The Pediatric Dentistry residency program is a multi-layered program that really focuses on academics on research and becoming really strong clinical pediatric dentists. The goal is for them to have a broad base of knowledge. So when they get out in practice, if a new article comes out a new technology, a new material, they're able to really analyze that, and see if it's effective and understand the science behind it. The DMD and grad relationship, they interact. The residents will help at the beginning to guide based on their teaching. They will get more experience in pediatric dentistry by teaching undergraduate students. They will help them. They will support them.
The great thing about studying at this program is the diversity of the population of patients that we see here.
We have patients from all different continents, different countries coming here to seek care. So we're seeing patients from routine dentistry, just getting regular cleanings, to patients who are in severe pain, and have complex medical histories.
Our residents receive a wide scope of training. We do orthodontics. We do sedation. We do just a lot of general Pediatric Dentistry. We have endodontics right next door. We have periodontics right next door. So anything that falls a little bit outside the scope of our specially, we're able to consult with the specialists here.
The unique thing about the University of Louisville's pediatric residency program is that it's both a academic and a hospital based program combined. We get our hospital experience from Norton Children's Hospital. Alongside that we get a really good didactic experience. Norton Children's Hospital is a level one trauma center, we're on call with them 24 hours a day, we each take turns about a week at a time with call, and we see a ton of trauma.
Our residency program is unique because the residents are not only part of the university, but they're also part of Norton Children's Hospital. We do see a lot of children with complex medical problems that otherwise wouldn't be seen in the outpatient setting.
Here at ulsd, patient care comes first. If there are kids with financial issues, low income, they have difficulty getting care elsewhere. A lot of these kids come here to the school. And we always make sure to take good care of our patients, regardless of their ability to pay.
The technology at the University of Louisville is one of the most outstanding.
We're really into using lasers to do frenctomies, to do mucocele removals. We have one of the best radiology departments in the country at our university. My favorite thing about this program is that it's only four residents per year, which makes it eight residents total. It's not so small, but you're doing all the work completely on your own. And it's not so big that you feel like a number. It really helps one grow and learn from others.
I have a family here. So from the faculty, to the staff, to the students, to my co--residents. It's beautiful. It's awesome. It's amazing.
We get a lot of one on one interaction with the school faculty. Anytime that we want feedback from faculty and we go and ask them questions, they're available, and they're able to help us, they're able to guide us.
Each one kind of brings something different to the table and really challenges you to think about things differently than you normally would.
A lot of our graduates find that they've seen much more complex cases than I'll see every day in private practice.
So when they leave the program, they feel very competent in treating patients every day in their dental clinic.
You are challenged to be a great person. You're challenged to be a great self. You're challenged to be better than you were yesterday. And I think that's amazing.
