for limitation of practice to pediatric dentistry and examination by the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry.

Emphasis is placed on all phases of pediatric dentistry. At the end of the program, the student will be able to provide comprehensive oral health care for the well child, the medically compromised child and the child with special health care needs. Extensive experience is provided in the areas of sedation, analgesia and the use of general anesthesia to deliver dental treatment. Students gain research experience by completing a master’s thesis research project.

The pediatric dental postgraduate program is located in a newly remodeled six-chair clinic. Each operatory is equipped with digital radiographic capabilities and nitrous oxide. A small office area, as well as a break room, library and classrooms, are provided for the residents.

Program Strengths

• Excellent educational program with dedicated faculty
• Large patient base with extensive dental needs
• Extensive experience managing children with a wide range of special health care needs
• Didactic core curriculum covering basic and dental science
• Extensive experience in sedation/general anesthesia
• Facilitated research experience

Curriculum Overview

Seminars cover topics relevant to pediatric dentistry, and a literature review course will discuss current and core articles from the pediatric dental literature. Multidisciplinary seminars are held in conjunction with the graduate programs in orthodontics, endodontics and periodontics. Formal courses are presented in biostatistics, oral medicine, oral pathology, early and mixed dentition, therapeutics, practice management and some basic sciences. Off-service rotations occur in general anesthesia, pediatric medicine, pediatric emergency room and craniofacial clinic. Students must complete 53 credits to graduate from the program.

Fieldwork and Research Opportunities

Students will gain operating room experience and complete clinical rotations at SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital. Residents provide 24-hour/seven-days-a-week dental consultations to the Cardinal Glennon emergency room, a Level I pediatric trauma center.

Students also receive training in research design and statistics and must conduct an original research project. This effort leads to the preparation and defense of a thesis and, subsequently, the production of a manuscript suitable for publication in a journal relating to the specialty of pediatric dentistry. The experience of discovery provided by such research is an integral part of the graduate program, and students are expected to make meaningful contributions to pediatric dentistry.

Careers

Our goal is to prepare pediatric dentistry graduates to pursue a career with many possibilities: as a clinician with a practice limited to pediatric dentistry, as a researcher or as a teacher of pediatric dentistry.

Admission Requirements

The prerequisite for matriculation in any CADE dental training program is possession of a D.D.S., D.M.D., or equivalent general dental degree. Additionally, individuals must be able to obtain a Missouri Dental License.

Application Requirements

• Online application through ADEA Postdoctoral Application Support Service (ADEA PASS)
• Three letters of recommendation
• National board score test results (not required for international applicants)
• Transcript(s)
• Biographical goals statement
• Curriculum vitae or résumé
• National Match Number
• A valid Missouri Dental License
• Applicants from foreign dental schools must be able to obtain a Missouri dental license.  Missouri requires dentists to graduate from an ADA-accredited dental school.

Requirements for International Students

All Saint Louis University admission policies and requirements for domestic students apply to international students. International students applying to SLU must also meet the following additional requirements:

• Demonstrate English language proficiency
• Academic records must include an English translation. Unofficial copies may be accepted in some cases for initial admission review, however official copies must be received prior to enrollment. Course-by-course transcript evaluations are accepted. 

Students must submit financial documents to be issued an I-20 for their F-1 visa application. Proof of financial support must include:

• A letter of financial support from the person(s) or sponsoring agency funding the student's time at Saint Louis University
• A letter from the sponsor's bank verifying that the funds are available and will be so for the duration of the student's study at the University

Application Deadline

Applications must be completed by Oct. 1 to be considered for the pediatric dentistry master’s program beginning the summer semester of the following year.

Review Process

A committee examines and reviews the applicant and application wholly. Promising applicants are invited for on-site interviews in November.

Tuition

Additional charges may apply. Other resources are listed below:

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Information on Tuition and Fees

Miscellaneous Fees

Information on Summer Tuition

Scholarships and Financial Aid

For priority consideration for graduate assistantship, apply by Feb. 1.

For more information, visit the Office of Student Financial Services.

Accreditation

The 24-month program is fully accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association. Following completion of the program, graduates are educationally qualified for certification by the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry.

1. Graduates will be able to use the knowledge and concepts of pediatric dentistry and apply major practices, theories or evidence-based literature in clinical pediatric dentistry.
2. Graduates will be able to assess relevant literature or scholarly contributions in pediatric dentistry.
3. Graduates will successfully complete the pediatric dentistry written and oral board exams.

Non-Course Requirements

Supervised clinical pediatric treatment of patients; comprehensive pediatric specialty examinations utilizing written, oral, and practical clinical formats; teaching practicum; oral defense of the thesis.
All 1st year residents are required to complete the Online course in Responsible Conduct in Research (RCR) by the end of the Spring term. 

Continuation Standards

Students must maintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 in all graduate/professional courses.

Roadmaps are recommended semester-by-semester plans of study for programs and assume full-time enrollment unless otherwise noted.  

Courses and milestones designated as critical (marked with !) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation. Transfer credit may change the roadmap.

This roadmap should not be used in the place of regular academic advising appointments. All students are encouraged to meet with their advisor/mentor each semester. Requirements, course availability and sequencing are subject to change.