Unlocking Change

The Art and Science of Patient Conversations

Motivational Interviewing (MI) is a powerful conversational approach used in various healthcare fields to inspire positive behavior change. In this enlightening lecture, attendees will discover the core principles of MI, understanding the importance of empathy, collaboration, and evoking an individual's intrinsic motivation.

Join me to unlock the potential of Motivational Interviewing and make a real impact in facilitating change and health outcomes in your clients!

  • Enhance Communication Skills: Learn to actively listen, ask open-ended questions, and provide affirmations that foster a supportive and non-judgmental atmosphere.

    Guide Sustainable Change: Master the art of helping individuals explore their own motivations and goals, ultimately enabling them to commit to lasting, self-driven transformations.

    Increase Production: Effortlessly increase production without losing your dignity as a healthcare provider or the trust of your patients.

  • Upon Completion of this Course Participants will be Able to:

    • Contrast prevalent use of paternalism in dentistry to the guiding style of Motivational Interviewing (MI).

    • Explain the process of MI and its application in a standard dental visit.

    • Synthesize the ethical dilemmas in dentistry as a hybrid of the for-profit and non-profit business models.

    • Evaluate the parallels between MI and basic business concepts.

    • Apply MI for improved patient compliance and increased production without losing clinical dignity.

  • • 1.5 hours (webinar or in-person)

    • 3-hour workshop with exercises and role-play

The Dental Lab Unveiled

A Dual Perspective for Clinical and Forensic Applications

How much do you know about the dental laboratory—a key, yet often unseen, member of the dental team? Can you accurately identify dental materials both clinically and radiographically? How do prosthodontic materials affect periodontal health?

Join this unique course led by a Certified Dental Technician (CDT) turned dental hygienist as he pulls back the curtain on the dental laboratory, guiding his peers through the intricate process of fabricating a dental prosthesis – from simple inlays to the latest implant-supported restorations.

  • An advanced discussion on the increasingly popular 'All-on-4' prosthesis, exposing some unsettling realities and rarely discussed facts about the procedure.

    Value for clinicians interested in forensic dentistry, exploring the forensic implications of dental restorations in investigations, where dental evidence often plays a pivotal role.

    Revelation of shocking facts about the industry's regulation—or lack thereof—and the consequential effects on oral health standards. This aspect is particularly relevant in forensic contexts, where the quality and specificity of dental work can provide essential clues.

  • Upon Completion of this Course Participants will be Able to:

    • Describe the basic process of fabricating the three major types of dental lab restorations.

    • Identify these materials radiographically and clinically.

    • Summarize usage indications for each material.

    • Discover practical knowledge for treating patients with highly restored teeth.

    • Recognize iatrogenic causes of periodontitis.

    • Judge the consequences deregulation has on substandard restorations, patient autonomy and records.

  • • 2 hours (webinar or in-person)

Brushing Up on the Law

Six Crucial Areas Dental Professionals Must Understand

The field of dentistry is regulated by a complex array of laws operating at federal, state, and local levels, with many overlapping. Practitioners must be mindful of these regulations, recognizing their importance to their professional licensure. This course provides essential information for every dental professional seeking to navigate the intricacies of industry regulations and law.

  • Enhance your understanding of law and ethics.

    Strengthen your knowledge of the six most common laws violated in dentistry: HIPAA, OSHA, Contract Law, Employment Laws, Misdiagnosis and Fraud.

    Learn legal theories surrounding the role of hygienists in dentistry and how advocacy dynamics may alter them.

    Increase proficiency in CDT coding for accurate reporting and preventing fraudulent claims.

  • Upon Completion of this Course Participants will be Able to:

    •. Outline the basic types of law and their hierarchical structure.

    • Distinguish legal theories around the hygienist’s liabilities in a dental practice.

    •. Interpret the definitions of CDT coding and analyze improper usage that may constitute fraud.

    •. Evaluate case examples regarding dental practitioners.

  • • 1 hour (webinar or in-person)

The Cost of Silence

Lessons from an Under-Represented Association

In today's rapidly evolving industry, the consequences of underrepresentation have never been more apparent than in the dental laboratory profession.

Certified Dental Technician (CDT) turned RDH will delve into the critical importance of strong professional advocacy and the dire consequences its absence can have on your career and the public’s safety.

  • Focus on professional advocacy’s vital role: strong, organized representation can prevent the dilution of professional standards, protect your scope of practice, and ensure that our industry remains regulated to prioritize patient safety and standards of care.

    Consequences of neglect in representation and regulation: discussion of the real-world repercussions an under-regulated dental laboratory industry has had on oral health.

    A look at the future: the dental hygiene profession stands at a pivotal crossroads—either emerging as leaders in prevention-centric dentistry or relegating our profession to assistants.

  • Upon Completion of this Course Participants will be Able to:

    • Identify similar educational requirements between Certified Dental Technicians (CDTs) and Registered Dental Hygienists (RDHs).

    • Summarize economic correlations between the lack of regulation in the dental laboratory and efforts to lower dental hygiene standards.

    • Judge the consequences of deregulation and its implications for standards of care and patient rights.

    • Evaluate the advantages of professional representation in your career.

  • • 1 hour (webinar or in-person)