The Program

Each module will be a day of face-to-face (maybe hybrid) tuition, or it will be just online but very interactive - cameras on - and will take you through the topics intensively. 
The lectures will be interspersed with case reports.
Then we will evaluate the 3D simulation and improve it. 
There will be plenty of time for discussion and questions. 
Internet discussion takes place amongst the participants throughout the course, and you will be encouraged to present your own cases and together we will establish a problem list, run through the diagnosis, and try to arrive at a treatment plan or plans. There will also be a monthly online tutorial scheduled where some of your own patients’ ClinChecks can be uploaded and discussed.

MODULE 1

• The Methodology of the 1st appointment.

• What you must discover while your patient is in the chair, beyond the X-rays, photographs and study models, and write into your clinical notes. This is not only essential for diagnosis but also for practicing defensively and for internal marketing.

• Record taking: Photography – taking photographs that will do you proud.

• Interpreting the radiographs. The significance of the mandibular plane angle - dolichofacial, brachyfacial. Lower incisor proclination, adenoids.

• Methodology of diagnosis and treatment planning: establishing a problem list leading to a differential diagnosis. What are the appliances’ capabilities? Movement limits and defaults. Marrying the problem to the appliances’ capabilities.

• Case selection. Class I dental and skeletal problems.

• Smile evaluation.

• Attachments – types, aligner force systems. Which is the most applicable in each situation.

• Some basic biomechanics.  Diagnosing the records of cases you have brought to the course and if you have submitted these cases, working through their ClinCheck simulations together. 

MODULE 2

• Deep bite and how to apply the G5 features to aid in bite opening.

• Application of Newton’s 3rd Law.

• Understanding ideal incisor angulation and the principle of overcorrection.

• Closing an anterior Open bite. This is one of the strengths of aligner treatment, but first comes

• The diagnosis of the open bite; is it the tongue, increased nasal resistance, a skeletal problem, all of the above?

• You will be shown a novel use of attachments as bite blocks to aid in closing an anterior open bite and more biomechanics.

• Strategies to deal with the iatrogenic posterior open bite that may appear. 

MODULE 3

• Monitoring and Troubleshooting.

• Why isn’t it tracking? What’s the cause? Should I have used more attachments or different ones?

• Was it an unrealistic ClinCheck plan with movements beyond predictive values?

• Is overcorrection necessary? How much? Perhaps there is a better setup alternative.

• How is inter-proximal reduction (IPR) done, when should it be done, and to what extent?

• What auxiliaries might get me back on track and how do I apply them?

• At what stage should I consider additional aligners and am I likely to have the same problem happen again?

• Understanding the purpose of elastics.

MODULE 4

• Class II cases. Class IIs are likely to be about a quarter of the cases you see.

• There are different types of Class IIs with a different prognosis so differential diagnosis is important.

• Which ones are less difficult?

• There are various approaches to Class II treatment and so we need to examine the advantages and disadvantages of the different ways and anticipate what could go wrong.

• We will probably need elastics so we’ll discuss that too. 

MODULE 5

• Class IIIs. Do you know the difference between a true Class III and a pseudo Class III malocclusion?

• A pseudo Class III has an excellent prognosis and the mandible soon drops back into Class I and makes you look like a truly gifted clinician.

• A true Class III – we will see why these are more difficult cases.

• There are also the Class I cases with a Class III tendency.

• Aligners can make Class IIIs worse because they encourage an anterior mandibular rotation.

• If you can recognise a Class III tendency, then a single lower incisor extraction might be the best treatment - see how important correct diagnosis is.

• But you need to know how to keep the roots parallel.

• Spacing and interdisciplinary treatment. Why are the teeth spaced?

• Is it small teeth and large jaws or tongue involvement?

• You’ll probably need bonded lingual retainers afterwards, otherwise the gaps are likely to reappear.

• We’ll explore one way to make and place bonded lingual retainers.

• Peg laterals not only look unsightly, they are responsible for Bolton discrepancies.   We’ll look at setting up cases for veneers on the upper peg laterals.

• Before that implant is placed, you’ll need at least 6mm of space and parallel roots. How do you achieve that?  

MODULE 6

• Extraction cases.

• Lower incisor extraction

• Two and four bicuspid extractions and applying G6 protocols

As previously stated, all modules would include ClinCheck reviews along with the records and in addition, discussion of the management of patient expectations and their compliance, appointment scheduling, efficiency, practicing in a way that makes getting sued highly unlikely, retention methods, common mistakes, etc.

The six modules will be delivered approximately a month apart. This is purposely designed so that the lessons of each module can be utilised within your own practice in between our monthly meetings. Too often, in the weeks following an educational course, the momentum wanes and the lessons are slowly forgotten and fall into disuse.

This course not only continues to challenge and proactively teach, month after month, but it also enables you to apply the newly gained knowledge to your current cases between our meetings. Your successes and any difficulties you experience can then be discussed with the other participants over a closed internet chat group. The principle is, that if you throw rocks at the chicken shed roof, the hens will flap their wings and squawk but 10 minutes later, all is quiet. With this course, the rocks will keep coming (and you'll keep learning).