The Advanced Orthodontics course is a comprehensive, 120-credit, Level 7 programme leading to the award of the CGDent Postgraduate Diploma in Primary Care Orthodontics.
Delivered by IAS Academy, it 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.
In addition to lectures, students will discuss multiple new cases, participate in hands-on practical sessions and receive one-to-one mentoring by specialists for ten treated cases. The syllabus, which is delivered across six 3-4 day training blocks as well as weekly online planning discussions, 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
This training block is specifically for candidates accepted onto the 2026-28 cohort of the diploma course and is limited to 12 places. 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.
The College of General Dentistry, Tom Bereznicki Charitable Educational Foundation and Dentsply Sirona would like to congratulate the successful candidates of the inaugural Tom Bereznicki Award for Advanced Aesthetic Dentistry.
The competition, which recognises aesthetic dentistry skills and patient care, was open to dentists who qualified in the UK or Ireland between 2019 and 2023, or who qualified overseas between 2019 to 2023 and had been practising in the UK for at least the two years.
The 19 winning entrants are:
Dr Cordelia Ashby
Dr Milton Justinsuthakaran
Dr Golasa Sheikh Akbari
Dr Alastair Campbell
Dr Nafeesa Khan
Dr Arav Soin
Dr Nathaniel-Edouard Davidson
Dr Adam Kingsley
Dr Mojgan Talibi
Dr Farah Elnaqa
Dr Emily Lawton
Dr Nickhalas Tan Chun Khye
Dr Puyan Heydari
Dr Ronan Lee
Dr Jarmima Uddin
Dr Victoria Hillson
Dr Tendai Manangazira
Dr Abida Islam
Dr Parth Patel
To enter the award, participants each submitted an aesthetic case which involved more than one tooth, including at least one anterior tooth, and the use of composite to restore teeth. Cases also followed a mainly analogue workflow. Cases entered featured a range of restorative treatments including those for diastema,severe tooth wear, and peg shaped laterals. View all successful cases here.
A selection of the winning cases which illustrate a range of different types of cases entered in the competition. Cases submitted by (L-R): Dr Nafeesa Khan, Dr Mojgan Talibi, Dr Cordelia Ashby
The assessors scored each case based on a set of assessment criteria which allocated points to overall improvement in the patient’s oral health, the standard of aesthetic treatment, the complexity of the case and the quality of the entrant’s reflection.
The successful candidates will each receive a fully funded place on a bespoke, hands-on two-day digital dentistry course next month at the Dentsply Sirona Academy in Weybridge, Surrey. Travel costs, hotel accommodation and subsistence are included in the prize, which is worth around £2,000 per place.
Dentsply Sirona is the world’s largest manufacturer of professional dental products and technologies.
Dr Bereznicki commented:
“I would like to thank everyone who entered our first competition for early career dentists, and congratulate the successful candidates. We were impressed by the high standard of entries we received as well as the interesting and wide variety of aesthetic cases. I am sure the winners, and their patients, will all benefit immensely from the intensive hands-on course on Digital Dentistry, which has been generously supported by Dentsply Sirona.”
Further details about the award are available on the award web page. To register your interest in next year’s award and receive a notification as soon as the competition opens, sign up to our notification list.
The College recently hosted a Leadership Development Masterclass for dental professionals.
Professor Sreenivas Koka FCGDent presenting to participants at the CGDent Leadership Development Masterclass
The masterclass taught some of the most critical elements needed to be an effective team leader, with carefully curated content offering appropriate breadth and depth for early-career leaders, including
Giving and receiving feedback as a leader
Learning one’s motivations for leadership (and adapting accordingly)
Measuring your leadership effectiveness
The one-day programme, which took place at the Royal Society of Medicine in London on Tuesday 14 October 2025, was restricted to Full Members, Associate Fellows and Fellows of the College and was attended by members from across the dental team.
The event was led by Professor Sreenivas Koka DDS MS PhD MBA MAS FACD FCGDent and Professor Elizabeth Carr MAADH DHA FACD(Hon) FCGDent.
