During their third year of dental training, pre-doctoral students spend 5 weeks in each specialty department. There are approximately 10 students in each clerkship. The clerkship consists of both didactic and clinical components. Students provide clinical care to pediatric patients four and a half days each week. Dr. Matt Geneser serves as the director of the pre-doctoral clinic program in pediatric dentistry. Under his direction, approximately 4,000 patient treatment visits per year are conducted. Student experiences include emergency, initial and recall examinations, preventive dental services, restorations, space maintainers and extractions.

In addition to treatment provided in the pediatric dentistry clinic, students participate in a preventive dentistry program where students develop and implement a dental health presentation for an age specific group of children in the community. Students also observe or participate in treatment of special needs pediatric patients.

During the fourth year, pre-doctoral students under the guidance of director Dr. Pollyanne Iben, provide care to young children in the Infant Oral Health Program at the WIC clinic in Iowa City and the Muscatine Community Health Care Clinic.

The didactic component of the pre-doctoral program consists of the course entitled “Pediatric Dentistry Diagnosis and Treatment” which is taught in the second year and the “Pediatric Dentistry Clinical Seminar Series” which is taught during the third year clerkship. 

• Course PEDO: 82420 “Pediatric Dentistry: Diagnosis and Treatment” is taught in the spring semester of the second year. The course provides basic foundational knowledge in Pediatric Dentistry. Ms Cathy Skotowski and Dr. Polly Iben serve as co-directors.
• Course PEDO:8370 “Pediatric Dentistry: Clinic Applications” is taught in the third year clerkship. The course consists of both didactic and clinical components. Seminars focus on clinical issues and techniques in Pediatric Dentistry, reinforcement of important didactic information presented in the D2 course and case-based learning. Students provide clinical care to pediatric patients 4 days out of the week biweekly for 10 weeks (5 weeks). 

• American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry
• American Academy of Pediatrics
• American Associate of Public Health Dentistry
• American Dental Association
• American Dental Education Association
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Iowa Dental Association
• Iowa Department of Public Health - Oral Health Bureau
• National Institute of Dental & Craniofacial Research
• National MCH Oral Health Resource Center
• National Organization for Rare Disorders
• Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man