Chair:
Dr. Lysle E. Johnston, Jr.
The Chair of the department is officially responsible for the predoctoral and postdoctoral programs in orthodontics and pediatric dentistry. Certain aspects of these programs have been delegated to other faculty members. These faculty members make and implement policy in consultation with the Chair and other members of the Department.
Graduate Program Director - Orthodontics
Graduate Program Director – Pediatric Dentistry:
Dr. Robert J. Feigal
The Pediatric Dentistry Graduate Program Director is responsible for specialty training in pediatric dentistry, a 30 month graduate program with clinical facilities in the School of Dentistry, the University Hospitals, and at Mott Children’s Health Center in Flint. Between 15 and 18 graduate students are enrolled at any time, working on the didactic, clinical, and research objectives of the program.
Flint Program Director:
Dr. Robert Majewski
Second year graduate students in pediatric dentistry spend the bulk of their time at Mott Children’s Health Center and Hurley Hospital, Flint, MI. Graduate student activities there include comprehensive patient care, trauma center dental care, emergency management, and pediatric medical rotations, are coordinated and administered by the Flint Program Director.
Orthodontic Clinic Director:
Dr. Richard Johnson
The Clinic Director is responsible for the day-to-day management and organization of the orthodontic clinical facility. He coordinates patient care provided by the postdoctoral students, and by students from other programs and departments. The Clinic Director also interacts with the Assistant Dean for Patient Services (Dr. Dennis Turner) and implements departmental policy in the orthodontic clinic.
Pediatric Dentistry Clinic Director:
Dr. Lloyd Straffon
Oversight and responsibility for a large undergraduate and graduate student clinic in pediatric dentistry is covered by the Pediatric Dentistry Clinic Director. This includes coordinating patient care, staff assignments, and interacting with the Assistant Dean for Patient Care.
Director of the Interdisciplinary Program:
Dr. James A. McNamara
The Director of the Interdisciplinary Program is responsible for the development, organization and implementation of an interdisciplinary course and clinic that focuses on the dentally compromised patient. Specialties represented include orthodontics, periodontics, prosthodontics and restorative dentistry.
Director of Postgraduate Studies:
Dr. James A. McNamara and Dr. Robert J. Feigal
The Department of Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry, in collaboration with the Office of Continuing Education, offers a postgraduate non-degree program. The program is individualized to meet the specific needs of the student, and its length may vary from one to two years.
Co-Directors of the Dentofacial (Orthognathic Surgery) Program:
Dr. Siew-Ging Gong and Dr. Colin Mayers
The Dentofacial Program coordinates the orthodontic and surgical interaction in the treatment of orthognathic surgery patients. A member from each department is assigned to co-direct the Dentofacial program which has teaching, consulting and research components. The didactic component (course #754) is taken by the first-year residents, and the diagnosis and treatment planning clinical component involves second-year residents.
Pediatric Dentistry Director of Hospital Programs:
Dr. Marcio DaFonseca
The Director of Hospital Programs plans and administers graduate student and undergraduate student rotations for patient care in the University Hospitals. Responsibilities include outpatient care for special needs patients, operating room cases, on-call emergency coverage, and patient and doctor consultations throughout the hospital.
Orthodontic Coordinator of the Craniofacial Anomalies Program:
Dr. Katherine Kelly
The coordinator of this hospital-based program interacts with the Departments of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at University Hospital in the diagnosis and treatment of activities patients with craniofacial anomalies. The didactic component (course #590) is a prerequisite for the second-year residents. The third-year residents will participate in the Cleft Palate Conference and provide orthodontic care for patients with cleft lip/palate and craniofacial anomalies.
Director of the Predoctoral Orthodontic Program:
Dr. Richard A. Johnson
The Director of the Predoctoral Program is responsible for the organization of the didactic teaching (lecture, seminar and laboratory components) of the predoctoral students as well as the clinical exposure of the students to orthodontics. He is assisted by the majority of the orthodontic faculty. The Director is also responsible for the coordination and assignment of the activities of the clinical instructors in the department (usually second or third year postdoctoral students). He also coordinates the predoctoral orthodontic teaching within the departmental Predoctoral Program in Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry (Dr. Robert Feigal, Program Director of Pediatric Dentistry) and with other departments in the School of Dentistry.
Director of the Predoctoral Pediatric Dentistry Program:
Dr. Fernanda Fontes
Predoctoral pediatric education for dental students involves the organization and teaching of lecture courses and pre-clinical laboratory experiences as well as coordinating patient care rotations for all dental students. The Director is responsible for course management, grading, and student remediation, when necessary, and she works in collaboration with the other School of Dentistry Discipline Coordinators. In these tasks, she is assisted by all other faculty in pediatric dentistry.
Co-Coordinators of Orthodontic/Pediatric Dentistry Program:
Drs. Airton Arruda, Richard A. Johnson, and Nick S. Palmer
The coordinator of the program interacts with the graduate Pediatric Dental Program by facilitating both the teaching and clinical aspects of the orthodontic training of the residents in pediatric dentistry.
