We talk to Dev Patel about the implant dentistry courses available at UCL Eastman Dental Institute and why now is the time to get involved.
Introduce yourself and can you give us some background on your work experience?
My name is Dev Patel and I am an Associate Clinical Professor in Implant Dentistry. I am a dual specialist in oral and prosthetic surgery and academic lead for the implant programs at the Eastman Dental Institute, University College London.
In addition, I am a partner in the Dental Rooms, which is a multidisciplinary specialist dental surgery in Wimbledon.
I divide my time mainly between teaching and clinical practice.
Many dentists will have been thinking about their future careers in the last 18 months. Why is now the right time to consider implant dentistry?
The last 18 months have been a time for many people to reassess their lives. Many spend time and savings to invest in themselves. Seeing yourself on camera on Zoom calls has prompted many to seek improvements to their smile to improve their quality of life.
Implant dentistry provides one of the best treatment options for replacing broken and missing teeth to give patients the confidence to eat, speak and smile without any self-consciousness!
The dental industry is seeing a huge rise. Patients are willing to invest in their teeth and smile. So now is an amazing and truly rewarding time for dentists to invest in their dental education.
How about clinicians who are nervous about dipping their toe into dental implants?
Implant dentistry is an area that we do not teach at the undergraduate level. Like all unknowns, it’s normal to be afraid to begin what is perceived as a very invasive procedure.
We were all in the same boat once upon a time. So don’t let nerves get you down.
Digital technology and innovations in implant systems and biomaterials have simplified implant dentistry to make it easy and predictable for dentists. With good education and training one can evaluate and identify cases that are suitable for beginners. So you can provide treatment safely and confidently.
We run a range of implant courses from short CPD courses to MSc programmes. We have recently introduced a new one-year PG Certificate in Implant Dentistry, ideal for dentists with little or no knowledge of implant dentistry.
It is a blended learning program consisting of two one-week teaching sessions, the rest being taught remotely. This gives dentists from all over the world the opportunity to learn from our implant programs with minimal time out of the office. And a cost-effective option to start your implant training journey.
Our GDC enrolled students have the opportunity to progress to our PG Diploma and MSc in Implant Dentistry in the coming years to continue their implant education journey.
Can you tell us more about the UCL Eastman Dental Institute?
UCL is one of the world’s leading universities. And the Eastman Dental Institute is the largest postgraduate center in Europe dedicated to research and education in dentistry.
We have been providing postgraduate education for over 70 years. And we have particular expertise in developing and delivering postgraduate courses.
Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal opened our brand new state-of-the-art training complex this year.
We have over 80 ghost heads in the multipurpose skill lab. The new lecture theaters are fully equipped with the latest AV and a separate digital lab. In addition, we have eight clinical suites and an on-site CBCT machine for clinical patient education and on-site dentist guidance.
The new site is centrally located and close to major travel links such as Euston Station.
What is the dental implant course like?
We have created a brand new modular course that is a flexible implant training program with a blended learning approach that allows dentists to be able to deal with simple cases.
The first year is the PG certificate, which mainly focuses on patient assessment, digital implant design and implant restoration. It involves simple guided surgery and we teach it in two five-day blocks. And then fortnightly via distance learning.
The second year is the PG diploma program focusing on surgery and advanced concepts. We teach it one day a week on site. This includes actual supervised patient treatment and all clinical supervision is done on a one-to-one basis with our registered specialist teachers. In addition, we are introducing a partnership with implant training centers.
This will allow further clinical experience for students in a dental setting. Each student has a dedicated tutor and will work in small groups for close supervision and support for both academic and pastoral care.
The third-year MSc program is available for high-achieving research-interested students.
You can learn more in one of our free taster sessions.
Many implant dentists find the leap to performing surgery on their own too much. How does UCL Eastman support clinicians after they complete the course?
The main aim of our programs is to instill a sense of confidence in our students to use the skills they have learned in their daily practice.
Our PG certificate is for dentists who prefer the restorative aspects of implant dentistry. Focuses on implant design and restoration.
Our PG diploma focuses on the surgical aspects of implant dentistry and the skill set is to be able to remove a tooth surgically. Most of our teaching staff are specialist prosthetists with surgical skills. They are able to provide training and great support in all aspects of restorative, surgical and implant dentistry.
The new clinical suites will allow us to offer guidance to our students during and after the program to support their learning. In addition, we have a large and active graduate alumni of over 15 years who are available to help and support beginners.
We also run short courses in more advanced procedures such as sinus transplantation and direct loading to complement our main MSc programme.
If I have attended implant courses elsewhere, can I get exemptions?
We are approved to recognize prior learning for the PG certificate in implant dentistry.
If you meet the criteria, you are entitled to exemptions in some of the sections. As well as possible fee discount for PG certificate only.
UCL Eastman Dental Institute offers a range of postgraduate courses including postgraduate degrees, specialist training, certificates, diplomas and CPD courses. Choose your study program.
