Importance of continuing education
Featured Products Promotional FeaturesPosted by: Dental Design 1st November 2024
As a dentist, learning never stops. The dental curriculum is so expansive that it can be overcrowded, giving students little time to properly consolidate the concepts they are learning.[i] This also means that students cannot develop the critical thinking skills needed to prepare them for the lifelong learning as a dentist.[ii]
The history of dental education is marked by change and continuity.[iii] It is important to have a continuing education for the development of future practitioners; to educate students so that they may serve their patients and communities well, and prepare students to grow in skill and knowledge so that they can keep on learning.[iv] As new patient care standards evolve or advanced technologies enter the workplace, enhancing your knowledge and skills can ensure that the treatments you provide are first-class. For dentists young or old looking to be broaden their skills in an aspect of dentistry, such as implantology, mentoring and advanced courses can open up the opportunities you need.
Staying sharp
Technology is dynamic, with more and more sophisticated devices, tools and services appearing every year. New technology has improved patient outcomes by making dental treatments safer and more effective.[v] It is therefore crucial for you to continue your education and training with the latest technological developments so that you can provide the best possible care to your patients.[vi]
In more recent years, the rise in AI-driven dental technologies has opened up a new frontier in treatment aspects such as the taking of diagnostic images or automated clinical notes. Other advanced technologies require training to use them and may often mean new guidelines, which is why courses are beneficial to learn the necessary information. Staying current with technology and its constantly changing nature makes it easier to embrace new products into your practice.[vii]
Through continual education, you can harness the latest innovations in technology to expand your treatment options. This is beneficial to the practice, opening up more revenue streams that may have been previously unavailable. By developing your knowledge and skills in specific treatment areas, you may also not need to refer your patients so much, streamlining their treatment journey.
Mentoring
Mentoring and advanced courses can expand the opportunities you need to hone your clinical skills. Mentoring can be an effective, mutually beneficial way of continuing your education. Developing a trustworthy relationship with someone who is experienced can increase your confidence and elevate your clinical skills. But choosing the right mentor for you can be difficult.
A good mentor must be someone to look up to, not just learn from. You should aspire to be like them, but, as mentors will be there for you during the good times and the bad, you must also feel comfortable to have such interactions. A friendly mentor is therefore paramount to the success of the relationship.
Being able to identify mentors who are accredited is invaluable. Rather than finding the mentors who have worked the longest, looking for professionals with experience that is not just academic but evidence-based can be beneficial. Mentoring programmes may demand that mentors have to upload evidence; spending time researching their experiences is worth doing to guarantee that the knowledge and skills you need are matched by their career history.
On course for success
Using a mentor may not be enough to master an advanced treatment. A course, run by accredited professionals, can prove your competency by providing an environment in which you can learn and practice with specialists. Courses that are biologically based, rather than technologically based, are great for offering human-centric knowledge and skills that help you provide excellent patient care. Moreover, courses can also function as exciting networking opportunities to meet other professionals who can help progress your career.
Finding the right course for you
Implant dentistry is driven by the innate desire to help people with missing teeth. It demands years of training but means that you can restore life opportunities to patients, improving the act of eating, their self-confidence and their overall health.
One to One Implant Education runs a Postgraduate Diploma in Advanced Techniques in Implant Dentistry to advance the knowledge and skills of implant dentists. The diploma teaches hard and soft tissue augmentation – an essential part of implant training. Led by the respected Dr Fazeela Khan-Osborne, the diploma lasts two years and features eight modules, covering everything from guided bone regeneration to socket therapies. There are also four assessment cases – including a full arch reconstruction – that will give you invaluable practical experience. The networking and mentoring opportunity of the course will ensure your career is supported by some of the world’s best professionals.
Maintaining a continual education in dentistry can keep you ahead of the curve by staying up to date with the latest treatment guidelines and technologies. Advanced courses can enhance specialist treatment opportunities so that you can offer patients the very best care.
To reserve your place on the Postgraduate Diploma in Advanced Techniques in Implant Dentistry or to find out more, please visit
https://121implanteducation.co.uk or call 020 7486 0000
[i] Education, I. of M. (US) C. on the F. of D. and Field, M.J. (1995). The Mission of Education. [online] www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK232252/.
[ii] Education, I. of M. (US) C. on the F. of D. and Field, M.J. (1995). The Mission of Education. [online] www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK232252/.
[iii] Yazdanpanahi, Fatemeh & Shahi, Mehraban & Davaridolatabadi, Nasrin. (2022). Investigating the Application of New Technologies in Dental Education: A Systematic Review. ACTA MEDICA IRANICA. 60. 10.18502/acta.v60i8.10830. Accessed via: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/364494010_Investigating_the_Application_of_New_Technologies_in_Dental_Education_A_Systematic_Review
[iv] Education, I. of M. (US) C. on the F. of D. and Field, M.J. (1995). The Mission of Education. [online] www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK232252/.
[v] Gracco, A., Alberto De Stefani and Bruno, G. (2023). Influence of New Technology in Dental Care: a Public Health Perspective. Influence of New Technology in Dental Care: a Public Health Perspective, [online] 20(7), pp.5364–5364. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20075364.
[vi] Gracco, A., Alberto De Stefani and Bruno, G. (2023). Influence of New Technology in Dental Care: a Public Health Perspective. Influence of New Technology in Dental Care: a Public Health Perspective, [online] 20(7), pp.5364–5364. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20075364.
[vii] Viper Equity Partners (2023). The Importance of Continuing Education in Dentistry. [online] Medium. Available at: https://viperequitypartners.medium.com/the-importance-of-continuing-education-in-dentistry-9a5806cf62f4# [Accessed 3 Jul. 2024].
