Post Graduate Training in Dentistry

Present State of Residency Training in Pediatric Dentistry Center

By Dr. Gay A. Raralio

The one-year Residency Training Program (RTP) in Pediatric Dentistry is now on its third year. The once everyday schedule (Monday- Saturday) for 9 months is now just 4 days a week (Mon-Wed-Fri-Sat) but lasts for a year. This change was implemented to accommodate general dentists who are already developing their own practice or who are already employed to still be able to work while they are going the extra mile to further their knowledge and skills in Pediatric Dentistry.

The new program was proposed to provide a little flexibility to the rigid 6-day (Mon-Sat) weekly schedule of residents. The Mon-Wed-Fri-Sat schedule allowed the residents to study and do their readings at the UP College of Dentistry library on days that they do not report to PDC.

While the proposed change developed strong opposition during the early months of its implementation, it proved to be acceptable to would-be pedodontists as evidenced by the mixed enrollment of residents, fresh graduates, and those who have been board passers for more than five years.

The following are names of the residents and their respective batches: RTP 1 _Dr. Aileen Lim (Davao), RTP 2 - Dr. Christine Evangelista (MM) and Dr. Kathleen Laconico (MM), RTP 3 - Drs. Suzette Ignacio (Cebu), Filipinas Oano (Cebu), Kim Coeli (MM) and Ana Mejia (MM).

RTP 4 started with four residents but due to personal circumstances/reasons, only Drs. Teresa Isidro (MM) and Susan Suarez (MM) are continuing with the program. RTP 5 residents started in March 2003 and they are Dr. Ma. Cecilia Santos (MM) Dr. Michelle Baysa (Isabela), Dr. Aileen Dizon (Davao) and Dr. Carina Sabado (Davao). With the one-year program, the research component of the training is slowly being incorporated.

In addition to the lectures on Dental and Medical Science given by the PDC staff, consultants, and some invited lecturers and the Basic Course in Orthodontics given by Dr. Chibelle de Veyra - Pike, residents now have a research class. The Research Class is conducted by research experts from the Institute of Community and Family Health (ICFH) in the person of Miss Virginia Orais, RN, MS and Dr. Teresa Nano MD.MS. The 13_lecture course is conducted by the aforementioned consultants and they are also the research advisers.

The first 2 batches were able to come up with Research Proposals, which the researchers are planning to continue in their areas of practice. Dr. Ignacio and Dr. Oano are now in the process of writing the final manuscript of their research paper and Dr. Coeli and Dr. Mejia are doing the survey for their research on the Knowledge-Attitude-Practices (KAP) of a select number of Pediatricians.

The next research class started on May 13, 2003 and is being held in PDC every Tuesday at 9:00 am. This will last for 13 weeks—enough to prepare the residents and other interested PPDSI members to do their research proposal and conduct the necessary investigation related to their specific topics.

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Philippine Pediatric Dental Association Inc.

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