Professor Koka is co-founder of Executive Leadership Enterprises and the Future Leaders in Prosthodontics (FLiP) programme, and founder of both the Shaping the Future of Implant Dentistry (SHIFT) leadership workshop series and the non-profit Career Design in Dentistry organisation. He is also a former Chair of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Sloan School of Management Alumni Board. Dean of the University of Mississippi School of Dentistry from 2021-2024, he has been a lecturer at the University of Michigan and University of California Los Angeles, and a professor at Loma Linda University, the University of Nebraska and the Mayo Clinic. In addition to qualifying as a Doctor of Dental Surgery, he holds a Master’s in Prosthodontics from the University of Michigan, an MBA from MIT, a Master’s in Applied Sciences from Johns Hopkins University and a PhD from the University of Nebraska. He was the founder and owner of Premium Dental Editing in Rochester, Minnesota, and of Koka Dental Clinic in San Diego, and is the author/co-author of over 100 peer-reviewed articles and nine book chapters. A Fellow of CGDent, he was brought up in Romford, emigrated to the United States at the age of 19 and is one of 16 dentists in his family.
Professor Carr is Chair of the Department of Dental Hygiene, Professor of Dental Hygiene and Director of the Mississippi Population Oral Health Collaborative at the University of Mississippi School of Dentistry, where she has worked for over 20 years. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Dental Hygiene and a Doctorate in Health Administration from the University of Mississippi and a Master’s in Dental Hygiene from the University of Tennessee. She has also completed the MIT Sloan School of Management’s Executive Certificate programme in Leadership and Management. A Fellow of the CGDent, she is also an Honorary Fellow of the American College of Dentists, a past President of the Mississippi Dental Hygienists’ Association, and a member of the American Dental Hygienists’ Association and the American Academy of Dental Hygiene. Her peer-reviewed articles on leadership and dental education have been published in the Journal of the American College of Dentists, the Journal of International Oral Health, the Journal of Prosthodontic Research, the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry, the Journal of Dental Hygiene and the Journal of Dental Education.
Professor Koka is also the guest editor of the next issue of the Primary Dental Journal (PDJ), which will be published later this year on the theme of leadership, and co-author of its paper ‘Oral health in the context of patient well-being: Implications for the general dentist’. Professor Carr is the author of ‘Effectively managing difficult conversations with patients and dental teams’. Both are co-authors of ‘Everyday leadership’.
Simon Thornton-Wood PhD, Chief Executive of the College, said:
“To practise dentistry requires years of education, yet people can take on leadership roles with little or no training at all. First-time and second-time dental leaders are challenged because other people’s actions now define them; the potential to fail in a leadership role is high and the consequences can be significant.
“Leadership can be taught and learned, so we were delighted to be able to host this masterclass, and privileged that it was delivered by two College Fellows who are world-leading scholars in the art and science of practising leadership in the context of oral healthcare delivery.”
To be eligible to submit a portfolio for assessment, applicants must have at least five years’ post-qualification experience in Restorative Dentistry, and must hold Associate Membership or Full Membership of the College at the time of application. Non-members should first join the College and should allow up to two weeks for their membership application to be validated and processed.
They will then need to submit:
A log of training meeting the requirements below.
Six cases meeting the specifications below.
A comprehensive CV detailing at least five years’ post-qualification experience in roles with the appropriate responsibilities and clinical environment to meet the expected standard of patient care.
Training requirements
Applicants must have:
Completed 165 hours of verifiable training consistent with RQF Level 7, set out in a training log which details the hours and attaches the evidence for each of the required topics below, or
Completed an accredited postgraduate qualification of at least 60 RQF credits for which the transcript demonstrates coverage of the required topics below, or
Successfully completed a recognised Royal College Diploma examination
Applicants submitting evidence of training undertaken before 2010 must also provide evidence of at least 50 hours of Enhanced CPD relevant to restorative dentistry undertaken in the last 5 years.
Required topics:
Patient assessment, history and treatment planning and communication
Principles and application of occlusion
Smile design
Tooth whitening
Anterior direct restorations
Posterior direct restorations
Clinical photography
Anterior direct restorations
Posterior direct restorations
Indirect restorations – crowns, onlays and ceramic veneers
Management of tooth surface loss
Replacement of missing teeth
Endodontics
Periodontics
Contemporary caries management
Case specifications
Applicants must present a total of six anonymised cases, all undertaken within the past five years. The first three must demonstrate, respectively, endodontic, periodontic and prosthodontic management. The remaining cases can be in any of these three disciplines, however no more than half of the total number of cases may be submitted from any one discipline.
