Demonstrating excellence in advanced learning and patient care

Professional credentials are used to mark one’s knowledge in a particular professional area. Obviously, this signals a higher degree of expertise to patients, but it also signifies a commitment to excellence in continued education and training among peers. This distinction exemplifies dental professionals who hold themselves to a higher standard.

A core tenet of the Academy of Osseointegration’s (AO) mission is to improve the standards of continuing education and clinical practice, as well as facilitate the highest standards in dental implant therapy. Because the AO is synonymous with excellence in implant dentistry, offering a formal credentialing program is a logical step forward, serving not only AO members but implant dentistry at large. The AO Master and Diplomate Certificate program is geared towards incentivizing practitioners to obtain advanced education, training and clinical experience – thus enhancing patient care through highly educated and experienced implant practitioners.

This credentialing program offers surgical, restorative, or a combination of both surgical and restorative certificates in either the Master or Diplomate program of their choosing. Courses that offer qualifying credit for both certificates an be attained from domestic and international university centers, medical schools, hospitals and private practices accredited by the American Dental Association Continuing Education Recognition Program (ADA CERP), or other comparable accrediting organizations approved by the AO. See the Academy’s website for a routinely updated list of participating facilities.

Dr. Hom-Lay Wang, DDS, MSD, PhD, AO President-Elect, spear-headed the development of the new certificate program and describes the purpose of this program as providing a tangible representation of achievement. He explains that earning the AO Master and Diplomate Certificates “exhibits an expertise and skill set that position both specialists and general dentists with a distinct advantage in an increasingly competitive environment.”

However, this distinction doesn’t necessarily demand an especially rigorous or overly daunting process. The requirements for both the Master and Diplomate Certificate levels are well within reach for clinicians who have kept up with continuing education obligations and routinely attend educational conferences and training seminars.

See the recognized 2023 AO Diplomates

Dr. Amerian Sones, DMD, MS, sitting AO President, has also been instrumental in the development of the new AO credentialing program. She encourages all specialists and general dentists to begin the application process and describes the AO Certificates as very obtainable goals. She believes practitioners will find it to be considerably easier to achieve the requirements than perceived at first glance.

“The requirements of the case presentations are what most practitioners would already be doing every single day,” Dr. Sones explains, “and this program will serve to demonstrate their achievements and showcase their years of work and accomplishments.”

The proof of CE requirements is waived for all applicants who qualify as Specialists. Periodontists, prosthodontists, and oral & maxillofacial surgeons are simply asked to provide a certificate or confirmation letter as proof of their specialty certification but must take both the online and oral exams and present cases. And for most general practitioners, the required credit hours are often already achieved through routine attendance at conferences and online courses.

Dr. Want emphasizes the well-rounded design of the credentialing program and describes it as uniquely based in the full scope of science, technology and education relating to implant dentistry.

“The Academy already recognizes this commitment to exceptional performance throughout its membership, and this program continues to serve implant practitioners with observable confirmation of their commitment to the highest levels of education, clinical training, and optimum implant therapy,” he concludes.

A complete description of the program as well as a user-friendly online application is now available on AO’s website at osseo.org.