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⚠ COVID-19 INFORMATION: Resources, Vaccine Information
The mission of the Lurie Children's Hospital Postdoctoral Program in Pediatric Dentistry is to comprehensively prepare a specialist who is proficient in providing both primary and comprehensive preventive therapeutic oral health care for infants and children through adolescence, including those with special healthcare needs. It is the goal of this program to provide a unique and challenging educational experience in pediatric dental care within the hospital and clinical setting.
Lurie Children's, formerly Children's Memorial Hospital, is the pediatric hospital member of the McGaw Medical Center of Northwestern University. All residency appointments to graduate medical programs are made through the Office of Graduate Medical Education at the Feinberg School of Medicine of Northwestern University. The resident in pediatric dentistry receives clinical and didactic training at Lurie Children's Hospital, a unique facility that offers a variety of clinical experiences for the student, including behavior management, hospital dentistry, general anesthesia, pediatric medicine, growth and development, orthodontic diagnosis and craniofacial anomalies.
Our postdoctoral program is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation, and is currently approved without reporting requirements. Our next site visit 2026.
The Commission on Dental Accreditation will review complaints that relate to a program's compliance with the accreditation standards. The Commission is interested in the sustained quality and continued improvement of dental and dental-related education programs but does not intervene on behalf of individuals or act as a court of appeal for treatment received by patients or individuals in matters of admission, appointment, promotion or dismissal of faculty, staff or students.
A copy of the appropriate accreditation standards and/or the Commission's policy and procedure for submission of complaints may be obtained by contacting the Commission at 211 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611-2678 or by calling 1.800.621.8099, extension 4653.
Our program currently accepts 2 residents per year.
1st year resident = PGY1…$63,406
2nd year resident = PGY2…$65,908
If residents do not have a full general license in Illinois, they are required to apply for temporary license. They are covered under the liability insurance umbrella of Lurie Children's Hospital.
The residency program includes two academic years of full-time formal training in pediatric dentistry. The residency program operates from July 1 through June 30 each year and there are no fixed quarters or semesters.
A certificate of specialty training in Pediatric Dentistry from Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine is awarded upon successful completion of the program. A Lurie Children's Hospital Chief Resident certificate will also be awarded if the resident serves as chief resident.
Applications for residency positions are administered through ADEA PASS/MATCH.
Annual application and transcript deadline for the class applying for admittance is October 1.
The curriculum combines basic science courses, interdisciplinary courses and seminars to provide special knowledge and skills beyond the DDS or DMD training.
Completion of a research paper involving data collection and analysis using the elements of scientific method is required. The resident must:
Second year residents must prepare a digital poster to present at the American Academy of Pediatric Dentist's Annual Conference. All digital posters must be approved by the Program Director prior to submission.
Prospective candidates must apply through ADEA PASS/MATCH. The ADAT is currently optional. Supplemental requirements are CV, 2x2 photo, and $50 check made out to Dr. Ray Jurado, 225 East Chicago Avenue, Box 75, Chicago, Illinois 60611-2605. CV and photo can be emailed to Kara Holden at kaholden@luriechildrens.org.
Ashlee Vorachek
Attending Physician, Dentistry
Program Director, Postdoctoral Program in Pediatric Dentistry
avorachek@luriechildrens.org
Kara Holden
Senior Administrative Assistant, Dentistry
kaholden@luriechildrens.org