Click here to register now.

Click here or the image to register now.

FEATURED IMAGE CREDIT: Sandeep Darji from Pixabay.

Dentistry is a great profession and requires continual learning. Perhaps the best example is that every state requires some level of mandatory continuing education to maintain a dental license. This is how important education is to dentistry.

But are you getting the right education?

Top performing dentists expose themselves to many new aspects of dentistry, clinical education, technology advancement, and other direct dental diagnostic and treatment skills. But they also spend time learning about other “non-dental” areas such as business, leadership, customer service, sales, and marketing.

I believe that a blended approach to learning is optimal for practicing dentists and as such, I suggest you apply an “80:20” approach.

80% of your dental education should be spent on clinical quality and excellence. That is the focus of most dentists with a strong desire to give patients the best possible care.

20% of your education should be spent on practice management or business-related knowledge because running the practice, implementing documented, proven, step-by-step systems, leading a team, and achieving the right income are all essential aspects of a great practice, great career, and great life.

Here is the truth. Most dentists have spent extraordinarily little time on practice management or business education. But those that do, find they benefit. They benefit because they learn more about how to streamline the practice for results, as well as implement systems that will train and retain the team and push them to become better overall leaders and strategists.

Each year, I have the privilege of meeting many new dentists and having in-depth conversations with them about their practices. After 37 years, there is an absolute pattern has emerged. When I meet a dentist who is well-read or exposed to broad topics in their continuing education, I already have the expectation that they have an excellent practice.

Studying a variety of business topics in addition to clinical CE has the additional benefit of allowing dentists the opportunity to identify the ideal solutions for their unique practice. Well-read dentists are far more likely to discover superior strategies because they are far less likely to latch on to the first idea that pops up when they have a problem. They are more aware of the wide array of practical business techniques being used inside and outside of dentistry, which provides them more options to find the perfect fit for their practice and team.

So, for every four or five courses you take on cosmetic dentistry, or implant restoration, or periodontal diagnosis and treatment, read one book or take a webinar on leadership or team development. Most successful dentists that I have met have a passion for ongoing education.

They are curious and interested people that continually change throughout their lives and career.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Roger P. Levin, DDS is the CEO and Founder of Levin Group, a leading practice management consulting firm that has worked with over 30,000 clients to increase production. A recognized expert on dental practice management and marketing, he has written more than 60 books and over 4,000 articles and regularly presents seminars in the U.S. and around the world.

To contact Dr. Levin or to join the 40,000 dental professionals who receive his Practice Production Tip of the Day, visit www.levingroup.com or email rlevin@levingroup.com.

FEATURED IMAGE CREDIT: Mohamed Hassan from Pixabay.

Dentists have access to free disabilities training, certification

The lights were nearly blinding.

The dental chair wasn’t positioned quite right.

The tools were anxiety-inducing.

For the one percent of the population with intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD), seeing the dentist can be overwhelming. And dentists are not always provided the training, tools or time to care for patients with IDD, who may require special accommodations.

The situation is compounded even more when a patient finds an equipped provider, only to find special services needed are not covered by dental insurance.

That is all changing.

Come Jan. 1, 2022, children and adults with special health care needs, will have access to enhanced benefits through the Delta Dental network in Michigan, Ohio and Indiana if their employer opts in on the benefit.

Benefits include:

• Additional visits to the dentist’s office and/or consultations that can be helpful prior to the first treatment to help patients learn what to expect and what is needed for a successful dental appointment.
• Up to four total dental cleanings in a benefit year.
• The use of silver diamine fluoride that can be applied to cavities for patients who can’t tolerate the use of dental instruments.
• Treatment delivery modifications necessary for dental staff to provide oral health care for patients with sensory sensitivities, behavioral challenges, severe anxiety or other barriers to treatment.

The enhanced benefit is offered by Delta Dental of Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana with its philanthropic arm, the Delta Dental Foundation serving as a key partner.

