Two phrases we hear thrown out a lot in this industry are "high tech" and "high touch." These two simple constructions are buzzwords meant to encapsulate the two main ways the dental practice is changing.

First, as it pertains to new equipment, enhanced treatment and planning options, greater efficiency and the overall wow factor provided by technological innovations. Second, as practices realize today’s patients crave a personalized experience where more than just a number or a chart, they feel their needs are prioritized, and the practice delivers a high standard of clinical care without sacrificing personal care.

It’s interesting that even as numerous lectures focus on these topics, it’s rare for anyone to ask how these trends have changed the lectures themselves. CE looks very different today than it did 25 years ago, and it’s not surprising to find the same factors changing the practice also are impacting the way  practitioners get information.

From the Hyatt to your home

Tradeshows have long been a part of the professional experience. Places to network, scout new products, and hear speakers hold forth on a variety of topics the “annual meeting” will continue to have its place. However, with the costs associated with closing the practice compounded with whatever costs are incurred to travel to the conference itself and pay for certain courses (many remain free), getting away can seem like a big sacrifice. If a dentist wants his or her team involved in that experience, it becomes even more challenging.

Digital learning

DentalXP is one of the fastest growing online dental education sites, with visitors from more than 140 different countries. The site is proud to offer extensive online dental education courses free to its premium members. These courses are a combination of videos and lectures pertaining to a specific topic. With these online seminars, dentists can learn from the world’s leading clinicians from the comfort of their own home. All of the content on the site is provided by dentists from around the world who are widely recognized as experts in their fields. Included in the content are: online lectures, online educational videos, articles, dental publications, product information and online continuing education (CE) courses.

Catapult Your Practice

Catapult Your Practice is a Web-based resource run by Dental Team Concepts, offering online education, product evaluations and more. The following is a quick interview with Catapult’s Executive Director, Dr. Lou Graham.

What made you decide entering the realm of digital education was an important step?

In today’s challenging environment, it’s all about time. Although nothing relates to a great live event, many of the techniques we teach can be demonstrated online as they are in live courses. With live online programs, the audience can ask questions directly to the presenter. Does it replace a full day of live speaking? I think that depends on the speaker, subject and content matter.

In creating your digital offering, what were some of the primary needs you hoped to achieve?

We value our colleague’s time. Along with webinar events, we offer online videos that are essential clinical tips from more than 50 key thought leaders on products we have evaluated and many others that we use clinically every day. We all want to learn what others have found to be the pearls of a product versus learning on our own the hard way. The Internet allows us to begin conversing online via chat sessions or through brief video presentations. What a great way to collaborate versus practicing in our own box!

What do you feel sets your online CE apart from others in the field?

What we offer is online CE in a different mode. All too often, doctors are charged to attend an online seminar to receive their CE credits or simply view a course from a library and pay for each course viewed. We took a different direction by offering dentists and their teams access to a great variety of CE materials in different formats, for a nominal monthly rate. Furthermore, our site offers additional features and benefits to complement CE. Imagine a buying group with the power to bring thousands of doctors together and create the opportunity to act as ONE entity versus buying as we all do independently. Additionally, we offer unbiased product reviews, exclusive promotions, and the opportunity to try products risk free.

In your opinion, what are some of the benefits of online education versus traditional live courses?

Convenience and efficiency! What’s better than learning from the comfort of your own home or office and not have to take a day off? No lost production or downtime! One-hour seminars seem targeted to deliver concise information, which is exactly what most dental professionals want. On the other hand, live courses with great speakers are irreplaceable and will continue to be essential in our CE formats. We will be more selective as to which lecturers and programs we plan to attend in the future.

What do you see as the next step in advancing the popularity of online CE?

Hands-on programs! In the near future, Catapult will coordinate doctors and team members to receive the hands-on content, and we simply do these hands-on programs over the Internet. Once complete, the doctors send the self-addressed kits back and now they are further educated on a technique and product. Equally, we envision multiple instructors presenting at the same time, and thus becoming far more interactive.

Where can our readers go to find more information about the education archived or upcoming on your site?

