Postgraduate learning – is a dental degree no longer enough?

Featured Products Promotional Features

  Posted by: Dental Design      20th April 2022

Postgraduate training is a well-trodden route for dentists who want to help more patients comprehensively, as well as boost their own earning potential. A dental degree may no longer be enough on its own to meet the demands on the service in 2022 and beyond. It is clear that, to reduce capacity and keep patients in good health for as long as possible, practices must ensure they are making full use of the skills of the entire dental team. For dentists, this is where the greatest possibilities lie. If certain parts of general dentistry are able to be delivered safely and successfully by dental hygienists and dental therapists, they can train to deliver treatments which require a different level of clinical skill, knowledge and experience.

The global popularity of dental implants

If you don’t deliver implant treatments in your practice, this is an excellent choice for your postgraduate education. Implant therapy has been one of the most exciting channels of dentistry for some time now. New techniques, technology and biomaterials, along with a deeper understanding of how to minimise the risk of failure, mean dental implants are now the preferred choice for many patients.

This is a worldwide trend too – the global market is expected to reach nearly $6bn by 2027.[i] As more implants are placed, people are realising that they offer an effective, enduring and surprisingly affordable choice. A dental implant will exhibit mechanical strength comparable to a natural tooth and will physically replicate one too. There are all sorts of potential functional and medical issues linked to the wearing of complete or partial dentures; the negative association with old age is unlikely to appeal to a younger patient who has lost a tooth or teeth due to injury or trauma. A dental implant, with correct daily care and maintenance, can last for years, making it good value.

Learning how to safely place and restore dental implants means you’ll add more strings to your professional bow and refresh your practice’s service list. No need to refer out either. Your colleagues will also need training, in order to support you and your patients from implant treatment planning and acceptance, to ongoing aftercare. Becoming an implant dentist can therefore enrich the careers of the team too.

The problem of choice

But where to find the right postgraduate course in implant dentistry? The number of choices offered up by an internet search are overwhelming. This is a research and development-led area of practise, so how can you be sure that you will be taught the latest evidence-based theory and technique? You want to invest your time, and money, in a postgraduate programme that is not just up-to-date but always looking ahead to the future.

The calibre of the teaching team is key, so look for tutors who are still placing implants as well as continuing to advance their own skills and knowledge; a combined passion for the practical and educational is fundamental for any course lead. A postgraduate programme that features international speakers and lecturers means that attendees will gain an even broader depth of expertise. As well as content that covers the main building blocks for becoming a competent implant dentist, there must be a strong hands-on element too.

Also look for small class sizes, so you will be taught in an environment that is as personal as it is professional. Mentoring is essential, as this creates a bridge from when the course completes, to where your career as an implant dentist actually begins. A mentor will not only be there to guide you when you are starting to place implants in your own practice, but in the years that follow. Any postgraduate course should never leave you doing any kind of work that is beyond your competency.

Location is crucial too! Teaching facilities that are modern and purpose built set the right tone. For quality implant training on the world-famous Harley Street in London, with its rich history as the home of private and specialist medicine and healthcare, The One to One Implant Education offers a fully accredited Postgraduate Diploma in implant dentistry (EduQual Level 7), now booking for September 2022. With half the teaching time delivered as live surgery, you’ll be taught by an unrivalled team of tutors and global speakers. There is a peer mentor system, and you’ll be supported throughout the course and afterwards – a valuable and ongoing possibility to expand your network.

Postgraduate training is how you can create a career that is patient-focussed and more ready to meet the demands of modern dentistry. Don’t be overwhelmed by choice and don’t miss this opportunity to find more personal and professional fulfilment this year. Dental implants are in high demand but the quality of treatment is key. Choose quality training to match and the rewards will be endless. 

 

 

[i] Global Dental Implants Market Size Is Projected to Reach USD 5.81 Billion by 2027, Exhibiting a CAGR of 4.1% https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2021/10/20/2317091/0/en/Global-Dental-Implants-Market-Size-Is-Projected-to-Reach-USD-5-81-Billion-by-2027-Exhibiting-a-CAGR-of-4-1.html (accessed January 2022).

---