The Foundation’s charitable efforts with organizations such as Special Olympics highlighted the tremendous need for it. “Delta Dental has listened to the pleas of families and caregivers in trying to reduce barriers to care for this most medically and dentally underserved population,” said Dr. Steven Perlman, global clinical director and founder of Special Olympics Special Smiles. “Access to and the ability to receive quality oral healthcare is the number one problem faced by children and adults with physical and intellectual disabilities.”

As part of the Delta Dental Foundation’s charitable efforts to help oral health professionals better understand and care for those with disabilities, the Foundation is sponsoring a free continuing education series through Penn Dental Medicine. Dentists completing the courses will receive Disabilities Dentistry Clinician Expert designation.

“We have been engaged in this space for years, working to make oral health care accessible and equitable to all. Now, we are pushing other dental benefit companies to follow suit. Providing excellent coverage that meets all patient needs is the right thing to do,” said Delta Dental of Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana CEO Goran Jurkovic. “We must be inclusive in all facets of our business as we serve our communities. This is the first step.”

RELATED ARTICLES

Delta Dental of Tennessee Appoints Chief Diversity Officer

Delta Dental Institute Funds New Oral Health Research From Leading Academic Institutions

Delta Dental of California Named One of Top Bay Area Corporate Philanthropists in 2020 by San Francisco Business Times for Fourth Consecutive Year

Dr. Ben Miraglia has treated patients with clear aligners for 17 years. In that time, he’s also become a familiar presence as an Invisalign Global faculty member and dental educator. Now, Dr. Miraglia has forged a new relationship with CandidPro, inking a partnership that will give him the institutional support he needs to bring his clinical treatment preferences to all his clear aligner patients.

For Dr. Miraglia, realizing that CandidPro’s treatment methodology complements his own was a major factor in his decision to join CandidPro. “I came to CandidPro because our treatment philosophies are so similar,” he says. This is especially true when it comes to IPR and attachments, for which CandidPro’s patent-pending CandidRx reduces the need. For Dr. Miraglia, “IPR and attachments tend to be excessive and unnecessary. I often achieve similar results using clear aligners alone. CandidPro treatment protocols are set up to avoid IPR and attachments.”

Dr. Miraglia also appreciates how CandidPro’s CandidMonitoring service tracks patient progress over time. “I love that my CandidPro patients perform self-scans from home every two weeks.” Miraglia notes, “I get the oversight I need to ensure everything is on schedule without all the follow-up appointments. CandidPro gives me a level of control I haven’t found with other clear aligner treatments.”

With treatment plans supported by our experienced orthodontist network, CandidPro has garnered the interest of industry leaders like Dr. Miraglia, who are looking for convenient and effective ways to treat more clear aligner patients. According to CandidPro’s VP of Sales, Brian Ganey, “I’ve worked with Dr. Miraglia for years, so I know that his commitment to orthodontic excellence is simply unparalleled. Having clear aligner superstars like Dr. Miraglia recognize the value of CandidPro speaks volumes about how transformative our products and services are. We’re thrilled to have his confidence and support.”

Dr. Miraglia is currently offering CandidPro’s signature teledentistry product to his patients and will be working closely with dentists and orthodontists to help them use CandidPro to enhance their patient offerings and drive revenue. “CandidPro is a win-win for everybody. The doctor enjoys less chair time thanks to no IPR, no attachments, and CandidMonitoring, all of which add up to increased profitability. The patients get to enjoy incredible results without IPR or attachments. Everybody wins.”

About Dr. Ben Miraglia

Dr. Ben Miraglia is a graduate of the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine and has been practicing dentistry in Mt. Kisco, NY, for 29 years, including 17 years offering interceptive orthodontics. As an Invisalign Global faculty member, Dr. Miraglia received multiple accolades, including the “Educator of the Year” award. He is widely recognized for his lectures and continuing education courses focusing on clear aligner therapy and craniofacial growth and development related to sleep-disordered breathing.

