Join the growing force of AO Masters and Diplomates through AO’s credentialing program

After announcing its new credentialing program at the 2022 Annual Meeting, the Academy has awarded 75 AO Master and Diplomate Certificates. The program awards both certificates to applicants who: 1) complete a defined level of clinical training (i.e. Master Clinician Course or a Diplomate Clinician Course); 2) meet all requirements for certification; and 3) pass AO’s written and oral certification exams for the subject certificate.

As chair of the Global Education Committee, Dr. Hom-Lay Wang, DDS, MSD, PhD, AO Vice President, spearheaded the development of the new certification program and helped to guide the Academy through the initial year of its inception. With the Stated goal of incentivizing practitioners to obtain advanced education, training and experience regarding implant dentistry, Dr. Wang believes in recognizing this achievement for both generalists and specialists and is encouraged to see engagement.

Dr. Joan Otomo-Corgel, Chair of the AO Credentialing Committee, and Dr. Craig Misch, Committee Vice Chair, have successfully developed a thorough testing process that includes both written and oral examinations which cover sic major categories – treatment planning and diagnosis, medical systems/systemic related issues, surgical considerations, prosthodontic considerations, complications and their related management and others such as maintenance, outcomes assessment, etc.

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 around the world for a quarter century. In this span of time, it has set the bar for clinical merit, establishing a standard of achievement that AO members and non-members can rely on and continuously turn to for education and leadership.

See the 2023 Class of AO Diplomates

Why a new credentialing program?
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.

Dr. Lambert Stumpel, DDS, AO Board Director, describes the process of documenting the accumulation of experience and education, during the application process, as potentially being a very confidence building experience since the majority of practitioners have already performed the base criteria to earn either the Master or Diplomate Certificate.

He offers that “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. From the beginning of their education and into the development of their clinical practice, implant dentists assemble a considerable body of work – and through that, an impressive base of clinical achievement automatically builds.”

If you have questions about the AO Master and Diplomate Certificates program, contact the Academy at academy@osseo.org.