There are a variety of courses available to you across both dental and healthcare disciplines
The Courses
Online courses now available to complete in the comfort of your own home and at your own pace.
LOCAL ANAESTHETIC PRACTICAL MASTERCLASS
6 HOURS vCPD
This course is suitable for all therapists and hygienists who feel in need of a practical refresher, or simply need to gain a bit more confidence.
Arrangements can also be made for those who have never done an ID Block course before – a log will be issued for the completion of 10 supervised IDB’s in your own practice, after which a certificate of competency will be issued
All delegates will have the opportunity to practice giving an ID Block under supervision on another delegate. Infiltration and interpapillary techniques will be covered and practiced if requested.
ANTICIPATED GDC LEARNING OUTCOME: ACD
• Update knowledge of local anaesthetics in order to make informed choices for best practice
• Identify landmarks and practice injection techniques
• Be introduced to relaxation techniques in order to best manage anxious and needle phobic patients, as well as own stress levels.
• Be introduced to some new techniques for painless delivery
• Develop excellence in delivering local anaesthetic by infiltration and interpapilliary. and ID Block
• Problem solve – what to do when your local anaesthetic fails?
Other that have attended this course have commented as below:
‘Very good, very clear information, practical part was excellent’
‘Great course especially the practical aspect’
‘Great teacher’
‘Very Informative’
‘My confidence has improved a lot’
DENTAL RUBBER DAM & FOUR HANDED DENTISTRY
6 HOURS vCPD
As dental surgeries begin to slowly return to carrying out dental treatments, post Covid-19 lockdown, it looks likely that clinical life will be very different for all of us. One thing is for sure we will all need to know how to minimise the risk from aerosols.
In the future, Dental Hygienists might finally be given a chairside nurse, and fissure sealing and ultrasonic scaling will become an Aerosol Generating Procedure (AGP) requiring excellent suction tip placement, retraction and aspiration.
Dental Therapists and Dentists may find that they wish to perform AGP’s using Dental Dam for added protection. (As per NHS and Chief Dental Officer ’s guidelines) This course has been put together to refresh the Dental Professional’s knowledge and confidence in using Dental Dam, as well as encouraging a team approach to its placement.
The four handed /close support dentistry part of this course is designed to promote safer team working, better suction tip placement and instrument transfer techniques.
STRESS MANAGEMENT FOR THE DENTAL TEAM
6 HOURS vCPD
Stress levels in the dental profession are high, likely to go higher and are already having effects both in deteriorating levels of mental well being and in the significant numbers of GDP’s with low levels of job satisfaction. Uncooperative patients, running behind schedule, constant time pressures and dealing with very nervous patients have been ranked highly by dental professionals as the main causes of stress. The needs of the practice in terms of scheduling, income, staffing and quality control, are also prime concerns with the potential for raising stress levels. Since 1998 stressors have included coping with NHS system changes, higher patient expectations, hostile and aggressive behaviour towards staff in the practice.
A study by American investigators demonstrated that 75% of a representative sample considered the practice of dentistry more stressful compared with other professions (O’Shea, Corah and Ayer 1984).
ANTICIPATED GDC LEARNING OUTCOME: ABCD
This course is available separately for dentists, dental nurses, and therapists and hygienists who feel stressed, and maybe even suffering low self esteem, and struggling to fulfil their purpose. It is also available for the whole dental team as an in house training day.
