Education

Dental Hygiene Rotation in The Craniofacial Center

Second year dental hygiene students at the University of Illinois rotate through The Craniofacial Center to learn to special oral hygiene needs of children with cleft lip and palate and those undergoing orthodontic treatment. They also learn the special considerations for the oral care of patients undergoing radiation therapy or chemotherapy, those with oral implants, and organ transplant patients.

Dental Student Rotation in The Craniofacial Center

Third and fourth year dental students from The University of Illinois College of Dentistry participate in the daily operations of The Maxillofacial Prosthetics Clinic and The Cleft/Craniofacial Clinic within The Craniofacial Center. They observe clinical activities of team members and may have an opportunity to assist in patient care. The objective is to introduce them to the special needs of cleft and craniofacial patients and to familiarize them with the team concept of care. Those interested in this program should contact Dr. David J. Reisberg at 312-996-6933.

Medical Student Externship in The Craniofacial Center

Fourth year medical students from The University of Illinois and other medical schools in this country and overseas spend a one-month clerkship in The Craniofacial Center. The students participate in the patient care clinics in both The Cleft/Craniofacial Clinic and The Maxillofacial Prosthetics Clinic. They attend consultation and treatment planning sessions and may assist in clinic procedures. They become familiar with cleft and craniofacial treatment protocols and spend time with each team member to gain an appreciation of their role in the team approach to comprehensive patient care. Each student also completes a research project based on their clinical experiences. For more information about this program, please contact Terri Kaisling at (312) 996-7546.

Residency in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery

The training program in plastic and reconstructive surgery at UIC was established in 1955 and is a fully accredited program by the Plastic Surgery RRC and the ACGME for six positions of training.

There are two residents for each of the three years of training. Residents are selected through the Matching Program of Plastic Surgery after completing the basic prerequisite training in general surgery. In addition to the University of Illinois Hospital, residents rotate at Cook County Hospital and Hope Children's Hospital at Christ Hospital and Medical Center. Residents receive a balanced training experience that encompasses all aspects of plastic, reconstructive, and cosmetic surgery.

In addition to clinical experience, residents receive extensive theoretical training in a didactic curriculum that includes Grand Rounds, Journal Club, and conferences in Craniofacial Anomalies, Microsurgery, and Morbidity/Mortality. Residents also receive training in the Microsurgery Laboratory and the Anatomy Laboratory. Lectures are also given during their rotation in the Cook County Hospital Burn Unit and Hand Service. All residents participate in clinical and laboratory research and prepare papers that are presented at local, regional, and national professional meetings.

International Visiting Fellows are accepted after completion of plastic surgery training in their country. They spend 6 -12 months observing patient care and participating in all educational activities and clinical and basic research of the residency. For more information about this program contact Dr. Mimis Cohen at 312-996-9313.

Medical Art Prosthetics Training Program

The Maxillofacial Prosthetics Clinic of The Craniofacial Center offers a unique program in prosthetic rehabilitation in collaboration with the UIC School of Biomedical and Health Information Sciences. Established in the 1960s, it was the first such program of its kind anywhere. Graduate students enrolled in the Biomedical Visualization program may choose to concentrate their studies in facial and somato prosthetic rehabilitation. Didactic training and clinical experiences are offered through the Maxillofacial Prosthetics Clinic. In the clinic's multidisciplinary setting, students learn the comprehensive approach to patient care. Instruction is given by medical artists and specialists in dental prosthetics, medicine and surgery, the behavioral sciences, and speech and hearing. The program strives for a balance between theory and practice through patient contact, observation in the operating room, seminars, case studies, laboratory exercises, and audiovisual programs.

The masters degree program is two years. The first year consists of courses in the core science and art and computer imaging that provide a general foundation in the field. Prerequisite courses include comparative anatomy, human physiology, embryology, histology, gross anatomy, and pathophysiology. Required art and image formation courses include life drawing, graphic design, computer graphics, painting, photography, illustration, sculpture, 3-D model design, anatomical visualization, surgical orientation, business practices, and instructional design. In the second year, the students may design a course of study in a specialty area such as prosthetics and 3-D model design that includes courses in maxillofacial prosthetics, craniofacial anomalies, biomaterials, patient simulators and models, and clinical anaplastology. Program completion requires a research project, independent study, and a clinical practicum in prosthetics. For further information contact Rosie Seelaus at 312-996-6933.

