As of 2012, I finally made the commitment to begin my dental implant training. It has been an interesting year for it, with some changes along the way, as I’ll cover in later reviews of some CE that I took earlier this year. However, having just completed the Implant Prosthetics course with Dr. Howard Chasolen this weekend, I want to cover this while it’s fresh in my mind.
Course Description & Details
For a complete description of the course, here’s a link to Howard’s website page describing it: Chasolen 2 – Implant Prosthetics. The simple version is this:
Learn how to predictably evaluate, treatment plan, and carry through all types of dental implant-retained and -supported prosthetics, including over dentures, hybrids, fixed crown-and-bridge. These principles hold true, whether you are performing the implant surgeries or not, and are invaluable for both specialists and GPs.
- Tuition: $1495
- Hours: 15
- Attendees: Open to All
- Date: October 12-13, 2012
- Location: Lido Beach Hotel & Resort Sarasota, Florida
A Brief Introduction
This was not the first course by Howard Chasolen that I’ve attended, and it should be stated that I have known Howard for about 7 years as of this writing. I first met him on DentalTown.com, where I’ve been an active contributing member since about 2002. When Howard joined DT and began posting cases, he quickly caught the attention of those interested in dental implants, Biologic Shaping, perio-restorative, and complex case treatment-planning. The threads he started quickly became classics, and are often referenced when someone new joins and has a question on any of those topics. One of his biggest contributions to DT was his Case Evaluation Process, which he calls the Chasolen Quint, which is his own compilation created through his experience and the experience of many other highly regarded lecturers. It is in the interests of disclosure, therefore, that I say that I have counted Howard as both a friend and mentor for many years, and I’m not exactly unbiased in that regard.
Why Implant Prosthetics with Howard Chasolen?
As I’ll discuss in an upcoming review of some earlier dental implant-related CE this year, I knew that I wanted to learn a systematic approach to treating patients who presented with various forms of that common disease known as a “severe titanium deficiency,” whether it be a single missing tooth, multiple missing teeth, or if they’re completely edentulous. Being ADD, if I don’t have a cookbook-style way of evaluating and carrying through the treatment for these patients, it won’t work for me, and that would be bad for patients. What Howard promised in the lead-up to his seminar was exactly what I wanted….a systematic, cookbook-style approach for predictable success, that anyone can apply.
So then the question becomes – did he deliver?
FIVE STAR Dental Continuing Ed
- The location: The Lido Beach Resort is excellent. I got an ocean-view room in the South Tower, and when I walked into the room on arrival, my first thought was, “OMG, how am I ever going to concentrate and learn in this gorgeous location!” About $200/night for the room I chose – spacious, bright and airy, beautiful view of the sunset over the Gulf Coast. The pools are wonderful, white sandy beaches, warm waters, what more could you really ask? The conference room was the typical hotel conference room – nothing crazy one way or the other, but about what you expect.
- Dr. Chasolen as lecturer: Howard will be the first to tell you, he’s no comedian, and he’s very serious and passionate about what he teaches. Don’t expect a laugh-a-long or inspirational stuff, because you won’t get it. When you see his work, you’ll understand his commitment to excellence on a daily basis, and he is a full-time practicing prosthodontist with 20 years of experience under his belt.
- The Material: when it comes down to it, this is why I went, and I came back thoroughly impressed and satisfied that I learned a LOT. Howard presents his material in a very straightforward, repetitive, easy-to-understand format that drives the point home – do your preop diagnostic workup thoroughly and carefully, plan the case with the end in mind, focus on the patient’s chief complaint, and even somewhat complex cases become routine. Yes, he repeats himself, but as he does so, you see how he applies foundational principles to each and every case to gain a predictable result.
- Course Materials/Take-Home: Howard provides each attendee with a full-color, detailed 3-ring binder that is full of well-summarized slides that highlight the key points to remember at each stage of each type of prosthesis, whether removable or fixed. It’s exactly what a beginner like myself needs at this point: a thorough, detailed, step-by-step reference that I can pull out any time I have a case to plan and carry through. He includes forms to use or modify as desired that staff members can use to track case components needed, ordered, used/not used, etc.
In short, Howard delivered on every point promised, to the point that I intend on repeating this course in February 2013 as reinforcement, once I’ve had a couple cases under my belt. In fact, I have a case in progress that I’ll get to start applying these principles on right away, and I feel far more confident about my decision making process now that I’ve attended Howard’s course.