What does an implant training pathway in general dental practice look like? Colin Campbell gives some suggestions.
- Identify why you would like to be involved in implant dentistry (understand implant dentistry as a surgical and restorative discipline if done completely)
- Decide whether you would like to proceed with the surgical aspect, the restorative aspect or both
- Identify a group to work with to take you to the stage of starting your implant career. To take you towards placing 50 dental implants per year or more to make sure you can remain competent, financially viable and be able to train your team
- Undertake some formal, structured training in implant dentistry, for example a year implant course. This will allow you the opportunity to do academically structured teaching, practical teaching on models, considerable discussions, both on and off modules and on online platforms. Case assessments and discussions, live surgery on patients and live patient demonstrations. During and on completion of this course it will be possible to plan your own cases and bring them to courses for treatment under mentoring arrangements. Then entering into mentoring arrangements in your own practice to take you forwards into straightforward dentistry
- It would be ideal to do 50 straightforward cases while under mentoring arrangements before moving to advanced cases, completing 50 advanced cases before moving to complex. Once you have reached the level of completing advanced to complex you can broaden your outlook on implant dentistry. You can look for more high level CPD and groups where you can discuss issues surrounding implant dentistry to continue learning and continue improving the service you offer to patients.
Don’t forget you also need skills in practice management, marketing, finance and compliance to tie everything together.
For more information visit www.campbellacademy.co.uk, call 0115 9823 919 or email [email protected].
