Getting into Pediatric Dentistry Residency

[Dr. Chase]

Hello everyone! I will be starting Dental School this fall at Ohio State. I did the majority of my shadowing hours at and also an internship at a Pediatric Dental office. As of right now, if I were to specialize, this would be the only specialty I'd like to pursue. I am currently married and have a 4 month old son. I know Dental school is extremely rigorous and difficult and even more so if you want to specialize. However, I don't want to leave my family in the dust for 4 years. How hard is it to get into a Pediatric Residency? Where should my class rank be? What else should I do when I first start dental school to put myself in a good position when applying to residencies?

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[PerioDont]

Hello everyone! I will be starting Dental School this fall at Ohio State. I did the majority of my shadowing hours at and also an internship at a Pediatric Dental office. As of right now, if I were to specialize, this would be the only specialty I'd like to pursue. I am currently married and have a 4 month old son. I know Dental school is extremely rigorous and difficult and even more so if you want to specialize. However, I don't want to leave my family in the dust for 4 years. How hard is it to get into a Pediatric Residency? Where should my class rank be? What else should I do when I first start dental school to put myself in a good position when applying to residencies?

lol what does this even mean.

Don't worry too much about Peds right now. First focus on getting good grades in dental school, spend your first semester making sure you do. Join a club at your school, likely there is a pediatric dentistry club. Start shadowing in the pediatric clinic. Ask the residents and attendings if you can work on their research projects. Then maintain good grades and go from there.

 

[dentinthecomments]

Having just been through the last match cycle, I would say if this is something you really want ( ie. matching to a program you like and is a good fit for your personal situation) you have to be committed to doing your best. There arent any Peds specific numbers per say. In fact at my school ( similar to the level and caliber of OSU), all students set on specializing ( who also match to programs of their choice) all play in the same ballpark in terms of rank, GPA, extracurriculars, leadership, + clinical skills. All areas are equally important to being a well-rounded applicant for any type of program. It's important to note Peds has become dramatically more competitive in the past decade. In addition, there are a diverse array of programs, who value different qualities in a resident depending on what they are looking for. Networking is important, as Peds values good personal qualities. I would also refer you to the paper "what pediatric dentistry residency program directors look for" which you can find on google. Hope this helps.

 

[S_Diamond_DDS]

Most important, focus on getting good grades and keeping your class rank high. Participate in extracurriculars, doesn’t have to be with kids but it helps. You don’t have to do everything like some who match lead you to believe, but the more opportunities you can highlight as applicable experiences, the more power to you during the app cycle. Peds club is a good idea. Some schools value leadership and or research if these are things you’re interested in doing. Externships are big, make sure to do at least one. Shadowing is less crucial, but is helpful for your own understanding of what is important in the profession, about techniques, etc.

 

[Pedodel]

Get good grades, do the pedo clubs, and clerks ships ( what they called them in D school) mini specialties in 4th year.
I recommend doing a GPR first. I think it helped/ prepared me in a great way for my pediatric residency. I can’t see doing any better way.
I am 18 years in now. I plan on retiring in 9 years. Loved it , but it is very hard work!