Developed in conjunction with the Association of Dental Implantology (ADI) and the International Team for Implantology (ITI), the ‘Register of Mentors in Implant Dentistry’ will support high standards of training and practice in implant dentistry by providing recognition to those who have met specific standards in their clinical and mentoring practice.
Freely accessible and searchable by the profession, it will also enable those undertaking training in implant dentistry to identify and contact appropriately experienced and qualified mentors.
Mentoring is recognised as a critical element of a practitioner’s training in implant dentistry. It is among the requirements of the college’s ‘Training standards in implant dentistry’ document, which sets the minimum standards for training that those practising implant dentistry in the UK must have undertaken.
The specific experience, skills and qualities required of a mentor are articulated in the college’s ‘Mentoring in implant dentistry: good practice guidelines’. The document is also the basis for the eligibility criteria for inclusion in the register, all of which must be met:
- Postgraduate degree or qualification in implant dentistry, or documentary evidence of completion of a structured implant training course with at least 70 hours of verifiable contact learning and meeting, or (for those who commenced implant dentistry before 2005) demonstrably equivalent training and experience.
- Placed and/or restored at least 250 implants in various clinical situations, depending on which care aspect is being mentored (suitability can also be demonstrated from fewer cases with appropriate insight and reflection).
- Five years experience in the specific prosthetic or surgical technique the mentee is trained in. This should be in the form of a description of the mentor’s overall post-qualification experience and specifically their implant training, courses attended and clinical experience.
- Successful completion of an accredited medical education or mentoring course, or two years in a substantive implant-related teaching post, which includes clinical supervision.
Applications to join the register are reviewed by a panel comprising CGDent, the ADI and the ITI representatives.
Once admitted, mentors will be subject to a code of conduct to ensure that any mentoring provided is in accordance with the guidelines. They will also need to provide an annual declaration that they are still undertaking implant dentistry and that they are maintaining their expertise in both clinical and mentoring skills.
There is currently no application fee. However, those admitted to the register will pay an annual fee for inclusion.
The introductory annual fee is £500, but full members, associate fellows or fellows of the college pay £250. Members of the ADI or ITI also benefit from a reduced rate of £400, and those who are members of both the college and either the ADI or ITI pay £160 per annum.
For more information visit https://cgdent.uk/register-of-mentors-in-implant-dentistry/