Meharry Medical College School of Dentistry
1005 Dr. DB Todd Jr. Blvd 
Department of Pediatric Dentistry Suite 416
Nashville, Tennessee 37208
United States
Program Coordinator: Ms. Brittany Rutledge, xazt3482@mmc.edu
Phone: (615) 327-6870
Web: http://home.mmc.edu

Program Length and Number of Positions

The Meharry Medical College School of Dentistry Postgraduate Pediatric Dentistry Residency is a 24-month continuous study certificate training program in pediatric dentistry.

There will be 4 (four) resident positions beginning July 1, 2023 and 4 (four) resident positions July 1 of each subsequent year.

Program Type

This is a University-based certificate program with a hospital affiliation with the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt (also known as the Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt).

Application

All applicants will be required to complete the formal ADEA PASS application. The formal application through ADEA PASS must include a CV/resume, a personal statement, the dental school transcript, an advanced degree transcript (if applicable), class rank, dental board scores and three (3) letters of recommendation as part of your application.

The inaugural class starting July 1, 2023 will be selected after the formal Dental MATCH process. Each subsequent class will be selected via the Dental MATCH process. All potential candidates will be given an in-person interview to meet with faculty and tour facilities.

Description

Meharry Medical College School of Dentistry has received Initial Accreditation for Postgraduate Training in Pediatric Dentistry.

The Meharry Medical College School of Dentistry Pediatric Dentistry Residency is a new postgraduate residency training program with Initial Accreditation granted by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) in August 2022. This is a tuition-based program of 24 months of continuous study in postgraduate pediatric dentistry.

The program will have a strong emphasis on evidence-based pediatric dentistry in the didactic and clinical training components.

Board-certified pediatric dental faculty will utilize the latest technology and recent AAPD guidelines to substantiate instruction and oral health care delivery in both outpatient, inpatient and operating room settings.

This is a University-based program with an affiliation with Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt. Residents will complete rotations in Pediatric Medicine, Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Emergency on-call and Special Health Care Needs/Pediatric Cleft and Craniofacial Program at Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt.

Curriculum

The Meharry Medical College School of Dentistry Pediatric Dentistry Residency is a University-based training program with a hospital affiliation with Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt.

Residents will receive weekly seminars encompassing all aspects of Pediatric Dentistry from Oral Pathology to Pulpal Therapy and Comprehensive Restorative Dentistry.

In addition, there will be weekly literature review and case reports encompassing patients with special health care needs, complex medical disorders and syndromes.

The didactic curriculum and delivery of evidence-based infant, pediatric and adolescent oral health care will prepare each resident for written and oral board examinations and comprehensive pediatric dental care delivery in any setting.

Program Stipend and Tuition

The Meharry Medical College School of Dentistry Pediatric Dentistry Residency Program is a tuition-based residency program. Salary/stipend is not applicable. Residents will have covered benefits including health, disability and malpractice insurance.

It is a non-GME funded postgraduate residency training program. The tuition for PGY1 in-state or out-of-state is $38,500. The tuition for PGY2 in-state or out-of-state is $38,500. 

Facilities

The primary clinical site for the Meharry Medical College School of Dentistry Pediatric Dentistry Residency is the Total Health Medical and Dental Care Clinic located in Antioch, TN. This is an 8-chair community care dental clinic that also houses multiple medical primary and specialty services including Pediatrics.

The other clinical sites are located at Meharry Medical College. One is the Pediatric Medicine Dental Clinic and the other is the Colgate Bright Smiles Bright Futures predoctoral dental care clinic. Residents will provide comprehensive dental care with the use of basic and advanced behavior guidance techniques at the Total Health Medical and Dental Care Clinic and the Pediatric Medicine Dental Clinic.

For patients in need of comprehensive dental care under general anesthesia, patient care will be delivered at either Tennessee Surgery Center or Nashville Midtown Surgical Center. The required four-week Anesthesia Medicine rotation will be carried out at one of two surgery centers.

The Pediatric Medicine rotation will be completed at the Meharry Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine clinic and the Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt. After-hours on-call emergency coverage will also take place at the Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt Emergency Department.