• Have greater understanding of what Health and Well Being is
• Understand what stress is, types, stages, and symptoms
• Understand how stress can adversely affect health, emotions, learning and mental capacity especially memory
• Understand the purpose and importance of managing stress
• Have knowledge of stress management programmes
• Be able to recognize the signs and symptoms of one’s own stress
• Be able to demonstrate different ways of recognizing and dealing with own stress
• Discover and practice simple techniques to aid relaxation and eliminate excessive stress
• Recognise stress in patients and be able to deal with it Improve communication when dealing with patients and team members in order to avoid miscommunication, complaints and/or additional stress
Other that have attended this course have commented as below:
‘Excellent content, and speaker’
‘Thank you Christine, I found the day so helpful’
‘Really useful to find that other people have the same issues as me’’
‘I found lots of practical ways to help myself and others’
‘A new type of course for me, informative and enjoyable. Good interaction, and good value
‘Very good teaching, Engaging , funny and not boring at all’
INTRODUCTION TO ALTERNATIVE & COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIES AS ADJUNCTS IN DENTISTRY
6 HOURS vCPD
This course is suited to any member of the dental team who wishes to have a greater understanding of Alternative and Complementary Therapies and their role in the dental surgery. These techniques are practice builders, whether your practice is private or NHS, these easy to learn techniques can enhance the patient experience. You will be introduced to topics such as:
- Acupuncture – for gag reflex, for relaxation, and TMJ dysfunction
- Hypnosis – for dental and needle phobia, relaxation
- Thought Field Therapy – for negative thought patterns, PTSD and anxiety
- Aromatherapy – for stress, anxiety and relaxation
- NLP – for developing excellence in communication
ANTICIPATED GDC LEARNING OUTCOME: AC
This course includes demonstrations of Acupuncture and Hypnosis. If you are thinking of undertaking further training but not sure which course to take, or whether you are worried that the investment may not be ultimately worth it, this introduction can help you make up your mind. However, there will be lots of tips and information you can use immediately with patients.
• To introduce the delegates to complementary therapies that may reduce anxiety and enhance the patient experience
• To introduce delegates to alternative ways to treat gag reflex and TMJD
• Have an understanding of alternative and complementary therapies and how they can be used as adjuncts in the dental environment
• Practice some simple acupuncture and hypnosis techniques in order to have calmer patients
• Learn about essential oils and how to use them, in order to calm and relax anxious and nervous patients
• Be introduced to Thought Field Therapy and learn how to help a patient reverse psychological trauma
• Be introduced to advanced communication skills that can calm patients, and avoid complaints.
ACUPUNCTURE IN DENTISTRY
A weekend course to learn more about Acupuncture. The difference between traditional Chinese Acupuncture and Western Acupuncture, the meridians and extra points will be covered. . You will learn various needling techniques, and be introduced to the different types of needles. By the end of the weekend you will be able to use acupuncture to relieve an exaggerated gag reflex , treat TMJD, as well as points for relaxation which are an essential starting point for all acupuncture treatments.
HYPNOSIS IN DENTISTRY
A three weekend course, during which you will delve deeper into what hypnosis is and how it works. You will learn and practice, induction, breathing, and deepening techniques , as well as how to use hypnotic interventions to affect change. The safety aspects and choice of patients are covered , and myths about hypnosis dispelled.
MANAGING DIFFICULT DENTAL PATIENTS
6 HOURS vCPD
This course will tackle dealing with and treating very young children, as well as anxiety, fear and phobia. We will look at patients with special needs, and patients with an exaggerated gag reflex. We will look at how to communicate with difficult patients in order to avoid complaints
This course may be of particular interest to dental therapists and dentists, however, it is open to all members of the dental team
ANTICIPATED GDC LEARNING OUTCOME: ABCD
ANXIETY, FEAR & PHOBIA
• Have an improved understanding of general dental anxiety, fear and phobia, how they differ and how to manage patient behaviour
• Develop confidence in dealing with phobic patients
• Improve listening and communication skills
• Describe the difference between anxiety, fear and phobia
• Understand the underpinning reasons for dental and needle phobia
• Evaluate dental anxiety scales and their uses
CHILDREN
• Gain an understanding of the psychology of child development
• Understand what is behaviour management
• Develop confidence in dealing with child dental patients
• Describe some of the techniques used in behaviour management
• Be aware of the influence of parents
• Know how to structure a dental visit
• Improve communication with children – become more aware of tone of voice and body language and how to avoid jargon
SPECIAL NEEDS
• Gain an understanding of what constitutes special needs
• Describe the gag reflex and how to deal with it – techniques for suppressing it and controlling it
• Be aware of Physical and learning disabilities – what can be referred to community dental clinics
• Gain insight into Autism, ADHD, Dementia
• Gain insight in how to deal with tight musculature, nosey tongues, copious saliva