As you know, there are many things that thriving dentists do differently, but one of the things that is true of world-class thriving dentists across the board is their commitment to continuing education (CE). Many dentists fail to see the value of CE and may simply rush to complete something by the end of the year in order to keep their licenses, but as is the case in many other areas, thriving dentists take a different approach.
Why is CE important?
In dentistry, things progress so quickly that we know twice as much as we used to know every three years! As a dentist, if you are not keeping up with these advances early with good CE, you and your practice will fall behind. On the other hand, if you invest in world-class continuing education, your practice and your patients will benefit. As an added benefit, what I’ve seen with most dentists is that when they make use of excellent CE resources, their thirst for knowledge actually grows and they enjoy seeking out those new advances in dentistry and find greater enjoyment in the work they do.
Top World-Class CE Resources
1. AGD (Academy of General Dentistry)
In CE, it helps to keep in mind what you’re working toward, and at AGD you can work toward first your fellowship and then your mastership. One of the great benefits of this is that if you achieve your mastership with AGD, you will actually be in the top 2% of dentists in the U.S.! At AGD you will get to go through many different courses which will give you great clinical and other knowledge.
2. Dr. Gordon Christensen’s Practical Clinical Courses
One of my favorite resources is my friend and mentor Dr. Christensen’s Practical Clinical Courses. This resource is independent of commercial affiliation or funding so everything he teaches is scientific and objective, and I personally think you can’t do better than learning from this resource.
3. American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, AACD
While any dentists can say they are cosmetic dentists, you can actually become an accredited member or fellow of the AACD and become part of a very elite group of dentists not only in the U.S. but worldwide. Dr. David Hornbrook is a friend of mine who is a fellow at AACD who offers a number of excellent courses on functional aesthetics.
4. Dr. Lee Ann Brady’s Restorative Nation
This is a great affordable CE option that offers a monthly membership so you can get hours of curated learning from the greatest educators in the country.
Learn more about these and other resources by checking out the full podcast episode here.
