Continuing education (CE) is an important part of a dentist’s career. While gaining CE credits may be mandatory to meet licensure requirements throughout your career, its benefits are far-reaching. Believe it or not, CE courses are not just a means of improving dental skills and knowledge but also provide opportunities for networking and exposure to new equipment and techniques. CE courses allow you to increase your skill set.

Also, attendees at CE classes are more likely to provide higher quality care because they are more aware of best practices and treatments that can be beneficial for their patients. The patients of these dentists also have higher patient satisfaction scores than the average patient of a general dentist.

On the corollary, if a dentist doesn’t attend CE courses, they’re more likely to be unaware of innovations and developments.

Several studies have found that dentists who attend CE courses are more likely to provide higher-quality care.

Not having enough time is often a reason many dentists and orthodontists steer away taking up more CE courses. The good news is there are several ways to earn credits and build your knowledge without stepping out of your home or practice. Online on-demand courses and webinars allow you to work through the material and learn while keeping up with your current workload or schedule.

Check our OrthoFX’s PACE Accredited CE Courses.

Here are reasons for you to get started on CE credit courses and webinars:

1. You can stay on top of the latest techniques and trends in dentistry.

CE courses provide you with the latest information on new technologies and techniques in dentistry so you can stay on top of the latest in terms of both dental practices and equipment. The medical field is constantly evolving, and CE provides the perfect opportunity to know about improvements that will benefit your patients and practice alike. For example, innovations in polymer and technology have changed how aligner treatments are carried out.

2. You might learn about a new piece of equipment or technology that could benefit your practice and help you do your job better.
Attending CE courses is a good idea if you want better patient care and treatment. New technologies in dentistry, like aligner polymers, are constantly being developed and offer new benefits for patients to experience quicker and more efficient treatments.
Online CE courses can provide you with information about new equipment and technologies that might benefit your practice. For example, AI-driven remote monitoring system can help reduce in-clinic visits and monitor client progress through the app. Knowing about such technologies will help improve your efficiency and make your dental practice more productive.

3. You can get CE credit hours that are required by the ADA or other professional associations you may belong to, such as the American Dental Association or the Academy of General Dentistry.
These organizations require you to complete specific CE hours within your dental career to maintain your credentials and are a great way to get CE credits without taking time away from your practice.

4. Attending CE courses can help you work on any skills or areas of dental practice where you feel you need improvement.

If you have always wanted to learn a new technique or practice method, but didn’t know where to start, CE courses are a great way to get the training you need without having to take much time away from your practice. One of the best benefits of continuing education is that it allows you to practice what you are learning. Practicing what you are learning can be a great way to test out new techniques and learn about a new way of doing things. Having the opportunity to practice makes it more likely that you will be able to incorporate what you have learned into your practice.

5. Continuing Education is more flexible than formal education
It allows you to choose which courses you want to take and when you would like to take them. This can be a great way to fit it into your schedule and not feel like you must miss work or sacrifice other activities to get your CE credits. The flexible nature also allows you to choose the topics that interest you most and the most beneficial for your practice.

6. You get to pick and choose which courses you want to take.
While there are some general categories of continuing education courses, you can also choose the most interesting courses for you. For example, if you are more interested to know how modern practice workflow can help you in your everyday work, you can look for options that teach you just that.

7. You will meet other dentists and dental professionals.
I know we said 6 reasons, but then that’s the advantage of CE – it gives you more than you expect.
CE courses are a great way to network and get to know others in the same profession. Most live sessions and CE programs cater to a similar bunch of professionals and attending a course alongside like-minded people makes it easier to learn from each other.