Search

Home >Education at USC Chan >Post-Professional OTD >Residencies

This is an OTD residency opportunity in the Clinical Research track.

Sharon Cermak | Sensory Adaptations in Dental Environments (SADE)

About the Sensory Adaptations in Dental Environments lab

The SADE lab, led by Dr. Sharon Cermak EdD, OTR/L, FAOTA, studies interventions that alter the sensory characteristics of the dental environment in order to decrease children’s physiological anxiety and negative responses during oral care and contribute to increased child comfort as well as safer, more efficient, and less costly dental treatment. If successful, this intervention has the potential to revolutionize clinic-based dental care for the growing population of children with autism spectrum disorder, as well as for typically-developing children with dental anxiety and/or sensory over-responsivity.

About the residency

The research study, Sensory Adapted Dental Environments to Enhance Oral care for Children (SADE-2), focuses on children with autism spectrum disorder with sensory over-responsivity. Dental offices present particular challenges, for example bright lights, high-pitched sounds, smells, and touch. The aim of the study is to adapt the sensory characteristics of the dental environment to decrease children’s negative response and increase comfort, safety, and cost-efficiency. Our long-term goal is to revolutionize the clinic-based dental care for children with ASD as well as for typically-developing children with dental anxiety and/or sensory over-responsivity. This study will give the resident extensive experience with children with ASD and their families. The resident will be a part of an interdisciplinary team including occupational therapy, dentistry, psychology, statisticians, and health economists.

Financial support

The resident will receive a Graduate Assistantship award, which covers 24 units of tuition, plus a stipend, as well as health and dental insurance and the student health center fee.

Contact information

For additional questions, contact Dr. Cermak at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

⋯

USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy
1540 Alcazar Street, CHP 133, Los Angeles, CA 90089-9003

ACOTE accreditation | NBCOT certification

The USC entry-level master’s degree program (cost of attendance) is fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education® (ACOTE). The USC entry-level OTD degree program (cost of attendance) has been granted Candidacy Status by ACOTE. View our program’s ACOTE standards public data. ACOTE c/o Accreditation Department, American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.®, 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929, (301) 652-6611 x2914, acoteonline.org

Professional program graduates are eligible to apply for certification by National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc.® (NBCOT), nbcot.org. Program results from the NBCOT can be found online at www.nbcot.org/Educators-Folder/SchoolPerformance.