Dental Continuing Education

Implant Dentistry Continuum™ offers a comprehensive implant training program, spread across 4 weekends, focused on equipping you with the clinical and technical foundation you need to add implant dentistry to your practice. What makes Continuum so unique and valuable is the way it combines in-depth lectures on all aspects of Implant Dentistry with hands-on workshops. Using specially designed surgical, soft tissue and prosthetic models (including a cadaver specimen) you will sharpen your skills under the watchful eyes of a caring faculty before you return to the office. The result:

Continuum provides the fundamentals and the experience you need to succeed – both from the clinical side and the business side. It takes the mystery out of Implant Dentist as everything is carefully explained in detail in a crystal clear, step-by-step fashion.
Earn up to 88 CE Hours from these four sessions (CE Credit hours will be awarded based on actual hour-for-hour attendance).
Available on a sequenced, convenient weekend schedule to accommodate your busy life and practice responsibilities. This enables you to take the knowledge gained in each session and apply it immediately in your home practice prior to the following session. You can put what you learn to work Monday morning upon your return.
You’ll also discover “tricks of the trade” that can save you money and improve your bottom line results when providing this service.
Lectures are extremely organized and professionally presented by an accomplished teacher and trainer. They’re comprehensive, informative, and fun. Plus, during each session, you will discuss your office experiences with the instructors, receive additional coaching, and learn additional surgical and restorative skills.
Session content provides a consistent approach to implants instead of a scattered approach from multiple trainers sponsored by different implant companies. You will receive practical, usable information, not infomercials.
With hands-on workshops, you won’t just sit and listen - you will perform. Using soft tissue and prosthetic models, you will sharpen your skills under the watchful eyes of the faculty before returning to your office. (Plus, you will perform multiple implant and related surgeries on a cadaver specimen.)
The experience you gain and the skills you acquire can be life-changing not only for your patients, but for you and your entire team as well. AND this lays a solid foundation for future training on more advanced topics of Implantology.

Course Duration:

8 days - Completed in four separate, 2-day sessions
(See Session Topics Below) -

Course Locations:

Multiple US Cities

CE Credit Hours:

Implant Continuum™ - Session 1

Day 1

History and Biologic Basis of Osseointegration

Ancient Precursors of Modern Dental Implants
Subperiosteal Implants
Endosseous Implants
P-I Brånemark and the Discovery of Osseointegration
Biologic Basis of Osseointegration
Limitations and Drawbacks of Removable Dentures
Endodontics vs Implants: Decision-making Factors
Five-Step Plan for Incorporating Implants Into Your Dental Practice

Learning Objectives

At the end of this session, participants will be able to:

Describe how Professor Brånemark made the chance discovery of osseointegration.
Understand each of the three phases in the biologic process of osseointegration.
Explain the specific advantages of implant-borne prostheses over tissue-borne dentures.
Know the critical factors involved in determining whether a tooth can be saved or should be replaced.
Implement a five-step plan for integrating implant surgery into their practice.

Treatment Planning for Dental Implants

Prosthetic Treatment Options by Case Type

Single Missing Tooth (Partial Denture, 3-Unit Bridge, Maryland Bridge, Implant-Retained Crown)
Partially Edentulous (Fixed Bridge, Partial Denture, Implant-Retained Freestanding Bridge, Implant/Natural Tooth–Retained Bridge, Implant-Retained Fixed Removable Bridge)
Fully Edentulous (Full Denture, Implant-Retained Fixed Bridge, Implant-Retained Overdenture, Implant-Retained Fixed Removable Prosthesis)

Key Factors, Rationale, and Failure Rates
Case Selection Criteria
Strategies for Managing Posterior the Maxilla and Mandible
Principles of Key Implant Positioning

Biomechanical Forces
Arch Shape

Importance of Presurgical Planning

Learning Objectives

At the end of this session, participants will be able to:

Recognize the advantages of implant-retained prostheses over removable options for single-tooth, partially edentulous, and fully edentulous case types.
Understand the key factors to consider when treatment planning for implants.
Understand how the presence or absence of a terminal abutment affects treatment options in partially edentulous cases.
Understand how biomechanical forces and arch shape affect the positioning of implants in edentulous arches.
Know the criteria for evaluating and selecting their first cases.

