Simon Chard explains the benefits of embracing new ideas and methods.
If it’s been a while since your thinking was challenged, it’s time to get out there and see what others are doing to push boundaries. When you keep up-to-date with the latest scientific advances, techniques and technology, you’ll be able to raise your standards, do more for your patients and ultimately deliver the most ethical dentistry.
Taking a step back means allowing yourself to see the bigger picture, as well as things you may have missed and what is – or could be – coming over the horizon. It can sharpen your focus and allow you to ask yourself, ‘What do I need to do now?’
Days spent doing bread-and-butter treatments sometimes make it easy to forget how far dentistry has come in the past few decades. Now, the aim is to preserve as much healthy tissue and structure as possible while keeping aesthetics and ethics in balance. Minimal preparations have been supported by materials that replicate the function and strength of the natural teeth, for an outcome that is not only beautiful but long-lasting. It’s not just cutting-edge tech that has enabled this; high-quality research has led to new methods and processes that are evidence-based.
Dentists and dental professionals must, therefore, always be prepared to embrace new ideas and mindsets. First and foremost, this approach will keep you on your toes and prevent you from becoming stuck in workflows that may end up becoming unproductive and unenjoyable if they’re not questioned and adapted. When you let yourself learn and be challenged, you’ll not only gain more skills but you’ll also appreciate how growth is necessary for success.
Dental events are a great way to shift your perspective. You’ll be supported in your quest to discover what’s new by others who are on the same page. Events dedicated to quality learning always attract forward-thinking clinicians who are pushing for better in every area of their work. They have programmes designed to encourage delegates to think again, and inspire them to take further training. The best events are inclusive, whole-team affairs too so that you can share the knowledge together.
The British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (BACD) is unrivalled when it comes to its Annual Conference – a three-day celebration of learning and networking. A world-leading authority on cosmetic dentistry, the BACD welcomes dentists, technicians and students who are committed to clinical excellence. It’s a thriving and friendly academy, and the annual conference always reflects this spirit of community, while giving those who attend the opportunity to hear from some of the most renowned and established names in the industry, as well as the new pioneers.
The event – now in its 19th year and titled, ‘New horizons’ – features sessions from Lukasz Lassmann (‘Demystifying clicks and pops – the ultimate TMJ masterclass’) and Isabella Rocchietta, specialist in periodontology (‘Restoring hard and soft tissues in alveolar atrophies’). Lincoln Harris, dentist and CEO of RipeGlobal, is running an advanced treatment planning bootcamp and will also deliver this year’s keynote presentation, ‘Building aesthetic foundations’.
Fran Brelsford, who practises as a restorative dentist in London, will present ‘A predictable posterior protocol’. In her hands-on session, Fran is going to challenge the idea that direct posterior composite restorations is ‘simple’ dentistry. She’ll share the protocol she applies time and time again, to produce restorations that are built to last. An advocate of the importance of post-graduate training, the method she’ll be teaching is based on her own comprehensive study of biomimetics and how it can be applied to the delivery of evidence-based dentistry – she’s here to spread the word! Join her session, and you’ll build on your existing skillset in direct posterior composites and discover an enhanced protocol to implement with confidence when you return to your own surgery. You’ll also learn how to reduce the risk of post-op problems and understand more about biomimetics, including the literature it is based on.
Dentists, dental professionals and students who want to be the best they can be should attend events that challenge their thinking, open their minds and give them the opportunity to gain valuable practical skills. The social element should not be understated either! The wider dental ‘family’ is a vital source of friendship and support, and solutions can often be found just by talking to one another. This is something else the BACD is passionate about, as well as sharing knowledge and quality education. Its annual conference, happening November 9-11, 2023, in London, is open to non-members but joining will not only get you preferential rates, but a host of other valuable benefits to help you professionally as well as personally.
Great dental events give attendees the opportunity to learn and shift their mindset. They will boost and inspire you – reminding you that, no matter how long you’ve been practising, there is always a way to do things differently. Ultimately, the net result will be happier, healthier patients who enjoy the highest level of ethical, cutting-edge care that you give them.
For more information visit www.bacd.com