What comes after dental school? One of the great things about being a dentist is that, unlike my physician colleagues, I was able to practice outside of academia after just four years of undergraduate dental education. There is no required residency, fellowship, or specialty program. I have a love for several facets of dental care, so I chose not to pursue a formal residency program. However, I have strenuously pursued continuing dental education since I graduated 13 years ago (as of May 2021). This ongoing education of my mind and my hands has kept me up-to-date with the benefits of modern dentistry. Most notably, and most recently, I have immersed myself in dental implantology, first by becoming trained in the use of "mini" implants by Dr. Todd Shatkin in Buffalo, New York. This training took place in 2018. This empowered me to begin changing the lives of folks who have been missing teeth for many years, or who have teeth "nearing their expiration date." I treasure this application, which can significantly enhance the quality of a denture-wearer's life. It wasn't long before I was thoroughly in love with implants as a superb means of giving people back missing teeth or tooth function. This naturally brought me to placing standard-diameter (as opposed to "mini," meaning 2-2.5 mm) implants where they are called for. I place BioHorizons implants, and Intra-Lock mini implants, due to their high quality and design.
In 2020, a terrible year for public health at large, I embarked on a journey of implant mastery, with the help of Dr. Arun Garg, and his Implant Seminars program. Implant Seminars is an intensive lecture and hands-on series of two-day courses, taught by one of the world's leaders in implant research and practice. First I took the Continuum, but as soon as that was completed, I signed up for the Mastery series. The ways in which dental possibilities have opened up are hard to overstate. I complete this series in March 2021. In April, I, along with my two amazing dental assistants, Jeri and Ryian Christman, will be heading to Dr. Garg's clinic in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic to gain valuable experience and deliver much-needed dental implant treatment for patients. We are over-the-moon excited about this journey.
I am also a member of the International Dental Implant Association. There are many other highly enriching programs which I've participated in over the years. These have formed my practice philosophy and honed my mind and skills such that my confidence to treat my patients like family is high. If you are looking for a dental office that puts a high value on staying current and incorporating the best quality care for you, please give Littleton Dental Care a call today. (603) 444-7761
