Annual Session Courses

Dr. Brian Nový

Let’s face it, sitting through a lecture about dental caries or caries risk assessment isn’t appealing (in fact it sounds downright boring). However, the science of clinical cariology is beginning to have an impact on restorative techniques and technology. Streptococcus mutans has more to fear than a rheostat, now that we’re armed with salivary diagnostics and bioactive materials.

Objectives:

At the end of this course, participants should be able to:

          •         Intervene medically in the caries process.

          •         Control patient caries risk with focused therapeutics.

          •         Design restorations to minimize recurrent decay.

          •         Improve the prognosis of restorative treatment.

Dr. Ashleigh Briody

After a brief head and neck exam review, this course will cover common entities in oral pathology. Similar entities will be presented side by side, with differences shown to emphasize how to tell them apart. Discussion will include how to recognize precancerous lesions, malignancies and immune mediated diseases, as well as when to treat, how to treat, and when to refer. The session also includes common radiographic findings with comparisons and interesting cases, going more in depth regarding common pathoses and treatment options.

Upon completion of this session, attendees should be able to:

          •         Confidently perform a head and neck/oral cancer screening exam.

          •         Differentiate benign lesions from precancerous and malignant lesions.

          •         Recognize key features that will help tell similar-appearing conditions apart.

Amol Nirgudkar

This course is specifically designed for dentists who want to stay at the forefront of technological advancements and harness the power of AI to enhance the patient journey and optimize practice operations. Discover how AI revolutionizes dentistry, improving marketing, call conversion, diagnosis, case acceptance, revenue cycle, and orthodontics. Learn to operationalize these technologies in your dental office, maximizing patient experience.

Learning objectives:

• Discover effective AI-powered marketing strategies tailored specifically for dental practices to enhance patient outreach and practice growth.

• Learn how to leverage AI technologies to optimize call conversion rates and improve appointment scheduling processes.

• Implement computer vision AI to enhance diagnostic accuracy, treatment planning, and case acceptance.
• Gain a comprehensive understanding of how AI automation can streamline revenue cycle management.
• Explore the role of AI in orthodontics and orthodontic treatment planning.

Dr. Brian Nový                                     

Sometimes it seems as though our patients don’t grasp the basic concept of home care. Other times our patients with impeccable hygiene develop rampant decay and we feel helpless because we can’t figure out what’s going on. The mouth is a remarkable environment that cariologists are finally beginning to understand, and so can you. Come learn everything you didn’t know about plaque and the amazing organisms that make the mouth a wonderful place to work.

At the end of this course, participants should be able to:

          •         Explain the mixed ecological approach to caries causation.

          •         Apply Evidence Based and novel preventive therapies.

          •         Quickly identify high caries risk patients before they develop disease.

          •         Stop “watching” lesions and see them get smaller.

Dr. Ashleigh Briody

In the second half of this course, there is continued discussion on common entities in oral pathology. Similar entities will be presented side by side, with differences shown to emphasize how to tell them apart. Discussion will include how to recognize precancerous lesions, malignancies, and immune mediated diseases, as well as when to treat, how to treat, and when to refer. The session also includes common radiographic findings with comparisons and interesting cases, going more in depth regarding common pathoses and treatment options.

Upon completion of this session, attendees should be able to:

          •         Confidently perform a head and neck/oral cancer screening exam.

          •         Differentiate benign lesions from precancerous and malignant lesions.

          •         Recognize key features that will help tell similar appearing conditions apart.

Dr. Jose-Luis Ruiz

3 CE

It is time to take adhesive minimally invasive bonded bridges seriously! After 30 years of using dental implants, astute professionals have learned that, in many cases, dental implants are neither less invasive nor free of problems. Better understanding of adhesive dentistry, better porcelains and manufacturing techniques are making bonded fix prosthesis a real viable alternative to implants. Learn indications, proper preparation and adhesion of anterior and posterior cases.

Objectives:

• Learn the rationale, benefits, and indications for minimally-invasive bonded fix prosthesis.

• Understand proper choice of adhesives, and restorative porcelains for anterior and posterior bonded fix bridges.

• Preparation design required for bonded bridges, hint; no resistance and retention needed.

Dr. Marko Vujicic

3 CE

Dentistry is going through an important transition. There is a generational shift occurring among dentists, with Baby Boomer cohorts being replaced upstream by Millennials and GenZ-ers who are in fundamentally different practice models and have different mindsets. Larger health care reform, as well as a shift in patient mindset, is bringing significant change to demand for dental care as well. On top of all of this, the shortcomings of the dental insurance model bring major painpoints for both providers and patients. With multiple forces colliding, the profession is at a turning point – even an identity crisis – and there is a need for strong vision and leadership to chart a new course. The status quo is simply not sustainable. This interactive, data-driven discussion will explore key trends reshaping dentistry and debate the possible paths forward for the profession. We will focus on trends in Idaho specifically wherever data are available.

Objectives:

• Identify 3-5 key big picture trends that are bringing change to dental practice.

• Explore how practice modality is changing over time and how trends in Idaho compare to other states.
• Debate the pros and cons of different paths forward for the dental profession.

Dr. Sarat Thikkurissy

2.5 CE

IDAHO SOCIETY OF PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY      

During procedural sedation, one of the most significant adverse outcomes is respiratory depression and resulting distress. This talk with go from a developmental focus of the pediatric airway through pharmacokinetics with common sedative agents through concepts of rescue.

Objectives:

• To understand why the pediatric airway is developmentally at greater risk for Respiratory Depression (RD) than adult during sedation.

• To learn to recognize the hallmark physical signs of RD.

Dr. Sarat Thikkurissy

2.5 CE

IDAHO SOCIETY OF PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY      

A continuation from the morning, Part 2 will include additional discussion will be on mitigation strategies for complications associated with respiratory depression and distress.

Objectives:

• To understand the pharmcokinetics of RD in procedural sedation.             
• Be able to rescue an airway in RD

Dr. Jose-Luis Ruiz

3 CE

Every practice has 5-15% of patients with serious esthetic and functional concerns. These patients need partial or sometimes full rehabilitation. Besides traditionally involves cutting teeth for crowns, making it expensive and complicated. A more practical and healthier approach could be a minimally invasive partial coverage porcelain restorations, combined with composite restorations, managing the occlusal and esthetic considerations.

Learning objectives:

• Learn the many benefits of minimally-invasive rehabilitations, and how to avoid complications.
• Learning techniques for direct composite & partial coverage porcelain rehabilitations.
• Learn when opening VDO is more minimally invasive and esthetic, and how to avoid complications.