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Pediatric Dentistry Postgraduate Program

The UCSF Pediatric Dentistry residency advances excellence in oral health through education, research innovation, and compassionate care. Residents gain outstanding clinical experience through UCSF Health, UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals in San Francisco and Oakland, and affiliated community clinics. Training prepares graduates for careers in academia, community public health, or private practice, and for board certification by the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry.

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Why choose UCSF Pediatric Dentistry?

Trainees in UCSF’s Pediatric Dentistry residency gain access to unparalleled academic, clinical, and research opportunities that prepare them to lead in the field. Benefits of the program include:

  • A balanced curriculum combining advanced didactics and literature reviews with diverse clinical experiences in hospital, oral conscious sedation, and outpatient settings
  • Extensive training in treating pediatric dental trauma and children with special and complex health care needs
  • Interdisciplinary exposure through rotations in pediatric medicine, pediatric anesthesia, and other subspecialty clinics
  • Training sites at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals in San Francisco and Oakland, the Parnassus campus, and affiliated community health centers
  • Optional co-enrollment in a Master of Science (MS) program in oral and craniofacial sciences
  • Preparation for board certification with the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry
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Curriculum and clinical experience

The UCSF Pediatric Dentistry residency offers a well-balanced didactic curriculum and extensive clinical experience. Core courses, seminars, literature reviews, guest lectures, and resident case presentations build a strong academic foundation. Clinical opportunities include outpatient and oral conscious sedation clinics, operating rooms, pediatric medicine, pediatric anesthesia, and subspecialty pediatric rotations—ensuring trainees gain hands-on experience across a wide spectrum of patient needs.

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Specialty certificate and MS/PhD pathway

Residents may pursue a three-year specialty certificate program in Pediatric Dentistry with co-enrollment in a Master of Science (MS) or PhD program in oral and craniofacial sciences. For applicants with an advanced degree already completed (MS, MPH, PhD), a 36-month specialty certificate option is available. Both tracks prepare graduates for board certification and future leadership in academic, community, or private practice settings.

How to apply

Applicants are accepted through the ADEA PASS system and must also register with the Postdoctoral Dental Matching Program. Admission decisions are based on academic performance, NBDE/INBDE results, letters of recommendation, research experience, leadership activities, community service, and interviews.

  • To be eligible for admission, applicants must:

    • Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident (program does not sponsor H1B visas)
    • Hold a DDS or DMD degree from a CODA-accredited dental school by the program start date
    • Provide National Board results:
      • Dental school graduates: must pass and submit NBDE Parts I & II, or INBDE by the September 15 deadline
      • Current dental students: may be considered for interview without exam results, but must upload NBDE Part I or INBDE scores by January 1 to be ranked
      • Matched applicants: must pass and submit NBDE Part II if on the NBDE track
    • Complete any required MS-OCS tuition payments (if enrolled in the MS track)

    1. Submit your application through ADEA PASS by the deadline, including: personal essay, CV, official dental school transcript, scanned undergraduate transcripts, three PASS evaluation forms, dean’s institution evaluation, and required scores.

    2. Register with the Postdoctoral Dental Matching Program and submit your Match code through ADEA PASS.

    3. Pay the UCSF nonrefundable application fee through the UCSF application fee portal:

      • $60 for domestic applicants
      • $80 for international applicants

    4. If you have international coursework: submit a course-by-course evaluation of all transcripts by ECE or WES. A WES ICAP report fulfills both evaluation and transcript requirements.

  • Each year, UCSF admits five residents to the Pediatric Dentistry residency through the MATCH process. Applications are reviewed holistically, with evaluation based on GPA, NBDE/INBDE results, recommendations, research/clinical experience, leadership activities, community service, and interview performance.

  • Invitations are sent directly by the program. Applicants are notified of interview opportunities by November.

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Meet our faculty

UCSF Pediatric Dentistry faculty are leaders in clinical care, research, and education, offering residents exceptional mentorship across academic, hospital, and community settings.

See all faculty
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Our residents

Residents in the UCSF Pediatric Dentistry program gain broad clinical experience across hospital, outpatient, and community settings while pursuing research and advanced study.

See current residents

Professional resources and opportunities

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