American Academy of Implant Dentistry and the Loma Linda Maxicourse

I just finished a nine month implant course (Maxicourse) at Loma Linda University.  Much of the course was review for me but I did learn quite a few new techniques in bone grafting, sinus grafting, special equipment and tools to improve surgical procedures, and a scientific review of success and failure rates of various implant treatments.  The Maxicourse helped prepare me for the American Academy of Implant Dentistry associate fellowship exam.  This is the second nine month advanced implant course I’ve taken so I felt fairly confident that this was the proper time to take the exam.  Little did  I know that my newborn son would be born two weeks early and that he would end up in the NICU for having excessively high bilirubin levels.  I was counting on two solid weeks to finalize my studies in preparation for the exam but due to my son’s early birth and subsequent health issues, I got virtually zero final studying in.  I must say that the test felt extremely difficult and that most people who took it did not feel good about it.  I feel blessed and fortunate to have passed, especially considering the circumstances and lack of studying time.  I guess experience counts for something!  As an implant dentist in Riverside, I feel it’s necessary to continually study and take advanced courses to make sure I stay on top of the latest technologies and advances in implant dentistry.  I also feel I owe it to my clients to stay as educated as possible to best help them.