Go to catapultyourpractice.com and register with promotion code 2617QV to access your first month free. We are at a turning curve in both education and purchasing, and dentists have far more opportunities to get what they want, went they want it. The future of dentistry is very exciting.

The beauty of the Internet and the high-speed connectivity many of us now enjoy (and depend upon), means the headache of “getting to the show” is now optional. In many cases, the best parts of the show will come to you-and we’re not just talking “virtual” meetings. Webinars have become an easy way to bring some of the biggest names in dentistry and some of the most trend-setting topics right to your desk. Typically an hour and offered by a variety of providers, webinars can be viewed live, but showcase their true value when available “On Demand.”

Kerr Corp.

Kerr Corp., a division of Sybron Dental Specialties, offers a variety of CE courses in the “Kerr University” section of kerrdental.com. The following is a quick interview with Sue Seamon, Kerr’s Senior Director of Marketing Communications.

What made you decide that entering the realm of digital education was an important step?

Kerr decided to offer digital education, the “Kerr Learning Source” three years ago in an effort to provide dental professionals with a convenient way to obtain continuing education credit and stay current on the latest procedures, all in the comfort of their home or office. Offering education that would be available any day of the week and any time of the day provides tremendous flexibility for those busy building a practice. Kerr’s online education component enables dentists residing anywhere in the world an opportunity to participate online during webinars or view archived modules at any time.

In creating your digital offering, what were some of the primary needs you hoped to meet?

Increase awareness and perception of Kerr as an innovator of dental products and educational tools; provide a platform to communicate proper use of manufacturer’s products; and offer differentiating topics that would generate demand to attend both live and archived sessions.

What do you feel sets your online CE apart from others in the field?

Kerr offers differentiating topics that speak to the dentist’s “procedural pain points.” We engage motivating speakers who are passionate about technique protocols and proper product use. Kerr introduces a new training module every month, and live webinars and on-demand (archived) CE modules from Kerr are offered at no cost. Kerr has regular communications announcing upcoming CE training modules-collaboration with media partners helps drive the message to the dental community. Also, online evaluations are available for attendees to complete following their online experience.

In your opinion, what are some of the benefits of online education versus traditional live courses?

There are many benefits, including:

• Convenience of participation from the home or office. The entire staff can participate/watch training modules.

• Ability to receive CE certificate immediately after passing exam.

• Kerr online (webinar and on-demand) education courses are offered at no cost to the clinician.

• Ability to offer consecutive, multiple part training topics in a short window of time.

• Ability for a clinician anywhere in the world to view modules any time day or night.

• Clinicians can view archived modules as often as they wish.

What do you see as the next step in advancing the popularity of online CE?

Adoption of virtual hands-on model- one of the only elements missing from an online platform is the inability to use product during the webcast. Kerr is developing this next phase of online learning, which would necessitate that a manufacturer send material to the clinician in advance of the webinar so the participant can have a true hands-on experience.

Where can our readers go to find more information about the education archived or upcoming on your site?

They can go to kerrlearningsource.com, or through our main website, kerrdental.com.

SmartPractice

SmartPractice is proud to announce exciting educational opportunities for dental professionals to earn free CE credits online. Visit smartpractice.com/training for access to more than 140 hours of content including 74 product tutorials from 3M ESPE, DENTSPLY, Kerr, GC America and many other leading manufacturers. Additional learning opportunities include live webinars hosted by industry experts and renowned clinicians, as well as unlimited access to a complete archive of self-study content provided by Viva Learning sites. All content is accessible 24 hours a day to make it easy and convenient for dental practice teams to fit CE training into their busy schedules.

Nobel Biocare

Nobel Biocare, a leader in restorative and esthetic dental solutions, offers a suite of free training and educational material to its customers, the dental community and students via its site on iTunes U. Training is one of Nobel Biocare’s main strengths and one of the key trends in education on which Nobel Biocare wants to continue to build its reputation is the rapid development of e-learning. Located in the “Beyond Campus” section of iTunes U, Nobel Biocare’s online training and education program provides easy, state-of-the-art on-demand e-learning. Users can search and download training and education material directly from the site, and then use it on their Mac or PC, or sync with iPod or iPhone to learn anywhere, anytime.

