Clear Aligners Certification
Dentists
Online | Earn up to 20* CE credits | Tuition $1,495 | Limited capacity
* This number is an estimate. Your regulatory body will issue the credits.
Providing dentists with the skills and knowledge necessary to provide aligner therapy confidently. This comprehensive program covers every aspect of clear aligners, starting with foundational knowledge such as diagnosis and treatment planning, aligner biomechanics, design, and case selection. You'll also learn the techniques for capturing traditional impressions and digital scans for orthodontic aligners.
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Overview | What you'll learn | Pricing and details | Faculty
What you will learn
Program overview
Explore a wide range of clinical procedures, including aligner delivery, attachment bonding, interproximal reduction, and attachment removal for retention purposes. Our step-by-step video catalogue provides a detailed visual guide to these procedures, ensuring you gain confidence and expertise in providing aligner therapy.
But it doesn't stop there! Our course goes beyond clinical aspects and delves into innovative marketing strategies to help you grow your clear aligner practice. Gain insights into effective marketing techniques that can take your practice to new heights of success.
With our clear aligners course, you have the flexibility of online learning through our user-friendly eClass platform. The course is self-paced and self-study, eliminating the need for in-person attendance. Upon completion of the online component, you'll participate in a live, synchronous online presentation session, where you can discuss your cases with instructors and peers.
These personalized sessions, scheduled on designated evenings, follow a one-on-one "grand rounds" format for participant case presentations. Seize the opportunity to showcase your cases, receive expert guidance, and learn from your peers. Availability for these sessions is on a first-come, first-served basis.
Take your dental practice to the next level with our clear aligners course. Start your journey today!
Learning objectives
On completion, our goal is to ensure participants:
- Understand basic principles of orthodontic tooth movement and clear aligner therapy
- Exposure to orthodontic records necessary for ordering clear aligners
- Acquire knowledge and confidence in photography necessary to begin clear aligner treatment
- Exposure to utilizing digital software in a treatment plan for clear aligner therapy and the digital workflow
- Become knowledgeable with the clinical procedures for bonding engagers and interproximal reduction
- Understand the principles, theory, and procedures of intraoral optical scanning technology
- Exposure to information on the incorporation of the digital flow into daily practice
- Discuss business skills needed to implement aligner therapy in the office
- Develop judgment regarding case complexity - indications and contraindications to consider
Continuing grand rounds
Although there is no case competency requirement following completion, we recognize that there is much learning ahead for participants to achieve a high level of confidence and competency to provide aligner therapy. Accordingly, the course provides continual mentoring and case discussion for participants to engage in a Grand Rounds format and benefit from case presentations from other participants, troubleshooting, and working through case complexities. Clinicians will find tremendous value in continued participation in Grand Rounds to assist their management and case setups in comparison to commercially available treatment planning services.
Syllabus
Course material is presented in two parts to allow clinicians to gradually advance toward the treatment of more complex cases. Select portions of the course are offered to Dental Assistants and Hygienists to allow for whole office education in clear aligners with the overall goal of providing aligner therapy as an office team. Following each session, online Grand Rounds will be conducted to allow participants opportunities to present and discuss their cases as well as learn from others. The case competency requirement of six cases after each part allows participants to learn in a mentored environment. Participants can discuss, troubleshoot and otherwise interact with Faculty regarding their aligner patients and experiences.
Part one
The first part of this series provides essential fundamental information regarding orthodontic aligner therapy with the ultimate goal of preparing participants to start providing aligner treatments for mild crowding. The comprehensive list of topics covers all aspects of patient records, clinical examination, photography, impressions, and others to provide a broad education for the general dentist and office team to embark on their clear aligner care journey.
