Exemplifying excellence and dedication
The Academy of Osseointegration has kicked off a new program that encourages dental professionals to demonstrate their achievements in implant dentistry through scientific knowledge and clinical expertise. The AO Master and AO Diplomate Certificates provide a benchmark for practitioners to measure their own achievement as well as tangibly represent their level of excellence. In this four-part series, AO CONNECT will present different perspectives on why the AO Master and AO Diplomate Certificates provide value to implant practices and how they might leverage a renewed approach to learning and enhance recognition from both peers and patients.
Why is the Academy of Osseointegration perfectly positioned to recognized expertise in the field of implant dentistry? The Academy is acclaimed as a global leader in education and research in implant dentistry and has cultivated a reputation for scientific excellence in more than 70 countries for a quarter century. In this span of time, renowned clinical research pioneers and thought leaders have regularly gathered to provide guidance to this specialized dental community with the goal to expand knowledge and heighten awareness of clinical best practices. In that tradition of furthering excellence, AO has assembled the experts again to establish a standard of achievement that AO members and non-members can easily obtain and utilize throughout their careers.
In recent years, we’ve seen dental implants become a more routine procedure around the world and patient awareness has kept up with this exponential growth. As science has advanced and training has improved and expanded, general practitioners have joined the ranks of dentists who perform dental implant surgery themselves, rather than referring patients to specialists. Since implant dentistry has yet to be officially recognized as a dental specialty by the American Dental Association (ADA) in North America, formal recognition of training and clinical expertise has been diverse. Nonetheless, in the way that medical credentialing and certification represents a well-qualified physician, the surge of implant dentistry has created a similar need for accreditation to validate dental practitioners’ expertise to a growing patient population.
Formal credentialing and certification in implant dentistry is still beyond the scope of professional organizations representing implantology currently. However, the AO Master and AO Diplomate Certificates provide the recognition and endorsement that an elevated standard of knowledge, training and clinical expertise has been met.
For general dentists, this is increasingly essential. The growing number of GPs who seek training and perform implant procedures continue to make inroads into territory that has been primarily occupied by the surgical and restorative specialties.
“There’s no such thing as a ‘Board Certified’ general practitioner,” remarks Dr. Robert Vogel, DDS, AO Board Director. “For those GP’s who have a passion for implant dentistry and offer this procedure within their clinical practice, becoming an AO Diplomate is a big deal. It’s a game changer.”
Dr. Lambert Stumpel, DDS, AO Board Director, describes another benefit of applying for the AO Master or Diplomate Certificate. As the majority of practitioners have already performed the basic case criteria to earn either Certificate, he says the process of documenting this experience for the application is often a very satisfying and confidence building experience.
“This recognition fosters assurance in the dentists’ achievements and at the same time proves to be a very rewarding process – both in applying for and receiving these certificates,” he adds.
From the beginning of their education and into the development of their clinical practice, implant dentists assemble a considerable body of work. After long careers of consuming scientific knowledge from journals and connecting that knowledge with time-sharpened skills, an impressive base of clinical achievement automatically builds.
Former AO president, Dr. Clark Stanford, DDS, PhD, describes another gain in achieving the AO Master or the AO Diplomate Certificate – the self-satisfaction of being recognized for a life’s work well done.
“The best way to understand and reward yourself for that career-long incredible hard work is to aspire to have your peers and your colleagues recognize that wonderful body of work,” he explained, going on to endorse this program as an excellent measurement of career achievement.
These perspectives and others will be examined more closely in upcoming articles in this series. AO CONNECT will continue to highlight in more detail how the AO Master and Diplomate Certificate program can be beneficial to all practitioners who specialize in implant dentistry.
CLICK HERE to get more details about this program and access the application form.