OSAP is pleased to announce the successful launch of a brand-new website and an online education platform. Both were designed to offer a more customized experience, facilitate a welcoming environment for our valued members, and adapt to the changing needs of the oral healthcare community.

OSAP Executive Director, Michelle Lee CPC, says “OSAP is thrilled to provide the same great education and resources we are known for with an easier user experience and new exciting features.” A new feature on the website is “My Community”, a new way to engage with other members. Using the My Community feature members can upload photos and create albums, add status messages to share what they’re working on, engage in special interest groups, and send private messages to one or more members at a time.

Another exciting feature is a new addition to the OSAP Event Calendar. Now it will not only show upcoming events but also “OSAP On The Move” or meetings and events where OSAP leadership will be attending and hosting booths. Members can also search the Member Directory to find members with similar interests and utilize the community forum, a new platform for discussions, networking, and mentorship.

OSAP also successfully launched a brand-new Infection Prevention & Safety CE Center, a one-stop shop for our members and the oral health care community to meet their infection prevention and control educational needs. “OSAP’s mission is to be the leading provider of infection prevention and control education, training and credentialing that supports safe dental visits. For years, the OSAP board has wanted to be able to provide more online education options. The creation of our Infection Prevention & Safety CE Center will help us to ensure we can continue to meet the needs of the oral healthcare community”, says Lee.

The CE Center already has more than 25 courses available for CE credit. OSAP members can earn free CE credits by completing self-study courses and on-demand webinars. Non-members can also access all the courses; some do have a small fee associated.

About OSAP

The Organization for Safety, Asepsis and Prevention (OSAP) is the only dental membership association solely focused on infection prevention and patient safety education. Our members include individual clinicians, group practices, educators, researchers, consultants, trainers, compliance directors, policymakers, and industry representatives who advocate for safe and infection-free delivery of oral healthcare.

OSAP focuses on strategies to improve compliance with safe practices and on building a strong network of recognized infection control experts. OSAP offers an extensive online collection of resources, publications, FAQs, checklists, and toolkits that help dental professionals deliver the Safest Dental Visit possible for their patients. Plus, online and live courses help advance the level of knowledge and skill for every member of the dental team. For additional information, visit www.osap.org.

RELATED ARTICLES

OSAP Streamlines Dental Infection Education Program

OSAP and DQP Release Best Practices for Infection Control

OSAP Announces 2021 Recipient of James A. Cottone Award for Excellence in Investigative Research

Dental CE Providers will hold its inaugural continuing education event for endodontic professionals November 18-21, 2021 in New Orleans. The event – “Canals on Canal” – will feature 10 speakers and offer up to 15 CE credits in a city that is internationally renowned for its food, music, and culture.

“This event has been in the planning stages for two years,” said Dr. Ron Hill, past board member for the American Association of Endodontists and one of the endodontists organizing the event. “Our goal was to build a CE event organized by endodontists for endodontists, designed to cover the most relevant topics clinicians are curious about. We hope this meeting will find its place on clinicians’ calendars every year, and we’re confident our inaugural event will be a memorable one.”

According to Mike Loessberg, Dental CE Providers CEO and Founder, “In addition to offering the best possible content, we’ve made sure that our event offers the best possible value for our attendees. ”The registration fee includes: a 3-night stay at Sheraton New Orleans, situated on Canal Street steps away from the legendary French Quarter; a Thursday night welcome reception hosted by Endodontic Practice Partners; breakfast and lunch on Friday and Saturday; and a Friday night dinner reception hosted by Vista Dental at the Sazerac House Distillery, home of the famous Sazerac cocktail.

Speakers at the event include: Brian E. Bergeron, DMD; Scott Childress; Chad C. Duplantis, DDS, FAGD; Ron Hill, DDS, MSD; Stacy Hill; Sameer D Jain, DDS, MS, MSD; John Kanca, DMD; Justin Kolnick, DDS; Rico D. Short, DMD; and Ryan Walsh, DDS, MS. For the inaugural event, lecture topics were selected by a panel of leading endodontists. For future events, topics and speakers will be selected based on feedback from attendees of the prior year’s event. “We feel it’s essential that the attendees beinvolved in selecting what’s being presented each year,” said Mr. Loessberg.

