UNMC College of Dentistry Pediatric Dental Residency Program
The UNMC College of Dentistry has offered a fully accredited advanced education program in pediatric dentistry since 1947. The program leads to a Certificate of Specialization in Pediatric Dentistry, which satisfies the requirements mandated by the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry for Examination and Board Certification.
Length of Program: 24 months
Application Deadline: October 1
Start Date: July 1
Positions Available: 5
Main Location: Children's Hospital & Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska
Why study pediatric dentistry?
Pediatric dentists experience the satisfaction, privilege and joy of helping children establish life-long positive relationships with dental care and have an important role in children’s overall health and wellness. Pediatric dentistry is a rewarding and challenging career that offers a wealth of benefits, including working with children of all abilities, educating them and their parents about the importance of oral health, working as part of a team, and helping to eliminate oral health disparities. Many pediatric dentists own their own businesses and every day have the privilege of making oral health care fun for their special patients.
Why the UNMC College of Dentistry Pediatric Dental Residency Program?
- One-on-one learning experiences with faculty - Our residents thrive in our close-knit, supportive environment receiving personalized guidance from our outstanding faculty members. Faculty members mentor residents and help them grow into compassionate oral health care professionals and leaders.
- Supportive resident team - Our program has a strong tradition of close-knit, collaborative resident teams. Our residents help each other succeed.
- Hospital-based clinical experience - Our main location at Children’s Hospital and Medical Center offers our residents unique learning experiences treating children’s complex dental needs, including sedation and operating room experiences, and working with an interprofessional team to help children achieve overall health.
- Well-rounded, hands-on residency experience - Our intricately designed residency experience includes dental college didactic experiences, hospital clinical experiences and community outreach to underserved populations, and our residents begin treating patients their first month. This combination of experiences and focus on hands-on learning helps residents build exceptional diagnostic, clinical and critical thinking skills.
- Diverse patient base - Our residents have the privilege of treating socially and economically diverse patients, as well as patients of all abilities.
- Impactful research - Our residents complete cutting-edge, award-winning research projects with guidance from our faculty. They explore challenges and make discoveries that have the potential to change the future of oral health care. Our residents have opportunities to collaborate on research with other pediatric medicine specialties.
- Program stipend and benefit package - Residents receive a program stipend to help offset educational costs, vacation and sick leave, and a flexible benefit package.
Core Topics Covered
Comprehensive Physical Diagnosis and Treatment Planning, Comprehensive Behavior Guidance, Child Psychology, Genetics, Growth and Development, Interdisciplinary Pediatrics, Oral Pathology, Oral Surgery, Orthodontics, Research Planning and Design, Sedation
Skills Students Develop
Critical thinking and problem-solving, clinical diagnosis and treatment planning, clinical hand skills (fine motor skills), patient communication and behavior guidance, practice management, research and sedation.
Career Opportunities
Private Practice, Practice Owner, Public Health (public health agencies, community health clinics and schools), Research, Teaching
Thank you for your interest in the Pediatric Dental Residency Program at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Applicants must fulfill the following requirements to be considered for admission:
- Graduate from an accredited dental school recognized by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association (DMD/DDS degree).
- Pass the National Board Dental Examinations.
- Advanced Dental Admission Test (ADAT) not required, but official ADAT scores received by the application deadline will be strongly considered.
- Submit application through the Postdoctoral Application Support Service (PASS). Application deadline is October 1 of the year preceding matriculation.
- Applicants must also be registered with the National Matching Service.
- Submit supplemental application and $50 application fee. Instructions to submit online will be sent to you by email after you have submitted your PASS application.
- Complete a personal interview (departmental decision).
- 2x2 photo (digital preferred) - Photo can be included in your PASS application or emailed to jbuss@unmc.edu.
Please direct any questions regarding the application process to: Postgraduate Dental Programs, Contact: Julie Buss, 402-472-6261, jbuss@unmc.edu
Formal courses and departmental seminars include: biostatistics, microbiology and immunology, oral pathology, orthodontics, growth and development, speech development, physical diagnosis, pediatrics, oral pathology, genetics, orthodontics, child psychology, ethics and dentistry, research planning and design, literature review, pediatric dental text review, clinical case seminar, comprehensive treatment planning, comprehensive behavior guidance to include sedation, oral clinical exam preparation, prevention and disease control, practice management, organized dentistry, community dental health and other special topics.