Endodontic cases must demonstrate at least one of the following:
a multirooted tooth with root curvatures 30 – 45 degrees
a tooth with canals deemed non-negotiable in the coronal third, but patent thereafter, as evidenced clinically and radiographically
a multirooted tooth with a canal length exceeding 25 mm
a tooth with incomplete root development
re-treatment of a previously treated tooth, with evidence of patency beyond an existing short root filling, provided there are no complicating factors from earlier treatment
removal of a fractured post (less than 8 mm in length)
Periodontic cases must demonstrate one of the following:
Treatment of generalised stage II, III or IV periodontitis that has true pocketing of 6 mm or more showing BOP <10% and PPD < 4mm at 1 year after treatment
Management of gingival enlargement non-surgically with a minimum of 1 year post operative review: showing BOP <10% and PPD < 4mm at 1 year after treatment
Management of a peri implant mucositis case with a minimum of one-year postoperative review showing ≤ 1 point of BOP and absence of suppuration
Management of furcation defects and other complex root morphologies when strategically important (in more than one sextant) showing stability at 1 year after treatment e.g. <10% BOP and PPD <4mm at a 1 year post operative review
Periodontal treatment that includes pocket reduction surgery in more than 1 sextant
Prosthodontic cases must demonstrate one of the following:
Occlusal reorganisation is necessary, and medium-term stability is achieved through plastic restorations, removable appliances, or both
Occlusion requires careful management to avoid premature failure of restorations (e.g., guidance for multiple restorations)
Replacement and temporisation of multiple fixed restorations, where oral condition stability/control may be at risk
Addressing anatomical challenges related to soft tissues
Compromised health of denture-bearing soft tissue
Raised or critical aesthetic or functional expectations/needs
Definitive replacement of at least three teeth involving pre-prosthetic procedures, such as: (i) abutment optimisation (ii) minor oral surgery procedures (iii) occlusal adjustments
Consent
For each case, applicants must ensure that they have the consent of the patient for inclusion in their portfolio. The bespoke Patient Information Sheet and Patient Consent Form should be used to ensure informed participation.
To submit their application, applicants will need to upload their case presentations, CV and training log (or equivalent), and pay a non-refundable Assessment Fee of £600.
Assessment will be centred around the evidence submitted, with specific emphasis on the case selection, and will include a case-based discussion. This will be undertaken by a panel of two suitably qualified assessors with experience of assessment for Postgraduate Diploma qualifications.
A successful portfolio will qualify the applicant for Associate Fellowship of the College and in addition will satisfy the Clinical & Technical domain of Fellowship. The applicant will also be able to add their successful portfolio to the College’s Register of Members and Fellows as a recognised qualification. If an application is unsuccessful, the applicant may be able to request a review by a separate panel, for which an additional Review Fee of £200 would apply.
Dr Nathaniel-Edouard Davidson, Associate Member of the College and winner of the inaugural CGDent-GC Award, reflects on what he learntat the first Introduction to Occlusion Symposium and why you should go to the next one.
When I first saw the announcement for the Introduction to Occlusion Symposium, I was not sure if it was for me. Occlusion felt like one of those important, yet complex (and slightly intimidating) areas of dentistry where it’s difficult to apply the extensive teachings in day-to-day practice. However, after dealing with a rising number of fractured restorations, TMJ complaints, and patients reporting muscle soreness and headaches, I realised I needed to deepen my understanding.
From the moment the first lecture started, it was clear this was not just a day of theory. The symposium tackled real-world challenges that many of us face every day in practice. The sessions covered everything from the history and implications of occlusal disease to practical techniques for restoring worn dentitions; always maintaining a strong focus on understanding the “why” behind the “what.”
The first Introduction to Occlusion Symposium in London, 5 April 2025
What stood out most
One of the key points from the day was to focus on the high prevalence of occlusal disease, which is even more common than caries or periodontal disease. There are many signs that indicate the presence of occlusal disease, such as fractured cusps, worn-down restorations, mobility, gingival recession, abfraction lesions, TMJ pain, headaches. These issues often seem unrelated, however, the symposium effectively demonstrated how these issues are in fact interconnected.