Residency in Speech and Language Pathology

Speech pathology graduate students complete an 8-10 week clinical practicum at The Craniofacial Center. They experience all aspects of speech pathology including interviewing patients and family members for case histories, administering speech and language tests, judging resonance balance, and performing a complete intraoral examination. They also observe and participate in instrument testing including nasopharyngoscopy, cephalometric radiography, pressure flow testing, and nasometry. The students will observe and participate in the team approach to care for individuals with cleft lip and palate and other craniofacial conditions. They will also have the opportunity to work with the team's maxillofacial prosthodontist to fabricate speech aid prostheses. The students will participate in clinical research projects and have the opportunity to discuss research design with the speech pathologists in The Craniofacial Center. For more information about this program please contact Dr. Bonnie Smith at 312-996-6520.

Fellowship in Maxillofacial Prosthetics

The Maxillofacial Prosthetics Clinic at The Craniofacial Center offers a 1-2 year fellowship in Maxillofacial Prosthetics. (Length of the program will vary depending upon the language and prosthodontic competencies and goals of the fellow.) The program is directed by Dr. David J. Reisberg who has specialty training in Hospital Dentistry, Prosthodontics, and Maxillofacial Prosthetics. He is a diplomate of the American Board of Prosthodontics. The fellowship consists of clinical, research and didactic components. Clinical experience will include prosthodontic treatment of infants, children, and adults with congenital and acquired craniofacial conditions such as cleft lip and palate, hemifacial microsomia, head and neck cancer, and craniofacial trauma. Treatment includes the fabrication of obturators, speech aid prostheses, palatal lift prostheses, mandibulectomy prostheses, palatal augmentation prostheses, and tooth replacement with fixed and removable prostheses. The fellow will gain considerable experience in implant prosthodontics and operating room procedures relative to the surgical rehabilitation of craniofacial defects. He/She will also provide dental care for patients receiving radiation therapy and chemotherapy. The fellowship also includes training in the fabrication of facial and ocular prostheses.

The fellow will attend lectures in the Department of Orthodontics and Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and attend weekly Head and Neck Cancer conferences. They will serve rotations in Radiation Oncology, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, and Craniofacial Anomalies and attend the annual session of the American Academy of Maxillofacial Prosthetics, the American Prosthodontic Society, the Chicago Dental Society. The fellow will also have an opportunity to participate in a research project of publishable quality. All inquires should be directed to Dr. David J. Reisberg at 312-996-6933.

Craniofacial Orthodontic Fellowship

This one-year program provides a broad experience in pre and post surgical orthodontic care of cleft and craniofacial patients. The fellowship has clinical, research, and didactic components emphasizing interdisciplinary cooperation and the TEAM approach to cleft and craniofacial care. The clinical portion includes evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment planning utilizing 3D computer analysis and clinical orthodontic care, surgical splint fabrication, and operating room experience involving orthognathic surgery and distraction osteogenesis. Research is conducted in growth and development and Craniofacial and Molecular Biology. The didactic component includes lectures, seminars and conferences in the Departments of Orthodontics and Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at the University of Illinois Medical Center. The program begins July 1. For more information, contact Dr. Nanci De Felippe at nolive2@uic.edu or Dr. David Reisberg at dreisber@uic.edu or 312-966-6933.

Fellowship in Maxillofacial Dental Laboratory Technology

The Maxillofacial Prosthetics Clinic within The Craniofacial Center offers a fellowship in Dental Laboratory Technology. The program is 12-24 months and leads to a certificate from The University of Illinois Medical Center. It is designed for individuals with prior training and experience in conventional fixed and removable prosthodontic laboratory procedures. A certification in dental technology (CDT) is preferable but not required. The objective of this program is to refine the fellow's skills in fixed and removable prosthodontics and develop new skills in maxillofacial and implant prosthetics.

The course of study includes: review of laboratory procedures in fixed and removable prosthodontics, fabrication of oral and facial maxillofacial prostheses, fabrication of intraoral and craniofacial implant prostheses, and experience in the fabrication of ocular and limb prostheses. The fellow will also attend continuing education courses, Lab Day and the Chicago Dental Society Midwinter Meeting. For more information, please contact Dr. David J. Reisberg at 312-996-6933.

In addition to the above training programs, members of The Craniofacial Center team foster our mission of education through membership and participation in their respective medical and dental specialty societies and often present educational programs at the annual sessions of these organizations. Our team members also actively participate in both the American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association and The Illinois Association of Cleft-Craniofacial Teams and several are officers in these groups. The Center also works closely with several national organizations to provide educational resources and support for patients with facial differences and their family members. The Craniofacial Center’s director, Dr. David Reisberg is president of AboutFace USA.