The Importance of Continuing Education for New Dentists

I was a stubborn and rebellious child who preferred learning things hard. When my parents instructed me to turn right, I often turned left. When my prosthodontist father suggested I attend dental school, I said, “No way!” My dad often returned home smelling like intermediate restorative material, and I didn’t like the odor.

I never considered dentistry until after college, when I participated in a two-week humanitarian mission aboard the U.S. Navy hospital ship Mercy. It was an incredible, life-changing experience that sparked my interest in dentistry. However, I still explored a career in sales and marketing for two years before deciding to go to dental school.

Not surprisingly, I took an unconventional path to the Philippines for dental school. I am currently attending the University of Colorado School of Dental Medicine as an international dental student, and I will graduate this December.

“You don’t know what you don’t know.” There have never been truer words of wisdom. Sometimes, I wish I had realized earlier in my life how versatile, unique, and fun dentistry truly is, but I am thankful to have found an occupation that I enjoy. The best part of dentistry is that the more I learn, the more there is to know. Especially with the continuous advancements in dental technologies, it is an exciting time to be a clinician.

Lots of things are changing in the world of dentistry. DSOs are growing at a rapid pace, advancements in digital dentistry are changing the way we practice, and doctors are connecting with patients through social media. The internet is revolutionizing the way we consume information. In the ’90s, people used the Yellow Pages; then Google changed our lives. Now, social media is changing the way people search for services and products.

Those who understand social media are already using it to their advantage. I was inspired to start my dentistry Instagram account after reading “Crushing It!” by Gary Vaynerchuk. Thanks to Instagram, I have connected with many people in the industry, with Spear Education, and with mentors and friends who share my interest in dentistry. I also use my social media to advise pre-dental students and international dentists.

Dental school can be challenging and stressful. As dental students, we face never-ending exams and the struggle to fulfill clinical requirements through the tedious process of waiting in line for faculty approval swipes in between treatments. Before graduation, we must face the grand finale: the wonderfully stressful licensure examination. These are all reasons for the excitement and anxiety of counting the days until graduation. However, wise students will recognize that graduation is the beginning of their education and career.

Recently, at a social event for new dentists, I met a dentist who was a year out of dental school, working as an associate at a local private practice. He confidently told me that he is doing a full-mouth rehabilitation case after watching older Spear continuing education videos. Initially, I was glad he was at least watching the Spear content, but I was taken aback by his confidence when he admitted he had never used facebows in dental school. His confidence was unexpected.

As an international dental student going through dental school, essentially for the second time, I become humbler and almost fearful as I realize that the more I learn, the less I know. Our profession should not be taken lightly, and even the most astute dental student should formulate a plan for continued education to grow toward their clinical goals.

It’s the responsibility of the new generation of dentists to spread accurate information and continue to educate ourselves for the betterment of the profession. New dentists need to take leadership roles in our local communities to create a positive and open environment to further our profession and provide the best treatment for our patients.

Less than 40% of the U.S. population goes to the dentist in a year, and dentistry has historically struggled to create excitement about oral health care. However, as a new dentist, I am optimistic about the future of dentistry. More than ever, dentists can now equip themselves with tools such as social media to spread oral health education and utilize new dental technology, such as 3D printing, to create excitement and efficiency in our clinical practice.

Postgrad CE is essential. The confident new dentist performing a full-mouth rehab resembles a tadpole jumping into the ocean. This is why dentists must adopt the growth mindset and find institutions like Spear to drive for excellence. Beginning our education early in our careers is the key to maximizing our return on investment.

Discovering Spear has changed my perspective on my career and ignited my clinical ambition. The online CE lectures by Spear faculty members, such as Drs. Frank Spear and Ricardo Mitrani, and practice management expert Imtiaz Manji, opened a world of engaging lectures full of contagious passion.

Spear Online for Dental Students, Recent Grads

For dental students looking to supplement their education with Spear Online CE, the material related to occlusion in clinical practice has helped me tremendously.

Occlusion is controversial, and you might be confused by the various opinions. In various courses and videos, Spear Faculty explains occlusion in an unbiased, practical, straightforward, and easy-to-understand manner. You can use this content to supplement your dental school curriculum and gain a new perspective on it.

Meanwhile, Spear’s Foundations membership provides access to a wide variety of content related to improving patient communication and increasing case acceptance. Lessons can be implemented into your dental school clinic, improving patient communication and creating great habits. Concepts such as co-diagnosis can help treatment plan acceptance, even as a dental student.

Best of all, applying what you learn and seeing it happen is the perfect way to grasp and master concepts.