Providing the highest quality of dental treatments for your patients has always been the top priority. You have worked hard to promote oral health and improve the quality of life for anyone who chooses you as their dentist. Continuing Education (CE) courses can keep your skills sharp and your dental education up-to-date so you can continue to provide exceptional dental care. Today, we’ll discuss what to consider when choosing dental CE courses.
3 Considerations for Dental CE Courses
In part due to the pandemic, there are now more options for CE and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) courses designed specifically for dentists and dental students; but how do you find the best ones for you? When researching your options, consider these factors:
1. Location and Travel Requirements
In-person course options can make it tough to maintain a work/life balance because the courses are on set days at specific times. Courses may also get canceled or rescheduled due to outside sources and — when they do occur — you may have to make travel arrangements.
Online CE courses are more flexible and allow you to work from the comfort of your home or practice. Some online dental courses may have:
- Playback options.
- Supplementary content.
- Hands-on learning with advanced simulation technology.
- Eligibility for earning dental CE certificates.
With these options available on a cloud-based dental education platform, you can learn at your own pace in an engaging environment.
2. Cost and Availability of Dental CE Courses
In-person courses can be expensive. You may need to buy additional equipment in order to practice the skills covered in the course. You may also need to pay travel expenses, which can get very costly for out-of-state seminars.
Many online CE Courses cost less than in-person courses. Some of the best online CE courses include hands-on simulation tech so you can master skills through repetition without buying additional equipment.
An online dental education provider will have a variety of CE courses for you to choose from so you can expand your knowledge on your own terms. Make sure you have checked your local CE requirements to see what disciplines and how many hours are needed. Examples of online dental course disciplines include:
When looking at courses, you may need to ask yourself, “What courses are available in-person that I can easily attend?” It’s possible that the courses that focus on the discipline of your choice are on the other side of the globe or cost more than what you can responsibly budget, making online courses the better option.
3. The Dental Educator’s Experience and Reputation
To be your best, you want to learn from the best. The education and experience level of your dental educator can dictate what you can expect from the course as far as learning that can be used directly at your practice. Your dental educator should have years of experience in the discipline that they teach. Additionally, learning from multiple master dentists around the world can help broaden your horizons and give you additional insight into the industry on a global scale.
Online Dental CE Courses Can Help Dentists Learn Their Way
Although in-person courses can be beneficial, it can be difficult to attend them on a regular basis. The flexibility of online dental CE courses allows you to choose when, where, and how you’ll receive CE and CPD-approved courses. However, not all online dental education providers are the same.
RipeGlobal is an innovative online dental education platform that offers multiple courses across disciplines to help you fast track your career. Find out what supportive dental continuing education you need with our clinician development tool.