Day 2

Bone Graft Materials

Autogenous (patient-harvested), Allogeneic, Allograft, Alloplast (synthetic), Xenoplast
Selection Criteria
Considerations

Antibiotics
Need to Condense
Graft Resorption Rates

Barrier Membranes

Containment of Graft Material vs Guidance of Regeneration

Xenograft/Synthetic
Allogeneic (tissue bank)

Indications
Selection Criteria
Pros and Cons

Learning Objectives

At the end of this session, participants will be able to:

Explain which bone graft material is considered the gold standard by implant surgeons.
Understand the indications for extraoral vs intraoral bone harvesting and the morbidity associated with each method.
Describe the safety profiles of rhBMP and Cadaver Bone.
Explain the rationale and indications for using a barrier membrane.
Describe the pros and cons of using membranes made of xenograft vs allogeneic materials.
Know the selection criteria for bone graft materials and barrier membranes.

Afternoon

Step-by-Step Socket Preservation Technique

Socket Collapse/Stages of Postextraction Bone Loss
Buccal Bone Resorption
Rationale For Socket Grafting/ Insurance Codes
Regional Acceleratory Phenomenon
Reception Site Preparation
Protocols for Infection-Free vs Infected Site
Atraumatic Extraction Technique
Tools For Tooth Extraction
Defect Size/Topography (5-Wall, 4-Wall, 2 To 3-Wall, 1-Wall)
Coverage Options

Learning Objectives

At the end of this session, participants will be able to:

Explain the rationale for grafting an extraction socket.
Describe the stages of bone loss and the amount of bone resorption that occurs in the first 3 months after tooth extraction.
Understand the steps for preserving a noninfected vs an infected extraction site.
Choose the correct extraction tool to use for atraumatic extraction according to the location/conditions of the site.
Select an appropriate coverage material for an extraction socket based on the size and topography of the defect.

Model Workshop: Socket Preservation

Implant Continuum™ - Session 2

Day 1

Step-by-Step Implant Surgery

Surgical Protocol

One-Stage vs Two-Stage Surgery
Template-Assisted vs Template-Guided vs Fully Guided

Implant Characteristics
Bone Density/Architecture: Quantity vs Quality
Room Set-up

Aseptic Technique
Implant Surgical Kit
Tray Set-up

Anesthesia and Prophylaxis Medication
Step-by-Step Surgical Technique
Postoperative Pain Management/Instructions

Learning Objectives

At the end of this session, participants will be able to:

Understand the indications and rationale for choosing a one-stage vs a two-stage surgical protocol.
Know the four different types of surgical templates and the pros and cons of each.
Select an implant of the appropriate diameter, length, and morphology based on the density, quantity, and quality of available bone.
Set up a sterile operatory that is properly equipped for implant surgery.
Describe each step involved in a two-stage surgical implant procedure.

Day 2

Cadaver Workshop:Implant Placement Surgery

Implant Continuum™ - Session 3

Day 1

Soft Tissue Management for Implants and Natural Teeth

Implant Positioning: Mesiodistal, Buccolingual, Apicocoronal
Classification of Periodontium: Thin Scalloped vs Thick Flat
Gingival Recession/Mucogingival Surgery

Defect Type/Classification I–IV
Treatment Options (Connective Tissue Harvesting/Grafting, Emdogain, Dermal Allograft, PRP Membrane, Freeze-Dried Bone)

Stage-Two Implant Surgery

Excisional Techniques
Cover Screw Removal
Healing Collar Placement
Papilla Preservation/Enhancement/Creation

Suturing Indications/Techniques (Interrupted, Horizontal Mattress, Vertical Mattress, Extraction Site)

Learning Objectives

At the end of this session, participants will be able to:

Describe the biologic criteria for determining where to position implants mesiodistally, buccolingually, and apicocoronally.
Recognize the implications of a low, medium, or high smile line when placing implants in the esthetic zone.
Know the characteristics that distinguish a thin from a thick biotype and how they respond differently to surgery.
Identify gingival recession according to its classification (I–IV) type and the best materials/techniques for treating each type.
Understand each of the steps involved in stage two surgery.
Know when and how to place different types of sutures (interrupted, horizontal/vertical mattress) to close following soft tissue surgery.

