In 2010, the University of Washington and Seattle Children’s joined forces to combat the growing crisis of childhood dental disease by combining health services, education, research and public policy under one roof at The Center for Pediatric Dentistry (CPD). In 2013, the Department of Pediatric Dentistry relocated to the CPD.

From infant check-ups and early screening to parental education and special needs access, the CPD equips parents with the service and knowledge to ensure a healthy child and uses a multi-disciplined approach to solving the rampant issues of childhood oral health.

Mission

The mission of the Department of Pediatric Dentistry is to promote the health of infants, children, adolescents, and persons with special needs, through education, research, and service, by:

• Educating pediatric dentists for a lifetime of continuous learning and leadership.
• Generating new knowledge through basic and clinical research.
• Promoting effective preventive measures to ensure a lifetime of oral health.
• Collaborating with other disciplines and organizations to develop policies to increase access to oral health care for all people.

Vision

Our vision is to be the recognized international leader in pediatric dental education, research, and the development of service delivery models and to be the leader in establishing mechanisms for policy change to dramatically mitigate the unmet need in the management of dental caries in children worldwide.