3M ESPE

3M ESPE manufactures more than 2,000 products and services designed to help dental professionals improve the oral health of their patients. Through its Espertise portal online, it provides education on those products from respected KOLs. The following is a quick interview with Karen Sullivan, U.S. Marketing Communications Manager.

What made you decide that entering the realm of digital education was an important step?

“Digital” and “Online” have become ubiquitous. People are accessing the Internet in their homes, at their offices, and even while traveling via mobile and tablet technologies. Taking continuing education online was a natural evolution of the printed and hands-on CE that we’ve offered for years. It’s about making quality CE easily accessible to all dental professionals.

In creating your digital offering, what were some of the primary needs you hoped to achieve?

We knew it needed to be easily accessible and very visual wherever possible. Incorporating video into the process is certainly key, as is making sure all the CE offerings are available in one location on our site. This makes it easier to bookmark one destination.

What do you feel sets your online CE apart from others in the field?

There are many companies in this industry that are doing a nice job with continuing education. What we’re doing at 3M ESPE is listening to customers to find out what they want to learn more about and then going out and finding top clinicians who are willing to help provide CE programming that meets those interests. It’s all about listening to the customer.

In your opinion, what are some of the benefits of online education versus traditional live courses?

There are certainly advantages to both approaches, and both really are needed. Specific to online education advantages, though, in a word: access. We’re a global organization, and we have customers all around the world. The only way to offer 24/7 access to our CE to any dental professional in any country is via our website. Additionally, there are no limitations on the amount of people who can access the content at one time

What do you see as the next step in advancing the popularity of online CE?

Continuing to offer more content in more areas will be one way of popularizing it further. Working it into the overall communications of the organization could be another. We announce our CE offerings through traditional and social media outlets, as well as internal customer communications. Once dental professionals discover the site and see how much it has to offer, that is an incentive to keep coming back. Continuing to advance the amount and types of content will drive repeat visitors.

Where can our readers go to find more information about the education archived or upcoming on your site?

Dental professionals can visit espertiseinteractivelearning.com.

ADA Considers Corralling manufacturers

The ADA’s Council on Dental Education and Licensure (CDEL) and its CERP Committee have proposed changing the Eligibility Criteria for the ADA’s Continuing Education Recognition Program (CERP). If approved, “commercial entities,” defined by CERP as companies that produce, market, re-sell or distribute health care goods or services consumed by, or used on, patients would no longer be eligible for CERP approval. The Council stated that the proposed change is in response to increased public and regulatory concerns regarding conflicts of interest in medicine and other health care professions. The proposed change will bring ADA CERP into alignment with current accreditation guidelines related to managing commercial conflicts of interest. If the proposed changes to the ADA CERP Eligibility Criteria are approved, commercial entities could no longer become CERP approved providers of continuing dental education. (Providers of clinical services directly to patients, such as dental practices or hospitals, for example, are not considered commercial entities.) A phase-out period would be provided for currently approved commercial providers. Commercial entities would still be able to support (e.g., through grants, equipment) CE activities offered by independent CE providers.

The Council is accepting comments on the proposed change through June and will take final action on the proposal in November.

From sales to schooling

Another poor dynamic facilitated by the typical tradeshow model is the focus on the transactional nature of the relationship between dental companies and dentists. Yes, as manufacturers, the companies make products they hope to sell to dentists-but that is only part of the story. As manufacturers, they make products. Period. End of sentence. As the makers of these products, they often have vast amounts of knowledge about the science and process behind the merchandise, but are very rarely viewed as a good resource for this information. Why? Because of the sale.

The assumption is, the company will say anything to make the sale. And, cordoned away in the “exhibit hall” where the emphasis is on promotional pricing, free samples and huge signage, it’s easy to understand where that assumption comes from.

Rather than remain on the edges of the educational forum, many manufacturers are choosing to jump in. Now, it’s important to point out that the American Dental Association and its ADA Council on Dental Education and Licensure are becoming more restrictive in terms of manufacturer-provided education. However, even as these changes are put in place, many companies would rather provide education for the sake of education-not credits-to help the dental community better understand new concepts and allow individuals to interact with the company in a more engaged way that makes room for a sound decision on whether that company is a suitable partner moving forward. The following manufacturer-driven events cover a range of opportunities and topics.