“A single night of bruxism can cause as much damage as a lifetime of chewing”. This significant insight was discussed, along with how the loss of proprioception during sleep can result in forces generated by nocturnal clenching increasing tenfold. This may explain the rise in failed restorations and unexplained wear.
Practical knowledge I’m already applying
One of the best aspects of the symposium was the clear, actionable treatment planning advice. We discussed the importance of the “Five Laws” for an ideal occlusion and successful occlusal appliance:
Mutually protected occlusion
RCP = ICP around the retruded axis position
Anterior guidance
No non-working side interferences
Posterior stability
Frameworks like these make managing occlusion more straightforward.
We also explored how to manage occlusal wear with restorative approaches. One fascinating technique that stood out was the use of additive composite canine risers. We can maintain the intercuspal position, but through the use of composite additions to the canines we can reintroduce anterior guidance – this alone can disclude posterior teeth and prevent further wear. It’s simple, it’s effective, and it’s something I can do in day-to-day practice.
The symposium clarified occlusion terminology, particularly centric relation (RCP) versus intercuspal position (ICP). I now understand that while ICP is used for day-to-day dentistry, centric relation is stable and reproducible for complex treatments. Knowing when to use each position and whether to conform or reorganise has improved my approach.
The rule of thumb we learnt
Reorganise: when there is heavy wear, multiple restorations, TMJ symptoms, or a need to increase vertical dimension.
Conform: when the five laws of ideal occlusion (as mentioned above) are met, when there are fewer restorations to carry out, or when there are potential financial constraints.
What I’ll do differently now
Since attending the symposium, I have already started using articulating paper markings in both RCP and ICP and taking intraoral photos and scans to help with diagnosing current or potential future occlusal problems. I am more able to practically ‘see’ a reduced envelope of function. Patients who used to report “chipping front teeth” now make me think of reduced overbite and a collapsed envelope of function, rather than just failing restorations and parafunctional habits.
In addition, I am now more proactive about spotting early signs of parafunction, reducing interferences and offering occlusal splints. Perhaps most importantly, I now understand that restoring anterior guidance early might actually save the need for more invasive posterior restorations later. The symposium has motivated me to pursue further learning and has provided clear direction on where to focus my efforts.
Why should you attend the Occlusion Symposium?
This symposium did more than just teach occlusion – it sparked a genuine interest in the subject and gave me practical tools I can use right away. It is easy to overlook occlusion in favour of more popular topics in dentistry, but this symposium reinforces that getting the fundamentals right is what leads to predictable and long-lasting results.
If you are on the fence about attending a future occlusion symposium, I would say this: do it. Whether you are early in your career or years into practice, the insights you will gain are invaluable. If you are a Principal of a practice, why not encourage your Associates to attend? It is not just about protecting teeth, it is about treating the whole system, understanding function, and elevating the quality of care you can provide.
The next Introduction to Occlusion Symposium will take place in Edinburgh on Saturday 1 November 2025. Open to all dental professionals and with six hours’ CPD, tickets are just £90 for those who qualified between 2020 and 2025, and £110 for all other attendees. For further information, and to book your place, visit our event page
The College has launched a new portfolio-based route to joining its Fellowship community.
The new route, which will be available in relation to specific fields of practice, means that both Associate Fellowship and the Clinical & Technical domain of College Fellowship can now be achieved through recognition of a wealth of clinical experience and expertise, not just advanced qualifications.
Under the new scheme, those with at least five years’ post-qualification experience in the discipline for which they are applying, and who meet the specification for prior training, can submit a portfolio of six suitably complex cases, undertaken within the past five years, for assessment. The expected standard for cases is that which would be achieved with a relevant 120 credit, Level 7 Diploma or at Level 2 clinical complexity.
As well as qualifying the applicant for Associate Fellowship and the Clinical & Technical domain of Fellowship, a successful portfolio can also be published as a recognised qualification in the College’s Member Register.
Both Associate Fellowship and Fellowship of the College are open to dental professionals in all team roles.
Associate Fellowship acts as a stepping stone to Fellowship, recognising enhanced knowledge and skills as well as a commitment to lifelong learning and the highest levels of patient care. As members of the College’s Fellowship community, Associate Fellows are eligible to attend its prestigious Fellows’ Receptions, have the opportunity of ceremonial admission by the College President and may use the postnominal ‘AssocFCGDent’.
