Pediatric Dentistry
Pediatric Dentistry is the branch and specialty of dentistry concerned with providing primary and comprehensive preventive and therapeutic oral health diagnosis, care, and consultative expertise for infants and children through adolescence, including those of all ages with special medical care needs.
For more information, please refer to the Canadian Academy of Pediatric Dentistry.
Examination Information
The Fellowship Examination will be an oral examination. The purpose of this examination is to examine a candidate’s abilities, knowledge, recognition, treatment, problem solving of clinical situations. This format will also test a candidate’s ability to diagnose and manage both common and unusual problems that confront the Pediatric Dental Specialist in clinical practice.
During the oral examination, candidates will be presented with case histories, medical and dental histories, radiographs, photographs, and other clinical information. Candidates will be expected to recognize, diagnose, and plan appropriate intervention, management, and follow-up care for the presented patients. The focus is to evaluate the ability to successfully manage patients in a Pediatric Dentistry specialty practice.
| Element | Duration |
|---|---|
| Part 1: Oral Examination | 1 hour |
| Part 2: Oral Examination | 1 hour |
Topics for Review
Depending on the topic, candidates are expected to demonstrate different knowledge levels (‘in-depth’ and ‘understanding’), as indicated below:
- In-depth – thorough knowledge of concepts and theories for the purpose of critical analysis, synthesis, and evaluation (highest level).
- Understanding – adequate knowledge with the ability to apply concepts.
| Topic of Study | Knowledge Necessary |
|---|---|
| Child Development & Non-pharmacological Behavior Guidance | In – depth |
| Biomedical sciences (including genetics, anatomy and embryology) | Understanding |
| Cariology, Preventive Dentistry & Anticipatory Guidance | In – depth |
| Children with special health care needs | In – depth |
| Oro-facial Trauma | In – depth |
| Diagnosis and Treatment Planning (clinical and radiographic assessment, decision making) | In – depth |
| Growth and Development – including related anomalies/malformations | In – depth |
| Managing the Developing Occlusion | In – depth |
| Hospital Dentistry | In – depth |
| Medical Emergencies | In – depth |
| Medical Management and patient with special health care needs | In – depth |
| Oral Diagnosis/ Oral Pathology / Oral Medicine / Oral Radiology | In – depth |
| Pharmacology (Local Anesthesia, Antibiotics, Analgesia) | In – depth |
| Pulp Therapy | In – depth |
| Restorative Dentistry including Dental Material | In – depth |
| Child Abuse & Neglect | Understanding |
| Pharmacological Behaviour Guidance – Sedation | In – depth |
| Pharmacological Behaviour Guidance – General Anesthesia | Understanding |
| Infection Control & Occupational Hazards | Understanding |
| Record Keeping & Informed Consent | Understanding |
| Oral Surgery | Understanding |
| Orthodontics | Understanding |
| Periodontology | Understanding |
General Guidelines
1. Familiarize yourself with the format of the oral examination and the topics of study to be covered in the sessions. These topics should serve as a guide to the types of cases that may be covered.
2. The oral examination is a test of a candidate’s ability to assess, diagnose, treat, and manage common clinical scenarios at the level of a specialist in Pediatric Dentistry. The cases are selected to be representative of what Pediatric Dentists in Canada see in their practices.
3. Candidates will not be asked to directly cite research articles to substantiate clinical decisions; however, candidates will be expected to select clinical decisions and treatment based on current evidence-based practice.
Candidate Study Guide
The intent of this guide is to provide the candidate with an understanding of the format in which questions may be asked during the Fellowship Examination. The content used in these sample questions is used for illustrative purposes only, and should not be construed as an example of the level of difficulty of the examination questions.
Study Guide
Download PDF
