Thoughtful Dentistry for the Family Practitioner (3 day course)
This will be a three day session (worth 24 RACE Credits) reaching out to all of our DVM veterinary friends (students welcome!) to help build confidence and assertiveness in recognizing oral pathology, identifying ways to relay disease and wellness care to the families that come see us, and maximizing your surgical extraction skills and efficiency (all while minimizing complications and those dreaded swear words that can accompany extractions). There will be lecture, there will be lab (lots of it), there will be practice, there will be mistakes, and there will be success. The old adage “it’s like pulling teeth” of frustration and pain is not by accident… this stuff is HARD! But, there are techniques and support and fun and satisfaction in the whole process and we are here to share that with you.
What to expect:
- Three days of engaged, intimate, personalized learning
- A tooth fairy team that is there for you… there will be no shaming, no condescension… only folks who love to share what they do and your peace of mind is our success.
- An work space that is ready to go at your speed and comfort (aka no sharing of equipment… well, ok, you will have to share the x-ray units but everything else will be right there for you!).
- Skills you can expect to learn (feline and canine):
- Regional anesthesia
- Confidence in finding and diagnosing dental concerns
- Interpretation of dental radiographs
- Mucoperiosteal flap design and preparation
- Surgical extractions
- Tension release and flap closure
- YOUR OWN PACK OF DENTAL INSTRUMENTS TO TAKE HOME. This is the same equipment we use… all the instruments you need heads home with you (so take care of it!).
- Lunches and snacks provided. No one gets to be “Hangry!”
- We will leave at 5 pm. We think half the stress of our jobs is not being able to leave our jobs… it lingers, we linger, life waits… so, we will get going, maximize our day, and we will walk out at 5 pm so everyone can go play, rest, be with family, or take a walk among the paths of Lino Lakes.
What to tell your practice owner/bosses/people with the pocket book:
- This will change your practice. Dentistry is a topic that makes up so much of our daily challenge, yet we often feel entirely unprepared. To perform great oral care no doubt takes time, and as practice owners, it can be hard to be patient while the learning curve is happening (whether it is for ourselves or our associates). Dentistry is hard… we are here to help! We provide practical, hands-on, engaging opportunities to help provide peace of mind in your practice…
- This is expensive. We know. These labs are dang expensive to put on! Oye. But let’s just do a simple equation: increase your dental compliance by one patient a week…
- We really are here to showcase what you can do in general practice and while referral can sometimes be the best choice…
- LASTLY: Please know, we understand that life is complicated out there. As a small business, cancellations/change of dates are difficult to accommodate…
Costs/Registration:
Current cost of $3600 for the 3-day session includes individual lab stations/equipment, printed notes, a full surgical pack to take home (be prepared to have to check your bag if you are flying), and all breakfast/lunch/snacks/deliciousness.
Thoughtful Dentistry for the Family Practitioner (Sept 2026)
- Sept 9-11, 2026 – (Click Link)
The Next Level Dentistry for the Family Practitioner (2 day lab based course for folks who have previously attended the 3 day course)
Let‘s take it to the next level.
You are doing all of the things… you have been discussing dental disease with the families that come visit, you have been finding compliance with care, extractions (when they go well) are part of your repertoire… and you are ready to feel more confident when things get tough.
This two-day, largely hands-on based course is designed to provide resources and confidence walking through the challenging and worrisome extractions. We will spend most of our time in lab focusing on the techniques and thought processes necessary to under take the more advanced dental extractions and oral surgery. Participates will have time with personalized guidance to practice the identification and retrieval of retained roots, surgical extraction of the especially challenging teeth including the mandibular canine and all things molars, and thought process behind oronasal fistula repair. And of course, we diverge as your needs suggest.
As always, comfort, confidence, and delicious snacks are the priority!
While this course will be using canine resources, the principles and practice gained is applicable to feline patients as well. PRIOR PARTICIPATION IN THE “THOUGHTFUL DENTISTRY FOR THE FAMILY PRACTITIONER” COURSE IS REQUIRED. PLEASE BRING YOUR INSTRUMENT PACKS PROVIDED DURING THE 3 DAY SESSION.