All those holding an eligible qualification can become an Associate Fellow without the need of portfolio assessment. These are:
a relevant PhD, Master’s degree or Postgraduate Diploma meeting the College’s eligibility criteria
Specialty membership of a Royal College or Royal College faculty
Membership in General Dental Surgery (MGDS)
Diploma in Postgraduate Dental Studies (DPDS)
CGDent Diploma in Primary Care Orthodontics
FGDP(UK) or RCS Edinburgh Diploma in Implant Dentistry
FGDP(UK) Diploma in Restorative Dentistry
FGDP(UK) Diploma in Primary Care Oral Surgery
Fellowship is the most distinguished membership of the College and is recognised with the postnominal designation ‘FCGDent’. It is a mark of excellence; significant commitment to the science, art and practice of dentistry; and distinction across clinical and professional domains. All dental professionals with ten or more years’ post-qualification practice may apply for Fellowship by route of experience, and to be successful applicants must provide evidence of meeting the requirements of three of five domains:
Clinical & Technical
Teaching, Learning & Assessment
Leadership & Management
Publications & Research
Law & Ethics
The Clinical & Technical domain is automatically satisfied without the need of portfolio assessment for those who meet one of the eligibility criteria for Associate Fellowship described above, or who have qualified as a:
Specialist (with demonstrable referral activity)
Member of the Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgery
Fellow of the American Academy of Implant Dentistry
Accredited Full Member of the British Academy for Cosmetic Dentistry.
Applications for portfolio assessment are now being accepted in Restorative Dentistry. Portfolios in Implant Dentistry will start being accepted early in 2026, with those in Orthodontics thereafter.
To find out more, and to apply, click the button below:
The next College Fellows’ Reception, incorporating the ceremonial admission of new Associate Fellows and Fellows, will take place on the evening of Thursday 5 February 2026 in London. For details, visit cgdent.uk/events
Early bird discount ends at midnight on 26 May 2026!
“I thoroughly enjoyed it, very important topic that’s not always fully understood! All the speakers spoke about occlusion in a comprehensive manner that I understood.”
The secrets of successful, long-term restorations
A solid understanding of the principles of occlusion is crucial for the provision of successful, long-term restorative treatments for tooth wear and other conditions. This one-day symposium on the fundamentals of occlusion, first hosted in London and Edinburgh last year, aims to enhance your knowledge in this field. You will leave the day with a deeper knowledge of the basic principles of occlusion and an introduction to a range of postgraduate courses you may wish to consider undertaking to further elevate your skills.
“The best day course I have been on – such big names all presenting in one venue. Learned loads and it has inspired me to learn more about occlusion.”
Symposium fee
The fee includes lunch and refreshments.
Early careers (qualified 2021-2026): £90
Dental professionals: £225£175 Early Bird Rate ends midnight 26 May 2026
Students*: FREE
*A limited number of free places are available for students who graduate after 2026. If you graduate in 2026, you will need to purchase an ‘early careers’ ticket.
Verifiable CPD: approx 6 hours
Book now – sign in or register a free College Subscriber account then refresh this page.
You are invited to visit our trade exhibition and education stands in the breaks to find out more about high-quality postgraduate courses available to you.
Lunch and refreshments
A two-course buffet lunch will be provided and tea/coffee, pastries and cakes are available during registration and throughout the day.
Prayer rooms
Separate male and female prayer rooms will be available. Please bring your own prayer mat.
Manchester Conference Centre, Pendulum Hotel, Sackville Street, Manchester M1 3BB
By train: Manchester Piccadilly train station is 5 minutes walk from the venue.
Car park: The nearest car park is NCP Manchester Circle Square Car Park located at Circle Square, Oxford Road, Manchester, M1 7ED. A discounted rate is available when paid on the day via the NCP app using a discount code.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Book now – sign in or register a free College Subscriber account then refresh this page.
A full refund will be provided up to 14 days before the date of the symposium. No refund will be issued within 14 days of the event. If you would like to cancel your place and request a refund, please email us at [email protected]
Foundation Nakao – CGDent Award in Coaching and Mentoring
A special opportunity for a fundedthree day short course: strictly limited places available
Establishing a mentor and coaching culture is key to the College’s commitment to workforce diversity, inclusion, and wellbeing. In promoting effective mentoring practice, we aim to foster appropriate support in the career pathway progression for all members of the oral healthcare team.
