New training programme will enable dentists and dental care professionals to improve their scope of practice
The University of Portsmouth Dental Academy (UPDA) will launch a programme of continuing professional development courses, based around dental implant training, for dentists and dental care professionals.
A series of short courses has been developed by Dr Peter Sanders, with the aim of allowing dentists and dental care professionals to build a strong foundation of knowledge and understanding of dental implants. The courses focus on practical skills in areas including impression taking, the fitting of implant restorations and general implant care in practice.
The aim is to provide dentists with the confidence, skills and knowledge that will allow their patients to access dental implants. Course participants will learn when implants should be offered as a treatment alternative and how to engage in providing simple implant treatments with the support of a suitable surgical partner/mentor, allowing implants to become a part of their scope of practice.
Dr Sanders said: “I’ve been involved in the Faculty of General Dental Practice implant diploma course for 15 years and still consider it to be the benchmark implant training programme. However, the one disappointment seen with many courses is the low percentage of course participants who sit the final assessments. The reason is almost invariably, that implantology is not within the scope of their daily practice. Without patients on whom to practice their newly acquired skills, these skills, knowledge and confidence are lost and their involvement in the course is therefore reduced to an academic exercise.
“What I have developed and now implemented within the Dental Academy at the University of Portsmouth is an inexpensive modular introductory programme to help colleagues start introducing implantology to their patients. With an experienced surgical partner and suitable mentor, implantology can benefit participants’ patients and their practice. When implants become a regular feature of practice life, then advanced training becomes a sound clinical and financial investment. I'm very excited to be able to develop this series of CPD courses at the Dental Academy.”
This will create an excellent opportunity for dentists and dental care professionals, both within and beyond our region, to access first class implant dentistry training and thereby offer their patients broader and more contemporary options for their restorative dental care.
The UPDA trains all members of the dental team including dental nurses, dental hygienists, dental therapists and dentists with a strong emphasis on team training.
Professor Chris Louca, the Director and Head of the UPDA, said: "I am very enthusiastic about this new initiative within the Dental Academy. This will create an excellent opportunity for dentists and dental care professionals, both within and beyond our region, to access first class implant dentistry training and thereby offer their patients broader and more contemporary options for their restorative dental care."
The UPDA is a modern, primary-care based school that trains all members of the dental team including dental nurses, dental hygienists, dental therapists and dentists with a strong emphasis on team training.
Dr Sanders has previously been Programme Director, Cohort Course Director and Examiner on the implantology course at the Royal College of Surgeons. He is Chief Examiner for the implantology MSc at King Juan Carlos University of Madrid and President of the Implant Diploma Alumni. He regularly speaks at key professional events at an international level, is a Zimmer Biomet Global Trainer and Past-President of The British Society for Advanced Dentistry (BSAD).