Autologous Blood Concentrates

Historical Development and Nomenclature (Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP), Platelet-Rich Fibrin PRF), etc)
Biology of Platelets and Cascade of Growth Factors
Therapeutic, Surgical, and Aesthetic Applications
Preparation and Centrifugation
PRP Constructs and Their Uses
Clinical Protocols in Implant and Related Surgery
Phlebotomy Procedure

Learning Objectives

At the end of this session, participants will be able to:

Understand how and by whom PRP was first developed and its rapid evolution over the last 30 years.
Understand the role of platelets and how they are activated in wound healing and tissue regeneration.
Explain the basic protocol for concentrating and separating the constituent parts of PRP.
Recognize the range of different constructs of PRP and their applications.
Know how to Use PRP to improve their surgical outcomes.

Second Day

Pig Jaw Workshop:

Soft Tissue Surgery and Suturing Techniques
Phlebotomy Demo/Instruction and Hands-on PRP Workshop

Implant Continuum™ - Session 4

Day 1

Implant Prosthetics

Biomechanics: Natural Teeth vs Implants
Impression Taking Techniques: Closed Tray, Open Tray, Crown and Bridge, Triple Tray, Digital
Impression Copings
Seven Types of Abutments for Fixed Partial Dentures
Fixed Prostheses: Cement vs Screw-Retained
Removable Prostheses
Overdenture Attachment Options: Bar, Locator, Ball, Stud, O-Ring, Magnet
Monolithic Zirconia Hybrid/Fixed-Removable/All-on-Four Restorations

Full-Arch
Partial

Learning Objectives

At the end of this session, participants will be able to:

Understand the biomechanical response to loading on dental implants and how it differs from natural teeth.
Know the indications for using an open tray vs a closed tray technique for taking impressions.
Describe the advantages and drawbacks of screw-retained vs cemented fixed implant prostheses.
Know the four critical factors to consider in each case when selecting an attachment solution for a removable prosthesis.

Day 2

Avoiding and Managing Implant Complications

Soft Tissue Complications

Plaque Accumulation Around Implants/Poor Hygiene
Peri-Implant Bone Loss
Inflammation
Peri-Implantitis
Mucosal Hyperplasia

Hardware-Related Complications

Loose/Broken/Stripped Abutment Screw
Fractured Implant
Broken Abutment
Failed Overdenture Implant
Loose Cover Screw

Positioning/Placement Complications

Supracrestal Placement
Malpositioned Implant (Too Buccal, Palatal, Angled, Crowded)
Instrumentation Error

Early Onset Complications

Bruising/Swelling
Paresthesia/Dysesthesia
Hollow Bone
Excess Cement Retention
Implant Displacement into Sinus
Aspiration/Ingestion of Hardware

Learning Objectives

At the end of this session, participants will be able to:

Know the primary etiologies of peri-implantitis and the appropriate treatment responses for each.
Develop a differential diagnosis for mucosal hyperplasia and know how to treat accordingly.
Know several different techniques for retrieving a broken or stripped abutment screw.
Determine whether to address a malpositioned implant prosthetically or surgically.
Take necessary precautions to avoid patient aspiration or ingestion of implant hardware.

Afternoon

Getting Patients to Accept Treatment
Who to Treat and Who not to and Why
Getting More Patients into the Office for Dental Implants

Daily Schedule

We train more Dentists on Dental Implants than anyone else for a reason - Continuum provides a systematic training program to get you DOING the procedures you want. Here’s a snapshot of what you’ll experience when you attend.

Registration and continental breakfast at 8:00am
Each session consists of 2 intense, productive days from 8:30am - 5:00pm
Following each session, private one on one zoom sessions are made available to you for Q & A and Treatment Planning. This provides an excellent opportunity to continue to lear by having extended mentorship sessions.