In 2007 at the previous practices I worked prior to becoming my own boss I provided my first ever 'Live Skills Course'.
The format of this course was based around courses that were being provided within the Straumann and ITI Network at the present time but it was the first time I had provided such a course under my supervision.
The essence of the Live Skills Course is that it provides instruction to inexperience practitioners in how to place implants in straightforward cases. Straightforward cases are defined by the ITI (classification widely used throughout dentistry) to define straightforward, complex and advanced cases.
The Live Skills Course is an amazing format which began for us in 2007 and has ran 3 times previously.
We take a maximum of 8 delegates, some who have never placed an implant before, others who have placed up to 50 but wish to hone their skills in straightforward cases, others again who started to place sometime ago and haven't placed for a while.
Two days of didactic teaching including lectures, case based discussions, models surgery and suturing practicals with basic surgical skills precedes the final day of live surgery.
The afternoon of day 2 is spent introducing delegates 'virtually' to their patients for the following day through the use of photography, video, models and documentation to allow them to plan their cases prior to operating on the patients the following session. This is definitely a nervous period for the delegates as it all becomes very real and they realise they will be placing implants the following day.
The final day (day 3) of the course is an all day surgical session at The Campbell Clinic where delegates place implants into patients pre-provided and pre-assessed and consented by us. The clinic is hugely over-staffed, delegates scrub up and place implants into their patient and are assisted by one of their fellow delegates.
Each surgery is run by a hugely experienced nurse with an overseeing clinical mentor.
Half of the surgeries are videoed to allow de-brief on a state of the art £35,000 interactive video system.
This video system is also used to provide 2 live surgery demonstrations on day 1 and day 2 of the course.
So far, on 3 previous editions all delegates have carried out their full surgical procedures to completion and the electricity and atmosphere on the surgical day of the course is palpable.
The next edition of the course takes place on 6th - 8th March 2o14 and places are still available.
For further information please contact me at: info@campbellacademy.co.uk and we will be happy to discuss this with you.
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