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In order to meet our curriculum goal of providing a wide range of clinical and didactic experiences grounded in a process of critical analysis, the program provides the following.

• A four-week anesthesia rotation with the Department of Anesthesia of the Medical University of South Carolina Hospital.
• A four-week pediatric medicine rotation with the Department of Pediatrics of the Medical University of South Carolina Hospital.
• Clinical pediatric dental care including the diagnosis and treatment of infants, children and adolescents in the primary, mixed and young permanent dentitions to include: preventative care, advanced restorative techniques, pulp therapy, management of traumatic injury, management of dental emergencies, pediatric oral pathology, space supervision and guidance of eruption, interceptive orthodontics and oral surgical procedures. Direct pediatric care is schedule:
  • Second Year: nine half-day per week basis supported by a half-day per week seminar schedule.
  •  First Year: eight half-day per week basis supported by two half-days per week seminar schedule.

• Behavior guidance methods incorporating non-pharmacologic and pharmacologic techniques for control of apprehension and pain management support the treatment activities encountered in pediatric dental care. The clinical application of pharmacologic conscious sedation, using a wide range of sedation medications and techniques, are realized on approximately 70 to 90 patients by each individual resident over the course of the two-year program.
• Comprehensive dental care and multifaceted behavioral management of medically, physically and mentally compromised patients are experienced in serving our hospital-based population.
• Craniofacial Anomalies - Clinical management of children and adolescents with craniofacial anomalies are experienced in the department's role as a primary care component of the MUSC Craniofacial Team. The Craniofacial Anomalies Clinic is scheduled on a monthly basis throughout the program.
• Out-patient and in-patient treatment of children's complex dental problems using general anesthesia and proper hospital protocol are scheduled two days per week. The typical experience involves operating room (OR) dental management of approximately 100 to 140 patients over the course of the two-year program by each resident.
• Growth and development in the context of management of the occlusion through integrated diagnostic, treatment planning and biomechanical orthodontic applications is approached with a clinical involvement of one to two half-day per week for both first and second year residents. These clinical orthodontic experiences involve interceptive, multiple-phase, growth modification and comprehensive levels of biomechanical orthodontic treatment. Each resident manages the advanced orthodontic care of approximately 25 to 35 patients during the program. The clinical experiences are supported by a structured orthodontic curriculum of seminar and laboratory exercises.
• All residents prepare a select group of case reviews that document the clinical management of pediatric patients in addressing major treatment issues common to advanced specialty care. Besides documenting the resident’s performance in the delivery of quality dental care, the experience enhances the resident's ability for critical analysis and patient documentation.
• Teaching experience as clinical instructors in the Predoctoral Pediatric Dental Clinic during the second year of the program on a one half day a week basis.
• Regularly scheduled interdepartmental seminars on topics in Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics and interdepartmental courses in Biomedical and Clinical Core sciences supplement the resident's knowledge base.
• All residents conduct a data collection research project and a comprehensive literature review/case report which is of publishable quality. Besides providing informational service to the profession, the experience of conducting research will enhance the resident's ability for critical analysis.
• Exposure to practice management and dental care delivery through seminars and visits to varied private and public clinic sites.