Event sponsors are Avalon Biomed, Vista Dental, Endodontic Practice Partners, Biolase, Pro-Fi 20/20 CPAs, SS White, J Morita USA, Laschal Surgical, Seiler Instruments and Sonendo.

For more information on the event, including registration information, please visit www.canalsoncanal.com.

About Dental CE Providers

Founded by CEO Mike Loessberg, Dental CE Providers takes a unique approach to continuing education by organizing events designed by dental specialists to offerstate-of-the-art contentand in-demand speakers in an entertaining, interesting location. In September 2021, Dental CE Providers will host its fourth annual “Bourbon & Baby Teeth” CE event in Louisville, KY for pediatric dentists. The Dental CE Providers team goes to great lengths to ensure that all events deliver great value to attendees.

RELATED ARTICLES

Continuing Education Program Focuses on Treating Patients With Disabilities – CLICK HERE

Continuing Education Options – CLICK HERE

A 15-Minute Direct Class II Composite Technique: Supragingival Restorative Principles – CLICK HERE

Global Dental Implant Academy (GDIA) is a dental professional educational organization that offers live-patient surgical programs, hands-on lectures, study clubs and webinars that are all lead by our highly accomplished, world-class instructors. We are passionate about sharing knowledge and working together to better the dental community world-wide.

Take your profession to the next level by registering for one of our accredited courses today!

GDIA Live-Patient Surgical Programs in Tijuana, Mexico

This is a dental implant training program designed for dental clinicians to be able to place dental implants and perform implant surgery under close supervision on live patients in Tijuana, Mexico. This course is open to clinicians with or without previous exposure to implant dentistry and does not require prerequisites.

GDIA offers three levels of Dental Implant Surgical Training:
– 101 Fundamental (25 CE Credits) is for those who have never placed implants before.
– 201 Intermediate (34 CE Credits) is for those who have placed a few implants but want to grow in confidence and learn new techniques.
– 301 Advanced (34 CE Credits) is for those who are confident placing implants but want to learn more complicated procedures such as sinus lift.

GDIA also offers:
– Soft Tissue Live-Patient Surgical Training Program (38 CE Credits) focuses on soft tissue management rather than implant placement.

All levels will cover from diagnosis, treatment planning and live surgery. With the guidance of instructors and volunteering GDIA mentors, we maintain a 2:1 ratio of participants to instructor. During the program, you will perform surgery on patients under the direction of top clinicians from our faculty members.

Course Opportunities in the USA
– Aesthetics & Restoration: Occlusion, Fundamental, Intermediate & Advanced
– Digital Dentistry: Courses for clear aligner software and digital guide stents
– Webinars: Courses offered on a variety of topics, designed to accommodate travel and schedule restraints
– Study Clubs in Dallas, the DMV area and New Jersey

Testimonials
The instructors have a true passion to teach and want you to get the most out of every single thing whether it’s a suturing technique or how you’re preparing bone graft, the angle of the implant or the follow-up. It’s not just about doing big cases and seeing big cases but it’s all the little things they teach in between.
-Dr. A. Hamilton

During the surgical sessions, you get to work with all the different instructors and see all the different techniques they use. I had absolutely no experience with implants. Now, I feel confident that I can go into my practice tomorrow and place implants.
-Dr. R. Salwan

Visit: www.GDIA.com to register!
Call: 323-617-4141

RELATED ARTICLES

THE WORLD’S BEST DENTAL SCHOOLS – CLICK HERE

CONTINUING EDUCATION OPTIONS – CLICK HERE

CONTINUING EDUCATION PROGRAM FOCUSES ON TREATING PATIENTS WITH DISABILITIES – CLICK HERE

Cellerant Consulting Group is excited to announce the launch of the inaugural Cellerant Best of Class Hygiene Award Program. “Since 2009, the Cellerant Best of Class Technology Awards have identified and acknowledged the top technologies in dentistry,” said Melissa Turner, Chief Hygiene Officer at Cellerant. “We will now expand the program to focus on the dental hygiene community as well.”