Rotations include: Cleft palate/craniofacial anomalies, pediatric medicine, emergency on-call, anesthesiology, oral surgery and interdisciplinary pediatrics (child psychiatry and other developmental disciplines through the Munroe-Meyer Institute), operating room services.
During the first year, 65 percent of total resident time is spent in clinical activity. During the second year, 75 percent of total resident time is spent in clinical activity. The majority of clinical training is conducted at the Pediatric Dental Clinic located at Children's Hospital and Medical Center in Omaha. Residents gain extensive experience working in collaboration with other pediatric medicine specialties.
| Program Year 1 | Program Year 2 | ||
| Anesthesia | 4 week rotation | ||
| Biostatistics | Fall weekly | ||
| Craniofacial | Ongoing | Craniofacial Clinic | Ongoing |
| H&P | Fall weekly | ||
| Interdisciplinary | 1 week rotation | ||
| Oral Pathology | Fall (even years) | Oral Pathology | Fall (even years) |
| Osteogenesis Imperfecta | Ongoing | Osteogenesis Imperfecta | Ongoing |
| Oral Surgery | 1 week rotation | ||
| Ortho | Ongoing | Ortho | Ongoing |
| Pediatric Medicine | 2 week rotation | ||
| Teaching | Spring semester | Teaching | Fall and spring semester |
| Faculty Lectures | 3 weekly | Faculty Lectures | 3 weekly |
| Additional/Guest Lectures | As determined by program director | Additional/Guest Lectures | As determined by program director |
Children's Hospital & Medical Center |
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Children’s Outpatient Surgery Center at West Village Pointe |
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UNMC College of Dentistry |
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Nebraska Medicine and Clinics |
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Boystown National Research Hospital |
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Program Stipend
House officer program stipend is $38,542.90 per year.
Tuition
Tuition/fees are $7,662 each year.
Benefits
House officers are eligible to participate in UNMC Benefits.
Student Loans Loan Deferment
Currently, residents are considered postgraduate students of the College of Dentistry for financial aid purposes. Postgraduate students may get financial aid information from the UNMC Financial Aid Office and student loan payments for postgraduate students can be deferred.
Vacation/Sick Leave
Postgraduate students shall have fifteen (15) scheduled working days of paid leave per year. Leave includes ten (10) for vacation and five (5) for professional development. Leave in excess of fifteen (15) days per year (which will be granted for special circumstances only) must be taken as Leave Without Pay from the college or as Family Leave. Leave requests must be submitted as per the policies of the program and the college.
Private Practice
Residents are allowed to engage in the private practice of dentistry during their program. Please contact the program director for details.
State of Nebraska Residency
As employees of the University of Nebraska Medical Center, postgraduate students are considered residents of the State of Nebraska.
