Special Patient Care and Maxillofacial Prosthetics
The Section of Special Patient Care and Maxillofacial Prosthetics is composed of two postgraduate programs: General Practice Residency (GPR) and Maxillofacial Prosthetics. The GPR program provides hospital dentistry services that integrate medicine and dentistry to provide comprehensive care to patients with intellectual disabilities, complex medical conditions, psychiatric disorders, or physical disabilities. Maxillofacial prosthetics is a specialty of dentistry devoted to the oral and facial rehabilitation of patients with head and neck cancer, trauma, or congenital anomalies. The postgraduate program provides residents with advanced training in diagnosing and supportive treatment of patients with maxillofacial defects.
Chair:
Dr. Eric Sung, Professor of Clinical Dentistry. Momentum Endowed Chair in Special Patient Care.
Full-time Faculty:
- Dr. Evelyn Chung, Clinical Professor
- Dr. Ting-Ling Chang, Clinical Professor
- Dr. Jay Jayanetti, Associate Clinical Professor
- Dr. Denny Chao, Assistant Clinical Professor
- Dr. Reeva Mincer, Assistant Clinical Professor
- Dr. Kelly Vitzthum, Assistant Clinical Professor
Part-time Faculty:
- Dr. Michelle Jang
- Dr. Brian Huang
- Dr. David Ciraulo
- Dr. Bernice Ko
- Dr. Jenny Le
- Dr. Xuan Yue
- Dr. Kalie McCulloch
- Dr. Andre Cataluna
Teaching
The primary focus of the Section of Special Patient Care & Maxillofacial Prosthetics is to instruct students and residents in the role of dentistry for the medically compromised patient, either in an out-patient setting or in a hospital setting. Students and residents are also trained to manage and treat patients with cancer of the oral cavity, and become aware of treatment options and outcomes.
The Section of Special Patient Care and Maxillofacial Prosthetics participates in teaching programs:
Pre-doctoral training – This includes courses within oral and systemic disease in addition to a special patient care rotation with focuses on patients with special health care needs, medical complexities, head and neck cancer and maxillofacial prosthetics.
Research
With the goal of improving patient care, faculty members and residents of the Section of Special Patient Care & Maxillofacial Prosthetics conduct basic, clinical, and translational research focused on the dental treatment of medically complex patients. Research foci span the areas of dental materials, medical and dental therapeutics for a variety of oral conditions, and clinical outcomes, among others. The Section is rapidly expanding its research capacity and is seeking further development of institutional and private-sector funding to support these projects.
Patient Care
The Special Patient Care (Hospital Dentistry) clinic provides comprehensive dental care for patients with intellectual and developmental disabilities, complex medical conditions, physical disabilities, and those who are dental phobic. The Maxillofacial Prosthetics clinic provides restoration of acquired or congenital oral and facial defects and implant prosthetics. Dental services are provided in both our outpatient clinic and inpatient in conjunction with the UCLA Ronald Reagan Medical Center.
Volunteer Opportunities
The Section of Special Patient Care & Maxillofacial Prosthetics has a number of volunteer faculty who have given their valuable time throughout the years to the teaching activities of the Section. The clinical expertise they bring to the program are invaluable. The Section is very grateful for our volunteer faculty, and appreciates and welcomes the interest of volunteer dentists.
Contact Us
Steven Gonzalez, Administrative Assistant
Division of Regenerative and Reconstructive Sciences
Phone: (310) 825-5543
stevengonzalez@dentistry.ucla.edu