Oklahoma Dentist Provides Pediatric Training in U.S. and Abroad
Dr. David Ciesla has found joy in responding to the Lord’s call into academic dentistry, and the fruit has stretched all the way to Uganda! As a faculty member at the University of Oklahoma, he created a pediatric dental residency program at OU School of Dentistry and is working to duplicate his efforts in Kampala, Uganda.
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cmdadental/
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About Our Guest(s)
Dr. David Ciesla, DDS, MS, MAS, is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Developmental Sciences at the University of Oklahoma College of Dentistry, where he serves as Program Director for the Pediatric Dental Residency at Oklahoma Children’s Hospital. He has played a key role in the development and accreditation of the pediatric dental residency program, which launched in July 2024. Dr. Ciesla earned his dental degree from Baylor College of Dentistry in 2003 and entered the U.S. Army, completing an Advanced Education in General Dentistry residency in Landstuhl, Germany. Following a deployment to Baghdad, Iraq, he pursued specialty training in pediatric dentistry at Baylor College of Dentistry, earning a Master of Science in 2008. He later practiced as co-owner of River Valley Pediatric Dentistry in Fort Smith, Arkansas. In 2023, he earned a Master’s degree in Global Health Planning and Management from Johns Hopkins University. His transition to academia reflects a desire to follow God’s calling and use his skills to expand access to oral healthcare and strengthen the workforce serving underserved communities.