Niche events

Clinician’s Choice

Clinician’s Choice is a company whose mission is to support, promote and teach better dentistry through the presentation of clinical seminars, workshops and scientific research studies, and to provide only clinically-proven products to dentists via a highly trained and skilled technical support staff. It is no surprise, then, that they have created a special event to help fulfill that purpose. The following is a quick interview with Melanie Nowell-Coombs, the Marketing Project Coordinator.

How long has the company been hosting its own live CE courses independent of tradeshows?

Clinician's Choice has been hosting our own CE courses for 20 years now.

What were some of the main motivating factors in creating this different type of experience?

Clinician’s Choice's mission statement is based on “teaching, supporting and promoting better dentistry” therefore having our own Continuing Education courses seemed logical.

How would you describe your company’s signature event?

Our signature event is our yearly fall destination course that we have been rotating between Bermuda and the Bahamas. We choose a tropical destination, which gives the doctor a chance to get away and obtain some CE credits all at the same time.

What do you hope this experience provides for the dental professional?

A good learning experience and the chance to get some down time all at once.

How do you see this event meeting a need not currently filled by CE at traditional tradeshows?

It isn't about attending full day lectures and visiting 100s of exhibit booths. We offer 3 1/2 day lectures, on a broad array of clinically relevant topics. The afternoons are open to give doctors a chance to relax or enjoy island activities.

What are dates of the next event (or events) and how can our readers go about getting more information for registration?

Nov. 3-5 - Bermuda, Fairmont Southampton Resort featuring Dr. Jeff Brucia, Dr. Buddy Mopper and Dr. Elliot Mechanic. For details visit clinicianschoice.com or call Irene Lamonde at 800-265-3444, ext. 223.

Gendex & Imaging Sciences Int’l

Gendex and ISI are two powerhouse imaging companies behind the GXCB-500 HD and the i-CAT, leaders in cone beam technology. The following is a quick interview with two of the people behind the 3D Imaging Institute organized by the companies-Candy Ross, Director of Professional Relations, and Nicole Serago, Marketing Specialist and Events Coordinator.

How long have you been hosting and/or organizing your own live CE courses independent of tradeshows?

Serago: ISI and Gendex have been sponsoring CE courses through the 3D Imaging Institute since the 1st International Congress in 2007. And it’s our great pleasure to provide these educational opportunities on cone beam’s clinical and practical benefits.

What were some of the main motivating factors in creating this different type of experience?

Ross: Our motivation comes, in part, from those who have implemented the technology-they initially created the demand for more education. We responded by developing the 3D Imaging Institute that sponsors a wide range of subjects and many lecturers. After delivering 2 days of initial on-site training with certified instructors, we found doctors were hungry for more information. As a manufacturer of award-winning cone beam systems, we see it as our responsibility to sponsor events where dentists can gain education based on fact and science.

How would you describe your company’s signature event?

Serago: The 3D Imaging Institute provides CBCT education for all clinicians. While throughout the year, we sponsor webinars for those with varying levels of knowledge and day-long advanced customer training sessions, our signature events are definitely “Live” courses and the Annual 2-day Congress. At these events, attendees can witness live scans, surgeries and real-time treatment planning, as well as a multitude of diverse lectures. Feedback from Congress attendees verifies we are on the right track, that the speakers’ “combined knowledge is very impressive” and that the courses are “so beneficial."

What do you hope this experience provides for the dental professional?

Ross: Our sincere hope is that dentists will come away with balanced, evidence-based information so they can make an informed choice about implementing CBCT and have a greater understanding of how to use it to better care for their patients.

How do you see this event meeting a need not currently filled by CE at traditional tradeshows?

Ross: I think this gets back to why we started the 3D Imaging Institute in the first place-dentists came to us seeking more information, and they continue to do so. I think we are highly-adaptive in the course topics and speakers we can sponsor. So, I would say we have our “finger on the pulse” of what clinicians need and we can deliver it in a timely manner.

What are dates of the next event (or events) and how can our readers go about getting more information for registration?