Topics covered in part one include:
- History and Evolution of Aligners
- Introduction to Clear Aligner Basics and Terminology
- Goals of Clear Aligner Therapy
- Identify Clear Aligner Cases in Practice
- Fundamentals of Diagnosis and Treatment Planning – Patient Exam
- Model Analysis and Bolton Estimation
- Record Taking for Clear Aligner Treatment – Overview
- Clinical Photography for Clear Aligners
- Making Impressions for Clear Aligners – Traditional and Digital
- 2-Phase Impressions for Clear Aligners
- Digital Techniques for Clear Aligners
- Delivering the First Set of Aligners and Homecare
- Attachments: Use and Placement
- Interproximal Reduction (IPR)
Part two
Part two goes into more depth on clear aligners covering advanced diagnostics, detailed aligner staging, troubleshooting, revisions, overcorrection and other advanced topics.
Topics covered in part two include:
- Basic Cephalometric Analysis and Interpretation
- Basic Aligner Biomechanics
- Biology of Tooth Movement
- Treatment Staging
- Presenting Treatment Options
- Monitoring Treatment Progress and Troubleshooting
- Refinement, Revision, and Midcourse Corrections
- Evaluating Treatment Completion
- Treatment Completion: Removing Attachments and Retention Techniques
- 7-Steps to Increasing Aligner Case Flow
The case competency requirement of six cases allows participants to learn in a mentored environment. Participants can discuss, troubleshoot and otherwise interact with Faculty regarding their aligner patients and experiences. Following the completion and documentation of six cases, participants are eligible to receive a certificate of completion in Clear Aligners and to move onto the advanced applications of Clear Aligners.
Questions?
Contact us at dentce@ualberta.ca
Pricing and details
Prerequisites
- Doctor of dental surgery (DDS) or doctor of medicine in dentistry (DMD) degree
- Letter of good standing from your local regulatory authority or a copy of your current practice permit
- Out of province: Active practicing license from your Canadian dental regulatory authority
Past participants
We have combined parts one and two into one comprehensive course. If you have already taken part one you are eligible to receive a $495 credit towards completing our full clear aligner program.
Disclaimer
Online materials are accessible for one year.
Our leading instructors
Dr. James Mah
program director in orthodontics and OSA
Dr. Mah, DDS, MSc, DMSc, BSc, is a clinical professor and the program director in orthodontics and dean of dentistry at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. His research is focused on 3-dimensional imaging and modelling for diagnosis, treatment planning and therapeutics as well as anthropology and forensics.
He has been involved in the research and development of 3-D facial imaging devices, intra-oral scanners, CAD/CAM applications in dentistry and cone-beam CT scanners.
He obtained his doctorate of dental surgery, master of science degrees and his certificate of specialization in orthodontics from the University of Alberta. Following he graduated from Harvard Medical School with a doctorate of medical science degree and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in the department of orthopaedics at Children's Hospital, Boston.
Mah has authored numerous publications, textbooks, and book chapters and regularly presents nationally and internationally. In addition, his work has been featured in the Los Angeles Times, The National Post, Tech TV and Men's Health. He also reviews for the Journal of Clinical Orthodontics, the American Journal of Orthodontics & Dentofacial Orthopedics and other dental journals.
Dr. Melissa Shotell
Orthodontist
Dr. Melissa Shotell, DMD, MS, is a board-certified orthodontist and practices in a multi-specialty practice in Sonora, California, focusing on the interplay of orthodontics and restorative treatment. Shotell received her doctor of medicine in dentistry at Nova Southeastern University and a general practice residency certificate from Ohio State University.
After spending years in general practice treating a broad range of patients, Shotell returned to complete a certificate and master’s degree in orthodontics from Loma Linda University. There, she focused her training on cutting-edge three dimensional imaging technology for diagnosis and treatment planning for interdisciplinary dentistry.
Shotell considers education to be her passion and regularly consults and lectures on dental technology, clear aligner therapy, orthodontics, in-office clear aligners, office efficiency and workflow, and teamwork. She shares tips and tricks on orthodontics and clear aligners on social media as alignerbee.
Questions?
Contact us at dentce@ualberta.ca
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