16 RACE medical CE credits approved.
Learning Objectives:
1. Case based discussion to navigate the indications and thought processes when considering extractions.
2. Techniques in flap design, elevation, and closure of complicated extractions and oronasal fistula repair.
3. Surgical approaches to sectioning and elevating multirooted teeth and mandibular canine teeth.
4. Guidance and resources to identifying and removing fractured and/or retained tooth roots (with lots to practice on!).
5. Ample time in lab with individualized guidance- proficiency in oral surgery is based on muscle memory and practice- and there will be lots of practice!
IMPORTANT NOTE: Please bring your surgical instruments you acquired at original Four Legged Tooth Fairy course along with any lights or loupes you have.
Taking the Bite Out of Intra-Oral Rads and Oral Exams for the Whole Vet Team (DVM, CVTs, and VAs
Calling the whole hospital! Let’s spend time practicing and practicing… like dentistry circuit training. You will become intra-oral radiograph pros (ok, admittedly dental rads are super hard but you will get way better!) and master oral exam skills for our dental patients… all with the goal of providing healthier patients, peace of mind for you, comfort for our four legged friends, and a streamlined, more fiscally successful hospital. This course is for all: DVMs, CVTs, Assistants and is really maximized when the doctors join their technicians to help everyone get on the same page with the philosophy of veterinary dentistry in YOUR hospital.
What to expect:
• A 1/2 day of engaged, personalized, hands on learning and practicing and trying again and learning some more! (Great for doctors and techs alike to get everyone on the same page).
• Four hours of RACE approved CE.
• A tooth fairy team that is there for you… there will be no shaming, no condescension… only folks who love to share what they do and your peace of mind is our success.
• Small group learning with individualized training. Each station is supported by a dentistry team who spend their life practicing and performing excellent dental care for our four legged friends.
• Snacks and goodies so no one’s belly is distracting from learning!
Come join us for a few hours where will hope to have FUN and LEARN and GAIN CONFIDENCE as we walk through the adventures in veterinary dentistry! We cannot wait to have you join us!
Past Events
Thoughtful Dentistry for the Family Practitioner (3 day course)
- April 29-May 1, 2026
- February 25-27, 2026
- January 21-23, 2026
- December 10-12, 2026
- November 5-7, 2025
- October 8-10, 2025
- August 6-8, 2025
- May 28-30, 2025
- April 9-11, 2025
- January 22-24, 2025
- November 13-15, 2024
- October 23-25, 2024
- August 7-9, 2024
- May 15-17, 2024
- Feb 7-9, 2023
- Nov 15-17, 2023
- Sept 13-15, 2023
- August 16-18, 2023
- July 12-14, 2023
- April 12-14, 2023
- March 22-24, 2023
- Februrary 22-24, 2023
- January 18-20, 2023
- November 09-11, 2022
- October 19-21, 2022
- August 17-19, 2022
- July 20-22, 2022
- May 18-20, 2022
- April 20-22, 2022
- February 23-25th, 2022
- August 18th-20th, 2021
- July 7th-9th, 2021
- April 14th-16th, 2021
- Feb 17th-19th, 2021
- January 22-24th, 2020
- February 19-21st, 2020
- April 15-17th, 2020
- July 15-17th, 2020
- August 19-21st, 2020
- October 14-16th, 2020
- December 9-11th, 2020
The Next Level Dentistry for the Family Practitioner (2 day course for folks who have previously attended the 3 day course)
- Sept 18-19, 2025
- March 27-28, 2025
Taking the Bite Out of Intra-Oral Rads and Oral Exams for the Whole Vet Team (DVM, CVTs, and VAs)
- Feb 28, 2026
- Jan 24, 2026 (AM and PM)
- October 11, 2025
- Dec 13, 2019
- March 19, 2020
- May 14, 2020
- June 25, 2020