“We recognize the importance of this critical and respected community,” said Dr. Lou Shuman, CEO of Cellerant and founder of the Best of Class Technology Awards. “Since first adding a hygiene division to Cellerant Consulting two years ago, the interest in dental hygiene products, services and brands has exploded, with much growth anticipated in the future. We’re proud to have brought together an expert selection panel of dental hygienists recognized as industry leaders from across the country.”

About The Cellerant Best of Class Hygiene Award

The Cellerant Best of Class Hygiene Award selection panel consists of 9 renowned thought leaders and educators who, over the course of each year, will seek out and conduct research on potentially practice-changing technologies, with deliberations on nominees and final voting taking place in February. Panelists are precluded from voting in any category where they have consulting relationships. The entire selection process is conducted and managed on a not-for-profit basis. This year’s winners will be announced in December 2021.

The Cellerant Best of Class Hygiene panel members include:

• Melissa Turner, BASDH, RDHEP, EFDA- Chief Hygiene Officer, Cellerant Consulting; Editorial Advisory Board, RDH Magazine; Co-founder, National Mobile & Teledentistry Conference; Co-Founder, The Denobi Awards; Founder- I Heart Dentistry Network; Co-host, Dentistry Gone Wild; Co-creator, Oral Health United
• Pamela Maragliano-Munez, RDH, DMD, FACP- Chief Development Officer, Cellerant Consulting; Editor In Chief, Dental Economics; Editorial Director, Dental Academy of Continuing Education; Associate clinical professor, Tufts University School of Dental Medicine
• Andrew Johnston, RDH, BSBM- Director of Hygiene, Coast Dental; Co-host, A Tale of Two Hygienists
• Amanda Hill, RDH, BSDH- Host, Your Dental Top 5; Editorial Advisory Board, RDH Magazine; Industry Educator, Dental Post; CertifiedEducator, OSAP-DALE Foundation
• Brooke Crouch, RDH- Vice President, American Mobile & Teledentistry Alliance; Clinical Advisory Board Chair, Virginia Health Catalyst; Oral Health Action Team Chair, United Way of Roanoke Valley
• Kristin Goodfellow, RDH, BA- Clinical Director, OraCare Oral Rinse; 2013 Recipient, Proctor & Gamble’s Excellence in Patient Communication Award; Featured author, Dental Products Report & RDH Magazine
• Michelle Strange, MSDH, RDH- Co-host, A Tale of Two Hygienists; Client Success Manager, MouthWatch; Co-founder, LevelUp Infection Prevention; Editorial Advisory Board, Dental Economics
• Nancy Miller, RDH, BA- Founder, UltraConcepts; Clinical Advisor, Jameson Management; Adjunct Faculty & Clinical Instructor, Northeast Wisconsin Technical College;
• Sarah Crow, RDH- President-elect, ADHA Massachusetts; Co-founder MDHA Mentor Liaison Team; Recipient, Massachusetts Dental Society Hygienist of the Year; Recipient, Middlesex Community College Member of the Year; Feature Writer, ADHA Access Magazine

For more information on the Cellerant Best of Class Awards and winners, visit www.cellerantconsulting.com.

About Cellerant Consulting Group

Founded and led by CEO Dr. Lou Shuman, DMD, CAGS, Cellerant is the leading dental incubator and accelerator currently servicing 42 dental companies. Cellerant provides strategic dental market insights, clinical expertise, implementation resources and support to accelerate growth for client dental companies. Cellerant services include new concept incubation, clinical product evaluation, product development, continuing education program development and CE sponsorship, strategic branding and marketing, online marketing, lead generation and dental media relations management.