Candace Best
Associate Professor of Clinical Psychiatry
Pediatric Psychologist, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Department of Pediatrics/ Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition & DCAPBS
Doctoral Internship and Postdoctoral Accreditation Site Visitor, American Psychological Association
Psychology Fellowship Seminar Director, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Department: Psychiatry
Contact information
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Princeton Specialty Care Center
101 Plainsboro Road
Plainsboro, NJ 08536
Princeton Specialty Care Center
101 Plainsboro Road
Plainsboro, NJ 08536
Education
BA (Psychology)
Hampton University, Hampton, VA, 2003.
VT-PREP (Post Baccalaureate Program)
Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, 2004.
M.S. (Clinical Psychology)
Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 2006.
PhD (Philosophy, Clinical Psychology)
Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 2010.
BA (Psychology)
Hampton University, Hampton, VA, 2003.
VT-PREP (Post Baccalaureate Program)
Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, 2004.
M.S. (Clinical Psychology)
Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 2006.
PhD (Philosophy, Clinical Psychology)
Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 2010.
Post-Graduate Training
Psychology Intern, Child and Adolescent Psychology Track, University of Rochester, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, 2010-2010.
Postdoctoral Fellow, Leadership Excellence in Adolescent Health (LEAH), Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 2010-2012.
Psychology Fellow, Adolescent Medicine, The Pain Center, and Riley Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Clinic, Riley Hospital for Children, Indianapolis, IN, 2010-2012.
Psychology Fellow, Training in Research for Behavioral Oncology and Cancer Control (TRBOCC), Indiana University School of Nursing, Indianapolis, IN, 2012-2013.
Permanent linkPsychology Intern, Child and Adolescent Psychology Track, University of Rochester, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, 2010-2010.
Postdoctoral Fellow, Leadership Excellence in Adolescent Health (LEAH), Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 2010-2012.
Psychology Fellow, Adolescent Medicine, The Pain Center, and Riley Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Clinic, Riley Hospital for Children, Indianapolis, IN, 2010-2012.
Psychology Fellow, Training in Research for Behavioral Oncology and Cancer Control (TRBOCC), Indiana University School of Nursing, Indianapolis, IN, 2012-2013.
Description of Clinical Expertise
Child and Adolescent Psychology, Adolescent Health, GI PsychologySelected Publications
Wilkes, C.D., Seltzer, M.K, Aggarwal-Dutta, R., Best, C., Golden, M.E., Iampietro M., Morrow, L., Scotti-Degnan, C. : An Iterative Process: Pediatric Psychology Supervisor Perspectives on Cultural Humility Training. In M.K. Seltzer (Chair), Inspiring Supervisors: Improving Cultural Humility Practices in Pediatric Psychology Training Programs [Symposium]. Society of Pediatric Psychology Annual Conference, Las Vegas, NV, USA. April 2026.Szabo, M., Andorko, N., Baber, K., Best, C., Rodriguez, K., & Turner, B. : Inspiring Future Pediatric PsycholoGIsts: Development of a Psychogastroenterology Didactic and Supervision Seminar Series. Scientific research presented at the Society of Pediatric Psychology Annual Conference, Las Vegas, NV, USA. April 2026.
Wilkes, C., Baber, K. F., Romano-Verthelyi, A., Maxwell, E., de Matos Maillard, V., Best, C., Mascarenhas, M., Benitez, A., & Crawford, M. : Improving Programming to Increase Awareness of Systemic Inequities through Needs Assessment in Pediatric Gastroenterology. Scientific research presented at the North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (NASPGHAN) 2024 Annual Meeting, Hollywood, FL. November 2024.
Joseph, H.L., Zhang, L.F., Best, C., Bancroft, C., James, M., Kapoor, Davis, C.L., Drescher, C.F.: Child Mental Health Treatment Access and Retention in Integrated primary Care and Traditional Outpatient Services. The Journal of Pediatric Psychology 49(10): 689-699, October 2024 Notes: doi: 10.1093/jpepsy/jsae057.
Vernon, M., Walters, C., Jones, S., Best, C.: Maternal Mortality among African American Women in the Southern United States. Black Health in the South, Johns Hopkins University Press. S.S. Coughlin, L.B. Williams, and T.H. Akintobi (eds.). 2023.
Joseph, H., Munjal, A., Asiri, A., Best, C.: A Descriptive Analysis of Child and Adolescent Hospitalizations Following Suicide Attempts Over the Course of the Pandemic at the Children's Hospital of Georgia. Poster Presentation at the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies Convention, New York, NY November 2022.
Dergaga, H., Ladson, K., Best, C.: Implicit Racial Bias among Medical Providers: Linked to Maternal Mortality? Scientific research presented at the 66th Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Psychological Association, Atlanta, GA April 2020.
Gates, M.L., Staples-Horne, M., Cartier, J., Best, C., Stone, R., Walker, V., Hastings, B., Yoo, W., Webb, N.C., Braithwaite, R.L.: A Call to Develop Evidence-based Interventions to Reduce Sexually Transmitted Infections in Juvenile Justice Populations. J Health Care Poor Underserved 27(2A): 34-44, 2016 Notes: doi: 10.1353/hpu.2016.0057.
Ekeldo, S., Best, C., Norman, S., Basemore, J., & Schwind, J. S.: Demographic and socioeconomic factors associated with HPV vaccination in Georgia’s South Central Health District. Journal of Georgia Public Health Association(5), 324-331, 2016.
Gates, M.L., Staples-Horne, M., Cartier, J., Best, C., Walker, V., Schwartz, D., Yoo, W.: Understanding Psychosocial and High-Risk Sexual Behaviors Among Detained Juveniles: A Descriptive Study Protocol. JMIR Res Protoc 4(4): e144, December 2015 Notes: doi: 10.2196/resprot.5153.