Serago: The “Live 3-D Dentistry Forum” will be at the Sybron Learning Center in Anaheim, Calif, July 29-30. Our 5th International Congress on 3-D Dental Imaging will be at the Gaylord Texan in Dallas,  Nov. 4-5. We encourage doctors to visit i-CAT3D.com to learn more and to register for any and all events.

Biomet 3i

Biomet 3i’s BIOMET 3i Synergy Training Program® (STP®) offers interactive education and comprehensive training in all aspects of restorative implant dentistry.

How long have you been hosting and/or organizing your own live CE courses independent of tradeshows?

Providing implant dentistry professionals with continuing education courses has been a focus of BIOMET 3i’s Education Department for more than a decade. These CE Programs are designed for all levels of expertise and are delivered through a variety of media, including university settings, peer-to-peer education and programs offered at the BIOMET 3i Institute for Implant and Reconstructive Dentistry in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.

What were some of the main motivating factors in creating this different type of experience?

The main motivation for BIOMET 3i is to help dental professionals provide the best possible care to patients, while growing their business through three distinct solutions: comprehensive treatment, enhanced knowledge, and business excellence.

How would you describe your company’s signature event?

While BIOMET 3i offers multiple CE offerings, the company’s longest running program is the BIOMET 3i Synergy Training Program® (STP®). The BIOMET 3i STP® is a program in which the dental team works together toward an optimal final outcome for the patient. The team approach includes the surgeon, restorative clinician, staff and  lab.

What do you hope this experience provides for the dental laboratory professional?

Dental laboratory technicians are encouraged to participate throughout the BIOMET 3i STP®; they receive CE for their participation, have the opportunity to build professional relationships with clinicians and exhibit their lab’s capabilities.

How do you see this event meeting a need not currently filled by CE at traditional tradeshows?

The BIOMET 3i Synergy Training Program® (STP®) offers interactive education and comprehensive training in all aspects of restorative implant dentistry. It also is a convenient alternative as these programs are conducted at the local level fostering professional and clinical networking as well as potentially impacting the quality of dental care offered in the local community.

What are dates of the next event (or events) and how can our readers go about getting more information for registration?

Readers can visit the BIOMET 3i website at: biomet3i.com or contact their local BIOMET 3i sales representative.

DenMat

Known originally for its LUMINEERS, DenMat is continuing to expand its brand through innovative products such as Snap-On Smile and Snap-It. The following is a quick interview with Eric Relyea, Vice President of Marketing, DenMat.

How long have you been organizing your own live CE courses independent of tradeshows?

Continuing Education has been fundamental to DenMat since its inception. We’ve been supporting both regional courses and LUMINEERS Destination Education through the American Society for Clinical Research for more than two decades. Since we started LUMINEERS Destination Education, now twice-yearly in both Las Vegas and Orlando, we’ve developed a model that combines CE with the chance for attendees to be among the first to learn about new clinical technologies as well as experiencing a great team-building learning environment.

What were some of the main motivating factors in creating this different type of experience?

We want real world learning that can immediately make a difference in the practice. The ongoing clinical and practice success of each of our clinicians is our principal motivating goal. When we introduced LUMINEERS, minimally invasive dentistry was a new concept. Our courses continue to give dentists the opportunity to deliver innovative treatment options to their patients and build dynamic, healthy practices. Recently, we’ve developed courses around potentially life-saving lesion detection technology, the latest techniques in laser dentistry and the DenMat Smile Continuum, which ranges from patient consultation techniques built around LUMISmile computer imaging to Snap-On Smile removable veneers to LUMINEERS and the new LUMITray all-at-once delivery system. It’s a comprehensive approach to total practice growth.

How would you describe your company’s signature event?

Our teaching clinicians are simply outstanding. This year’s Keynote Speaker, Dr. Bill Dorfman, will be sharing his experience with Snap-On Smile and this is sure to give everyone a new perspective on just how powerful this treatment option can be, both for the patient and the practice. And there’s much more, with leading educators like Drs. Ross Nash, Marc Liechtung, Todd Engel, Cyrus Tahmasebi, Ralph Green, Peter Harnois, Louis Malcmacher, Stacey Layman and Michael Kesner. That’s not to mention a great experience that is designed to be fun, engaging and unlike any other event in dentistry today.

