Online Orthodontics Courses for Dentists

In recent years a great deal of misinformation has been presented in the name of continuing education in orthodontics. Misrepresentation of credentials, empirical or anecdotal support for clinical procedures, without any biological basis, have been used to promote orthodontic procedures to the general or pediatric dentist incorporating orthodontics into their practices. It is time to hear the facts! If you are presently practicing orthodontics or intend to incorporate orthodontics into your practice, you owe it to yourself and your patients to find out the truth and separate “fact from fiction”.

Understanding facial growth and development is essential for every decision a clinician makes in the practice of orthodontics. This information obviously affects the clinicians’ ability to make an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan. However, it extends to decisions including: when to treat, which appliance to use, which wires to use, which bracket prescription to use and which retention protocol to use. The clinician cannot effectively practice orthodontics without this understanding.

Orthodontic treatment is based on appropriate diagnosis and treatment planning. It is essential to understand all of the orthodontic diagnostic modalities: facial evaluation, growth and development, dento-alveolar compensation, cephalometric analysis, arch length analysis, tooth size analysis, and treatment goal description. This lecture is a segment of the Comprehensive Course in Orthodontics. The information contained in this lecture is relevant to general practitioners either providing orthodontic treatment or referring patients to the specialist.

Comprehensive Orthodontics is an extended program designed to educate general and pediatric dentists who wish to add orthodontics to their practices. This course is based on the concepts and procedures provided in a graduate school orthodontic curriculum. It will take you from diagnosis through treatment and into retention. The course will cover: facial aesthetics and facial balance, craniofacial growth and development and growth projection, cephalometric analysis, skeletal age assessment, orthodontic diagnosis and treatment planning, early interceptive treatment, functional/orthopedic treatment, Straight-Wire edgewise appliance therapy, differential fixed appliance selection and management, biomechanical principals and retention.

This presentation will look at some of the research done and the literature available regarding causative factors, levels of pain experience and potential prediction of pain perception levels in individual orthodontic patients, as well as therapeutic options available to manage the pain. Upon completion of this program and successful completion of the exam, you will receive one hour of continuing education credit that satisfies the requirement for Pain Management for dental re-licensure where necessary.