Michael Wong, DMD 2019; MSc Dip Pediatrics 2024, never planned to pursue pediatrics, but during his fourth year of dental school, he discovered an unexpected interest in the specialty. After spending a day shadowing at BC Children’s Hospital, he was drawn to the pace and the collaborative approach to working with children.

By the time he realized he wanted to specialize, the application deadline for graduate programs had passed. He spent two years in general practice gaining experience before being accepted to join the UBC Graduate Pediatric Dentistry program in 2021.

When he entered his third year of the program, Dr. Wong became part of a unique cohort—the first to participate in the newly launched Monarch rotation, a partnership between UBC Dentistry, Monarch Pediatric Dental and Save a Smile of the British Columbia Dental Association, that provides residents with practical experience working in a private pediatric office.

“We were inspired to launch this new rotation because we want students to learn how to manage their time in an actual pediatric clinical setting,” says Dr. John Hung, UBC Clinical Assistant Professor and founder of Monarch Pediatric Dental. “The operation and flow of learning at an institution like UBC or in hospital is very different than what happens in the real world. This rotation gives students a chance to work on several patients at a time, collaborate with dental assistants, learn how to effectively interact with parents and develop skills in managing kids without the use of pharmaceutical interventions. Working in pediatrics is an art that takes time to learn.”

Sixteen years ago, Dr. Hung and the Monarch team established a two-week elective rotation for fourth-year DMD students where students see first-hand how a private pediatric clinic runs. This experience formed the basis of the new pediatric graduate specialty rotation.

“There’s a bit of a gap when students transition into a private pediatric practice, and it’s not always easy for them to hit the ground running,” says Director of the Graduate Pediatric Dentistry program Randa Soussou, MSc Dip Pediatrics 2018. “This rotation helps bridge that gap and allows students to step into the clinic essentially as an associate, but with supervision. When I was a pediatric resident, I hoped for an opportunity like this, so I’m thrilled we’ve been able to bring it to life.”

Beginning in fall 2025, the rotation is part of curriculum for third-year pediatric residents, and second-year residents participate in an observation day. And while technical skills are certainly necessary, Drs. Hung and Soussou also hope students leave with a deeper appreciation for the value of community service. Reflecting this commitment of giving back, the Monarch team established the Monarch Pediatric Dental Centre Graduate Community Achievement Award in 2024. This award celebrates pediatric residents who demonstrate outstanding community involvement during their clinical rotation.

“Most of the kids residents see during their rotation are from low-income families, so we want residents to understand how important it is to give back to their communities by providing either at-cost or free dental care, when possible,” says Dr. Hung. “This is an important way for dentists to contribute to society.”

Dr. Wong was so inspired by his rotation that after graduation he joined the Monarch team as a pediatric dentist.

“The rotation experience is so different from the rest of the three-year specialty program and gave me skills that I use to this day,” says Dr. Wong. “I might be biased, but Monarch is an amazing model of how to run a successful pediatric dental practice, so having the chance to work in their office during graduate school is special.”