The Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) has accredited a new general-practice dental residency program at Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) and the University at Buffalo (UB).
The one-year program is designed to teach dental school graduates about the multidisciplinary care of oncology patients, along with in-depth practical training in dental care for these patients. Students will rotate between the UB School of Dental Medicine and RPCI Dental Services.
"We believe the UB-Roswell Park collaborative program will allow dental residents the opportunity to learn from experts both at UB and Roswell in the comprehensive care of patients who are battling the effects of cancer," stated Heidi Crow, DMD, chair of the department of oral diagnostic sciences at UB School of Dental Medicine, in a press release.
UB faculty will oversee the residents' academic and clinical training, while academic and practicing dental clinicians specializing in oncology at RPCI will supervise residents' clinical care of patients. Residents will also be able to participate in current research projects involving oral cancer early detection methods for high-risk patients.
"The residency program provides the opportunity to obtain advanced knowledge and expertise in providing dental care to patients before, during, and after treatment for cancer," stated Moni Abraham Kuriakose, MD, vice chair of the department of head and neck surgery/plastic and reconstructive surgery at RPCI. "We believe this joint academic program will benefit the region greatly, as we will advance the training of dentists who will be providing dental care to cancer patients in the Western New York community and beyond."