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 Sundaralingam Premaraj, BDS, MS, PhD, FRCD(C) |
 Meenakshi Vishwanath, BDS, MDS, MDentSc |
Adjunct Faculty
Hannah Greene, DDS*
Ryan Hajek, DDS*
Peter Harbert, DDS*
Jeffrey Howenstein, DMD, MS*
Brent Johnson, DDS*
Gary Lehn, DDS*
Edward Lockwood, DDS, MS*
Jessica Meeske, DDS, MS*
Holly Portwood, DDS, MS*
Greg Weeder, DDS*
*Board-certified in pediatric dentistry
| HO II | ||
 Spencer Burton, DDS Creighton |
 Taylor Coffin, DDS UNMC |
 Rebecca Jaixen, DDS UNMC |
 Chief Resident Derek Mettenbrink, DDS UNMC |
 Laura Videtich, DDS UNMC |
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| HO I | ||
 Jordan Castillo, DDS Texas A & M University |
 Molly Cawley, DDS Marquette University |
 Mary Pollmiller, DDS UNMC |
 Ryan Smith, D.MD Nova Southeastern University |
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Recent Graduates
Class of 2020
- Adam Crell, DDS, Private Practice, Charlotte, North Carolina
- Kiley Dohm, DDS, Private Practice, Plymouth, Minnesota
- Timothy McClain, DDS, Private Practice, Shelbyville, Kentucky
- Baylee Mink, DDS, Private Practice, Lincoln, Nebraska
- Benjamin Reimer, DDS, Private Practice, Omaha, NE
Class of 2019
- Christopher Johnson, DDS, Private Practice, Colorado Springs, Colorado
- Tyler Johnson, DDS, Private Practice, Grand Forks, North Dakota
- Claire Koukol, DDS, Faculty, UNMC Pediatric Dental Residency Program, Omaha, Nebraska
- Katelyn Olenich, DDS, Private Practice, Murfreesboro, Tennessee
- Eric Phan, DDS, Private Practice, Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Class of 2018
- Trey Anderson, DDS, Private Practice, Wichita, Kansas
- Bryce Bott, DMD, Private Practice, Provo, Utha
- Whitney Walker Linville, DDS, Private Practice, Lafayette, Louisiana
- Jennifer Marshall, DDS, UNMC Pediatric Dental Residency Program, Omaha, Nebraska
- Allison Wolf, DDS, Private Practice, Lincoln, Nebraska
The University of Nebraska has in force professional liability insurance covering all enrolled postgraduate students of the College of Dentistry performing services as part of the college's program. Current coverage is $1,000,000.00 per person per occurrence, with a $100,000.00 deductible. The university provides self-insurance for the $100,000.00 deductible through the university's general and professional liability insurance program.
All postgraduate students are expected to get a Nebraska dental license (temporary or regular) and federal and state DEA licenses before Oct. 15 of the year of the commencement of their program. The postgraduate student must document efforts to obtain licensure to the Postgraduate Admissions Office by July 15. Failure to obtain Nebraska dental license and federal and state DEA license by Oct. 15 may result in a reduction of duties, reduction or elimination of stipend, an extension of time necessary to complete program requirements, or dismissal from the program.
It is possible for a student who has graduated from an American or Canadian school to obtain a temporary Nebraska dental license during the time they are enrolled as a full-time postgraduate student. To qualify for this license, students must have passed the National Board Examination, Part I and Part II. The temporary license is only for practice related activities within the College of Dentistry and does not allow extramural private practice. After acceptance into the postgraduate program, licensure information may be obtained from the State of Nebraska Department of Health Bureau Examining Board.
For a regular license, the State Board accepts the results of the clinical examination given by the Central Regional Dental Testing Service. The State Board also has provisions for licensure by credentials and interview for individuals licensed in other states.
- The UNMC Pediatric Dentistry Postgraduate Residency offers three day observerships for those interested in pursuing specialty training in pediatric dentistry.
- Eligible applicants include United States and Canadian dental students and licensed dentists who are graduates of C.O.D.A. accredited dental schools.
- Our residency program clinic, the UNMC Pediatric Dental Clinic, gives observers the opportunity to shadow pediatric dental residents working closely with our program faculty in the areas of pediatric dentistry, orthodontics, pediatric oral surgery and sedation.
- Typically, observers spend one day in the operating room with our pediatric dental faculty and residents while they treat children and adolescents with extensive dental restorative needs, physical, intellectual, and developmental disabilities, cleft and craniofacial conditions, and complex medical conditions.
- Our clinic and hospital setting provides dental care to children from the Omaha metropolitan area, greater Nebraska and our surrounding states.
It would be our pleasure to show you our clinic, introduce you to our program’s faculty and residents, and get to know you better.
Contact
Zachary Houser, DMD
Director, Pediatric Dentistry Post Graduate Residency
zach.houser@unmc.edu
Contact
Postgraduate Dental Programs
Julie Buss
UNMC College of Dentistry
4000 East Campus Loop South
Lincoln, NE 68583-0740
402-472-6261
jbuss@unmc.edu
Children’s Hospital & Medical Center
8200 Dodge Street
Omaha, NE 68114-4113
Mailing Address: 985163 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5163
402-559-7834
marcela.williams@unmc.edu