During PGY2, each resident will have the opportunity to participate in the treatment planning and care of patients with special health care needs, including but not limited to, surgical care and correction of craniofacial anomalies. Residents will be introduced to Nasoalveolar Molding (NAM) fabrication and placement as well

Admission Requirements

Applicants must fulfill the following requirements to be considered for admission:

• Submission of application through ADEA PASS
• DMD or DDS degree from an accredited dental school in the US or Canada
• Official dental school transcript and transcript of any additional graduate degree(s) if applicable
• CV/resume
• Personal statement
• Dental board scores
• Class rank
• 3 letters of recommendation. One must include the Pediatric Dentistry Department Chairperson from candidate’s dental school
• Interview by invitation only to meet with faculty and tour facilities

Program Strengths

The Meharry Medical College School of Dentistry Pediatric Dentistry Residency Program is a University-based residency training program with an affiliation with the Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt.

Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt is a Center of Excellence for the treatment of diabetes and congenital heart disorders. It is also home to the highest level NICU in the state of Tennessee and serves as Nashville's Comprehensive Regional Pediatric Center. Residents will complete after-hours on-call as well as rotations in Pediatric In-Patient Medicine, Pediatric Emergency Medicine and Special Health Care Needs/Pediatric Cleft and Craniofacial Program at the Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt.

The residents will receive evidence-based didactic and clinical instruction from multiple board-certified pediatric dental faculty in both community care and University-based patient populations from varying racial, ethnic, socioeconomic and cultural/language backgrounds.

The Chairperson of the Pediatric Dentistry Department, Dr. Thomas Veraldi, is board-certified in Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics.

The Pediatric Dentistry Residency Program Director, Dr. Racquel Johnson, is board-certified in Pediatric Dentistry, has two decades of combined experience in both private practice dentistry and hospital dentistry and a Masters in Business Administration. Residents will embrace compassion and humanism in order to deliver culturally competent patient care.

Residents have the option to pursue an advanced degree (Master's or PhD) at the School of Graduate Studies and Research. Residents will complete a data gathering research project with Dr. Pandu Gangula, Associate Dean of Research, and their respective Pediatric Dentistry faculty mentor and present to the Pediatric Dentistry Department and at the annual AAPD meeting during PGY2.

Program Leadership

Thomas Veraldi DMD, MS* - Pediatric Dentistry Department Chair
Racquel Johnson DMD, MBA* - Residency Program Director

Program Faculty

Mirissa Price DMD
Brian Wah DDS*
Quantez Freeman DDS*
Carol Nixon-Wesby DDS*
Thomas Keeling DMD*
Joel Veitschegger DMD*
Timothy McNutt DDS*
Edwin Hines DDS, MSD* - Professor Emeritus

*Board Certified

School Profile

 

Program Type:	University-based
Program Director:	Full-Time
Program Faculty:	3 Full-Time 7 Part-Time 9 Board Certified
Program Length:	24 consecutive months certificate program beginning July 1, 2023 and every July 1 of each subsequent year.
Program Accreditation:	Initial Accreditation
State Licensure:	Required
State Licensure Required to Begin Program:	No
Number of Entering Positions:	4
Tuition In-State:	$38,500
Tuition Out-Of-State:	$38,500
Salary/Stipend:	Not applicable
Application:	$65.00 application fee. Deadline is January 16, 2023.
Participant in National Matching Service:	No
Participant in PASS:	Yes
Only US citizens from ADA  accredited dental schools  considered:	No
US citizens from foreign dental schools considered:	No
Non-US citizens from ADA  accredited dental schools  considered:	Yes
Non-US citizens from foreign  dental schools considered:	No
Clinic Experience:	Orthodontics Conscious Sedation Hospital Rotations General Anesthesia Emergency Call Operating Room Oral Surgery Infant Oral Health Medically Compromised Mentally Disable Craniofacial Disorders Physically Disabled Community Clinics Outreach Public Health Minimal and Moderate Sedations Special Health Care Needs Behavior Guidance
Didactic Experience:	Case Conferences Lectures Literature Review Seminars
Research Requirement:	Data Collection Project
Other Research Requirement Description, if Applicable:	Residents may engage in research culminating in a certificate, Master's degree and/or PhD at the School of Graduate Studies and Research or the School of Applied Computational Sciences or pursue research opportunities via the Meharry-Vanderbilt Alliance.
Teaching Experience:	Weekly case reports/presentations. 5 (five) days mandatory teaching in the Colgate Bright Smiles Bright Futures predoctoral dental care clinic during PGY2 year.
Facilities:	12 Chair/Operatories 2 Clinic Receptionist 3 Dental Assistants 1 Dental Hygienists