What do you hope this experience provides for the dental professional?

How about a new approach that will transform the way they treat patients, every day? Sound aggressive? It is and we don’t see why it shouldn’t be. If a doctor and his team are taking time out of their offices to attend Destination Education or one of our regional courses, what they learn should be absolutely practice changing. Our goal is immediate practice growth, ongoing practice success and nothing short of a game-changing experience.

How do you see this event meeting a need not currently filled by CE at traditional tradeshows?

Our CE is built around techniques and technologies that can be implemented immediately. It’s hands-on, it’s real world and it’s focused on the clinical success of each attendee. Destination Education is about taking what is learned back into the practice on Monday and changing the way patients are treated.

What are dates of the next event (or events) and how can our readers go about getting more information for registration?

Our upcoming LUMINEERS Destination Education event will be May 27-29 at the fantastic Aria Hotel in Las Vegas. You won’t want to miss our Keynote Speaker, Dr. Bill Dorfman, plus a powerful line-up of thought leaders and educators. For a calendar of upcoming events or more information, go to ASCREDU.org or call 800-445-0345.

Cosmedent

Cosmedent’s Center for Esthetic Excellence is a continuation of Cosmedent’s 14-year commitment to quality educational services for the cosmetic dentist. The following is a quick interview with Erika Heier.  

How long have you been hosting and/or organizing your own live CE courses independent of tradeshows?

Cosmedent’s Center for Esthetic Excellence has hosted continuing education courses since 1998. The CEE is the only educational center in the country that is exclusively dedicated to teaching direct composite bonding.

What were some of the main motivating factors in creating this different type of experience?

The main motivation today for creating this type of experience is the same as it was a decade ago. The CEE gives the dentist an opportunity to work directly with composite materials and to learn the vast possibilities that these materials offer to the dentist and the patient. The CEE gives a dentist the opportunity to learn from some of the foremost esthetic dentists in the country who are eager to share their knowledge and expertise. These direct anterior composite courses are taught with genuine enthusiasm and integrity pertaining to all aspects of composite bonding. Each course is limited to 15 dentists and half of the time is devoted to a hands-on experience. An intimate group such as this allows the instructor a greater ability to focus on each attendee’s specific objectives allowing for consistent mentoring, active listening, demonstration and the ability for each dentist to consistently strive to obtain predictability and clinical success with every technique that is taught.

How would you describe your company’s signature events?

Our signature event always have been an enduring mission to offer the most exemplary esthetic/restorative clinical courses that avail to dentists throughout the world and to teach the absolute significance of the most beautiful, conservative and creative material available in the dental market place: Composite.

What do you hope this experience provides for the dental professional?

The men and women who have taught at the Center for Esthetic Excellence are some of the most passionate dentists in the world. Their motivation and creativity expressed throughout each course taught always has been insightful and continually supportive. To experience a course taken at the CEE is to render a quality experience that practicing dentists can use for the rest of their lives. An experience in clinical leadership and personal growth in ones profession, we stand steadfast to be ever available to the dentist in shaping and growing a vital part of their practice-esthetic and restorative composite dentistry.

How do you see this event meeting a need not currently filled by CE at traditional tradeshows?

Lack of depth and time always has been the greatest opponent pertaining to CE at traditional tradeshows. While learning how, why and where these materials are used restoratively and esthetically, a balanced blend of oral presentation, instructor demonstration and clinical execution of every restorative intricacy is necessary and more time, rather than less, will typically be in favor while learning these vast techniques.

What are the dates of the next event (or events) and how can our readers go about getting more information for registration?

“Free-hand Composite Bonding-The Ultimate Esthetics Course,” presented by Dr. Corky Willhite July 14-16; “Free-hand Composite Bonding-Accreditation Case Type 5” presented by Dr. Corky Willhite, Oct. 5-8; Passionate? Yes! Catch The Composite Wave! Presented by K. William (Buddy) Mopper, Oct. 20-21; “Transitional Bonding,” presented by Dr. Corky Willhite, Dec. 8-10.

Visit cosmedent.com for a through description of all forthcoming courses or call 800-837-2321 to speak with Erika Heier.