Now, thanks to sponsorship by Foundation Nakao, generously donated through Prof Avijit Banerjee FCGDent, we can offer a very special opportunity for a three day training course in mentoring and coaching.
The award is open to College members who are registered as a dental therapist, dental hygienist, dental nurse, orthodontic therapist, dental technician or clinical dental technician. Our aspiration is to cultivate a community of College members amongst Dental Care Professionals who are equipped and confident to nurture their peers, and dentist members are therefore asked to support this aim by highlighting the opportunity to dental team colleagues.
The short course will be delivered synchronously online, using the Zoom platform, by UMD Professional, an organisation with more than thirty years of experience with dentistry, medicine, healthcare and law, to establishing coaching and mentoring practices within organisations*.
Course dates
Day 1. Friday 21st November 2025
Day 2. Saturday 22nd November 2025
Day 3 Friday 16th January 2026 (or Friday 23rd January)
Applicants must:
Hold a current membership of the College at the time of application, in one of the registered Dental Care Professional roles. Join today.
Have at least two years of post-qualification experience in the role.
Be available to participate in all three days of the training.
Be prepared to:
apply mentoring or coaching skills between Day 2 and Day 3.
apply the learning to support less experienced colleagues through the College
contribute to the promotion of the experience in mentorship through an article or at a College event.
To apply
Download and complete the application form, which should be submitted by email to [email protected].
The deadline for applications is 5pm Monday 22nd September 2025.
Successful applicants will be informed by email by Monday 6th October 2025.
Foundation Nakao – also known as The Nakao Foundation for Worldwide Oral Health – was founded in Luzern in 2018 by Makato Nakao, Chairman of GC Corporation, a leading manufacturer of dental materials and equipment. GC also partners with the College on the CGDent-GC Award for Foundation Trainees.
Following the success of the Introduction to Occlusion Symposium on 5 April in London, the symposium is travelling north and will take place on Saturday 1 November in Edinburgh.
Introduction to Occlusion Symposium, London
The comprehensive programme will remain the same and will be delivered by the panel of six renowned speakers who impressed delegates at the inaugural symposium in April. It is designed for early career dental professionals but all dental professionals are welcome to attend.
Members of the College are asked to share details of the symposium with friends and colleagues who may wish to attend.
The aim of the event, which has been organised by the Tom Bereznicki Charitable Educational Foundation in conjunction with the College, is to enhance delegates’ understanding of the fundamentals of occlusion and how these principles can support the placement of successful, long-term restorations for patients presenting with tooth wear and other conditions.
Dr Tom Bereznicki FCGDent, Chair of Trustees, Tom Bereznicki Charitable Educational Foundation, explains the move to Scotland:
“We were delighted by the enthusiastic feedback we received from the London symposium which showed that many delegates had left the day with a much clearer understanding of occlusion and the treatment options available, and felt inspired to incorporate what they’d learnt into their practice. We wanted to ensure that colleagues in other parts of the country had the same opportunity to expand their knowledge of this important topic and the decision was made to repeat the symposium in Edinburgh with exactly the same programme and the same inspiring speakers.”
The opening lecture will be delivered by Dr Bereznicki, who will use real failure cases to illustrate what can happen if a patient’s occlusion is not assessed and treated.
Dr Tom BereznickiProf Paul TiptonDr Ken HarrisDr Tif QureshiDr Shiraz KhanDr Koray Feran
Describing the programme, Dr Bereznicki said: “We will be focussing on the basic fundamental principles involved in occlusion, particularly the intraoral occlusal examination which is crucial in treatment planning.”
Alongside the programme of lectures, delegates who wish to develop their knowledge of occlusion further can visit a hand-picked selection of education stands to learn more about leading postgraduate courses available in this field.
To ensure the symposium is accessible to all, the fees have been set at £90 for early career practitioners who qualified between 2020 and 2025, and £110 for all other dental professionals. These fees include lunch.
You can find further information and secure your place by clicking the button below.
