Dental News - Q-Implant Marathon: Hands-on courses for implant placement

Dental Tribune USA

Thu. 13 November 2014

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NEW YORK, N.Y., USA: Continuing education in dental implantology has traditionally focused on theoretical aspects. However, since 2003, the Trinon Collegium Practicum (TCP) has organized practice-orientated dental implantology courses based on the model of surgeon training in European hospitals, enabling dentists to gain a firmer grasp of implantology procedures.

Conventionally, entering the field of implantology has proven difficult for many dentists. Typically, it is not a subject of university education with many universities and courses focusing largely on theoretical orientation.

Because of this, establishing oneself within this particular area of dental medicine can prove to be a time-consuming endeavor. Further complicating the matter is the issue that educational and training programs rarely present an opportunity for participants to work directly on patients. This, according to Alfredo Valencia, MD, DDS, scientific director, TCP, has led to implant education placing an increased emphasis on theoretical training. This theoretical emphasis ultimately results in a neglect of practical experience and, more importantly, a general lack of confidence in ability. Because of this, many inexperienced dentists develop a fear of complicated cases and, as a result, a limited learning curve.

Learning by doing

As a result of the growing concern stemming from the lack of practical hands-on implantology courses, TCP teamed up with Dr. Valencia to develop the Q-Implant Marathon. Started in 2003 in Santa Clara, Cuba, the course is designed to be purely hands-on with a real patient experience under strict supervision from internationally renowned surgeons.

Participants with a strong theoretical foundation in implantology spend five days assisting in and performing surgeries. Throughout the course, participants are assigned to small groups (three individuals or less) under direct supervision from the same instructor for the entire duration of the course.

This intimate setting allows for the opportunity for each beginner participant to place 30 or more implants in the span of five days. Advanced levels guarantee 15 sinus lifts per participant and, depending on the level of surgical experience, participants may participate in more complex surgeries such as mono blocks, ridge splits, titanium mesh reconstruction and more.

Patients are prepared and followed up by resident members of the private clinic in which the surgeries are conducted. In most cases, patients are immediately provided with temporary restorations so participants can see the result of the treatment and complete their photographic documentation. The phased approach of the Q-Implant Marathon, which accounts for 60 dental C.E. credits through the Academy of General Dentistry, divides participants into three levels: Beginner, Advanced I and Advanced II.

The Q-Implant Marathon gives dental practitioners an opportunity to learn the relevant knowledge they require in their home clinics. Beginners’ courses focus around basic implant cases whereas surgeons with considerable experience can opt to participate in an advanced course focusing on complicated cases. Regardless of skill level or experience, all students experience the reassurance that they have a highly qualified supervisor at their disposal to discuss cases and assist during surgery. “Learning by doing is the most successful way to gain experience in implantology, and that is why we do it that way,” Valencia said.

Focus on the United States

Today, the hand-on concept has been rolled out in three permanent locations worldwide with one in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and two courses in Asia. In the last 10 years, TCP has hosted more than 2,000 dentists in the Q-Implant Marathon, leading to the treatment of more than 15,000 patients and the placement of more than 40,000 implants.

The decision to conduct these hands-on courses in Santo Domingo is a direct result of the rising number of dental implantologists in the United States and its surrounding regions. Additionally, there is a growing number of patients in this region that demand a high level of care but lack access to adequate dental care. The course in Santo Domingo has been conducted more than 30 times.

The head instructor for the Q-Implant Marathon in Santo Domingo is Valencia, who received his medical degree from the University of Oviedo in Spain. Valencia has more than 30 years of experience in the fields of oral and maxillofacial surgery and stomatology. He is supported by a team of assisting tutors, whom he personally recruited. Most of these tutors have been trained in implantology from him directly. Of his colleagues Valencia says, “I know them well and it is easy for me to work with them.”

Contact information

The Q-Implant Marathon is conducted six to eight times a year in Dominican Republic, Cambodia and Laos. To find out more information about the Q-Implant Marathon, contact Dominika Zmelty at (877) 705-1002, email to dz@implantologycourses.com or visit www.implantologycourses.com.

Upcoming sessions in the Dominican Republic: Feb. 16-20, 2015, and June 8-12, 2015.

(Source: Trinon Collegium Practicum)

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