Mentored Clinical Dental Implant Training

No dental training would be complete without a clinically based component that fosters confidence and the development of surgical and restorative skills. Dental implant treatment by its nature is delivered over an extended period entailing many months and years as it is dependent on bone generation and maturation, both of which require time. A clinical programme that matches the treatment timeframe means delegates have ample opportunity to participate in the entire treatment of a patient.

The extended program has been specifically developed to allow dental surgeons the time required to consolidate their knowledge and surgical skills. It is important that treatment episodes occur with sufficient frequency to enable development and maintenance of dental clinical skills and to ensure this, cases should be completed within three years from the beginning of training.

An extended programme means postgraduate dental students are able to participate in the provision of dental implant treatment from placement through to instillation of the final restoration on their own patients which often exceeds the ten day taught section of the programme. Under close supervision from a dental course tutor participants have the chance to treat patients from initial consultation and assessment through to surgery and final restoration. The extended dental clinical training programme provides ample opportunity to practice the principles of diagnosis and treatment planning already learnt during the taught section of the programme.

Dental surgeons intending to provide dental implant treatment should receive direct supervision during dental implant placement and restoration by an experienced dental clinician until an appropriate level of competency has been demonstrated. Also the ability of a dentist to undertake more advanced dental implant surgery should be mentored and formally assessed by a suitably competent and experienced individual.