The Tom Bereznicki Charitable Educational Foundation, in collaboration with the College, is also hosting a symposium on 20 September 2025 in London. Dr Reena Wadia will deliver the morning session on the topic of pink aesthetics and in the afternoon, Dr Andy Toy will discuss the importance of occlusion in the successful provision of aligner therapy. You can find out more and book your place here.
Dr Andy Toy FCGDent, a general dental practitioner and educator with a special interest in occlusion, highlights the fundamental link between occlusion and the long-term stability of aligner therapy.
Simply aligning a few anterior teeth can significantly alter a patient’s occlusion. Whilst many patients seem to cope with their ‘new bite’, there are others who suffer from TMD, chronic pain or mobile teeth because of their aligner therapy. There are also patients presenting with challenging occlusal problems that could be resolved with the right type of aligner orthodontics. Every aligner case requires the dentist to understand how to diagnose, plan and finish their patients with a healthy functional occlusion.
I will be delivering a half-day lecture at the Perio-Occlusion Symposium on Saturday 20 September, to address issues like these. My presentation will provide a clear and simple approach to occlusion and clear aligner therapy based on over 40 years of learning and teaching. My aim is to help you:
Differentiate between easy and challenging aligner cases
Assess the patient’s TM Joint and occlusion and create a treatment plan to deliver a healthy, functional bite
Know how to finish and retain your aligner cases
Why is Cassie easier to treat than Jim?
CassieJim
If Cassie and Jim walked into your practice, in my experience most novice orthodontists would steer clear of Cassie and see Jim as an easy win. Jim has mild crowding with some wear that’s crying out for your best bonding technique. What a great Align-Bleach-Bond case! Ker-ching!! Cassie has more crowding and, even worse, an anterior open bite? What a nightmare!
In fact, once you do a thorough assessment of TMJ function and occlusion, combined with discovering the patient’s wishes, you would find that Cassie is much easier to treat than Jim.
Why is this? Jim has an edge-to-edge occlusion on a class III base – these cases are often much more difficult than they first appear. The challenge is creating enough overjet to give you space for your bonding and create a healthy envelope of function. You will need to: a) create lots of space in the lower arch with inter-proximal reduction; and b) control the anchorage to maximise the lower anterior retraction.
Case photos: Jim
Cassie simply wants to align her teeth and isn’t bothered by her anterior open bite. Comprehensive assessment of her TMJ and functional occlusion indicates that her bite is healthy. She just needs some levelling and aligning. Simple!
Jeff is another class III case. I used Invisalign Go™ (that is moving 5-5 only and up to 25 aligners) combined with class III elastics to support anchorage and we finished with a great looking result and healthy occlusion. In fact, Jeff is easier to treat than Jim. Can you see why? It’s all down to how you assess a cross-bite. Once you know how, it’s much easier to choose your winners and avoid creating an occlusal cripple.
Case photos: Jeff
Aligner therapy can eliminate occlusal dysfunction
Brenda is not too concerned about her appearance, but she is very worried about the pain she is experiencing and the possibility of losing her teeth. She’s also in her 70s and not overly keen on dental treatment.
Brenda has multiple crossbites, tilted teeth and missing molars. Where do you start? My approach is: thorough assessment and diagnosis of her TMJ function and dynamic occlusion; careful planning of her Invisalign Comprehensive™ treatment; and a patient-centred consent process. That way Brenda knows what the problem is, how we may treat it and what benefits and risks she may encounter as a result. This gives Brenda the confidence to go ahead with the plan and enjoy a healthy, comfortable bite for the rest of her life. Come along to the Symposium and I’ll show you how I used aligner biomechanics on Brenda’s case so that you can apply them on your own patients.
Case photos: Brenda
If you are able to attend the symposium, you’ll be better placed to avoid cases that are beyond your experience level; feel confident that the cases you do treat will have a healthy, functional bite; and sleep better at night. You can find out more and book your place here.
The Perio-Occlusion Symposium takes place on Saturday 20 September in London.
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The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checbox-others
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-advertisement
1 year
The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Advertisement".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
PHPSESSID
session
This cookie is native to PHP applications. The cookie is used to store and identify a users' unique session ID for the purpose of managing user session on the website. The cookie is a session cookies and is deleted when all the browser windows are closed.
viewed_cookie_policy
11 months
The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
wordpress_test_cookie
session
This cookie is used to check if the cookies are enabled on the users' browser.
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
