College of Dental Medicine’s Pediatric Dentistry Residency Training Program
Since 2010, the Health Resources and Services Administration has funded the College of
Dental Medicine’s Pediatric Dentistry Residency Training Program aimed at treating children with special healthcare needs. As part of this project, a specialized dental clinic was established for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) aged 18 months to 8 years. Treatment at this clinical site involves the provision of dental services integrated with behavioral supports. To date, the clinic has provided service to 473 children with ASD in Broward County.
Pediatric Dentistry residents participating in this unique training program often conduct research projects aimed at examining the effectiveness of the specialized techniques and training utilized in the clinic. Here we wish to highlight the work of three Pediatric Dentistry residents who recently presented their research in San Diego, CA at the 2022 American Academy for Pediatric Dentistry Annual Conference:
- Ashley Culver, DMD, & Dr. Ana Gonzalez-Caceres, DMD: “Dental Visual Support Schedule App for Behavior Management of Pediatric dental Patients with Autism: Pilot”
- Mitchell D. Gruzmark, DMD: “Parent Satisfaction in Task Strip Utilization in Improving Oral Hygiene in Children with Autism”
- Serena Ghodasra, DMD: “Task Strip Utilization in Improving Oral Hygiene in Children with Autism”
Disseminating information related to the work done in the clinic is invaluable to the field of dentistry, particularly in terms of increasing the workforce of dental providers proficient in treating this special population.