Expand your skills with a continuing education course in advanced dentistry. 

There is no greater feeling for a general dentist than providing the highest level of dental care for your patients. What better way to offer great dental care than to invest in yourself as a provider? When you choose to advance your knowledge and skills, you make the choice to become a more well-rounded dental clinician. Whether you decide to do an advanced dentistry course in dental implants or orthodontics, you can rest assured your patients will appreciate the effort and you will see a drastic positive change in your revenue. 

General dentistry is a great field because it allows a dentist to see all age groups and perform an array of procedures. Some dentists prefer to treat all areas in dentistry while others will master a specific area. Regardless of the type of general practice you have, dentists are constantly taking advanced dentistry courses to enhance their scope of practice.

Dentists love to take advanced continuing education courses that amplify their careers. Dentistry is a constantly evolving field along with the materials used, protocols, and technology offered. Some of the most sought out advanced dentistry courses revolve around topics like implant dentistry, orthodontics, CAD/CAM technology, cosmetic dentistry, and sleep apnea. Here are 5 areas that dentists are increasingly studying to expand their practices. 

1. Implant Dentistry 

Implants are one of the hottest areas in advanced dentistry because they can effectively and permanently replace teeth. Since dental implants are so well received, the topic is taught as early as dental school. Many dentists will continue their education by pursuing a residency program where young dentists become even more skilled and perform complex implant cases. Other dentists opt to take competitive continuing education courses like MaxiCourses or seminars from the International Congress of Oral Implantologists. 

The benefits are limitless as dental implants are here to stay and are only becoming more popular as a replacement tooth option. The learning curve for implants can take time because it involves surgery, periodontics, and prosthodontics. 

The National Institute of Health reports that dental implants are a billion dollar industry and that the total number of implants is projected to steadily increase by over 20% from 2020 to 2026. This shows your investment into continuing education courses, and performing implants will result in great success for many years. 

2. Advanced Dentistry in Orthodontics 

Orthodontic courses are some of the most sought after classes at dental meetings by dentists. Between patients’ requests to transform their smile using orthodontics and the need to understand the foundation of orthodontics, dentists can benefit tremendously from taking this advanced dentistry coursework. The American Orthodontic Society offers The Basic Straight Wire course for general dentists so that they can learn to diagnose, treat, and manage their patients’ malocclusions. 

With the American Orthodontic Society, you can gain over 100 continuing education credits and hands-on clinical education. One of the greatest benefits of taking an ortho course with the AOS is you will learn straight wire orthodontics, which requires little wire bending and less overall chair time for your patients. Incorporating orthodontics will change the dynamic of your practice and allow you to keep more specialized treatment in-house. 

3. CAD/CAM Technology 

Advanced dental practices now offer patients same day crowns. Skip the uncomfortable, traditional dental impressions and consider applying digital technology to your practice. CAD/CAM dentistry is a field dentists love for numerous reasons. You avoid high-priced laboratories, you can fabricate a crown in under a day at your own office, and patients leave highly satisfied that they don’t need two to three dental visits to complete a restoration. 

The main downside that many dentists report from adopting the technology is the learning curve. It does take a bit of time for the user to become comfortable with the software, but over time it does become easier. The investment in equipment, software, materials, and training can also be a considerable initial outlay. Many dentists are comfortable with the price tag, because they know how well received the technology is for patients. 

4. Cosmetic Dentistry 

Is there a general dentist who does not love restoring a smile? Cosmetic dentistry is a broad term, but it incorporates all areas of dentistry to transform a smile. This includes restorative dentistry like veneers, crowns, and bridges, but it also includes orthodontics, teeth whitening, oral surgery, periodontal surgery, and sometimes endodontics. Patients want a smile they can be proud of and this means you should understand all areas of dentistry to give them the facial esthetics they deserve.

Cosmetic dentistry can range from a simple crown to a full mouth of veneers. The learning curve varies based on the esthetics. Some dentists will take continuing education courses to improve their skills and use advanced materials for conservative veneers or aligners. 

The cost of cosmetics has a broad range depending on which course you choose to enroll in and who is conducting it. Either way, cosmetic dentistry is a lucrative area of dentistry that only continues to become more recognized.

5. Advanced Dentistry in Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is a popular topic among dentists since research shows a direct link between dentistry and sleep problems. Sleep conditions like sleep apnea are related to tongue ties or the size of the jaw and can cause problems like teeth grinding, receding gums, and tooth wear. Taking a course in sleep apnea is not only helpful for your patients, but it can be life changing. Continuing education courses teach dentists how to identify signs of sleep problems, and how to treat and manage these cases through the use of frenectomies, night guards, and myofunctional therapy exercises. 

Since sleep apnea is linked to health problems like obesity, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes, diagnosing these problems in dentistry can alter the quality of life for your patients. 

There are several topics like orthodontics or digital dentistry that dentists love to study in and out of the operatory. It not only stimulates the brain, but it allows dentists to continue learning throughout their careers and apply new treatments in their practice.