The College is currently accepting applications for its Postgraduate Diploma in Primary Care Orthodontics, starting in April 2023.
The comprehensive Level 7 programme is designed to give General Dental Practitioners the skills and knowledge needed to treat more complex malocclusions, including extraction cases, taking them up to just below specialist training level. It covers all appliance systems – fixed functional, aligners, lingual and Inman – and includes both the theory and practical aspects of orthodontic care.
Through a combination of lectures, seminar and practical sessions, the syllabus includes:
- Records, assessment, diagnosis and treatment planning
- Treatment planning for Class I, Class II div1, Class II div 2 and Class III malocclusions
- Radiography – Ceph/OPG/CBCT
- Fixed appliances
- Lingual appliances
- Removable appliances
- Functionals
- Retention
- Aetiology of malocclusion, growth & development
- Development of the dentition and tooth movement
- Dental material & biomechanics
- Multidisciplinary care, including restorative, periodontics & surgery
- Critical reading skills
- Health education, health & safety, legislation and audit
- Marketing and practice management
During the programme, which is limited to 12 places, students will discuss multiple new cases, participate in hands-on practical sessions and weekly online planning discussions, and will be given one-to-one mentoring by the course lead for ten treated cases. The 2023-25 programme is supported by six training blocks of 3-4 days each in April, September and November 2023, and February, May and September 2024.
The programme is delivered by IAS Academy and led by Professor Ross Hobson, a specialist orthodontist, former Head of Orthodontic MSc/Specialist training at Newcastle University, and former Chair in Orthodontics at the University of Central Lancashire. He holds a Master’s in Dental Surgery and PhD from Newcastle, a Membership in Orthodontics at the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, is a Fellow of the College of General Dentistry, the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh and the Royal College of Surgeons of England, and was the first dentist to be awarded the Senior Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy.
To ensure enough case-flow and experience, the course is recommended for dentists who have treated at least ten fixed cases, are treating a minimum of ten orthodontic cases per annum, and are familiar with using fixed appliances. Assessment will take place throughout the 120 credit programme, with a final examination held by the College.
In January, the College will be running three online Introduction to Orthodontics seminars presented by Prof Hobson. All three will be available free of charge to all dental professionals to watch live (prior registration required), and College members will also be able to watch them on-demand after broadcast, and can also claim free CPD certificates:
- Introduction to orthodontics: Assessment, Diagnosis and Case Selection (17 January 2023, 7pm)
- Introduction to orthodontics: Fixed appliances and functionals (24 January 2023, 7pm)
- Introduction to orthodontics: Retention (31 January 2023, 7pm)
