GSDM Hosts Group from Italy for CE Course in Periodontal Microsurgery

For over 15 years, the Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine (GSDM) Department of Periodontology has hosted a unique, weeklong continuing education program that offers general dentists from abroad the opportunity to train in basic microsurgery and learn microsurgery for periodontal plastic surgery repair. During the week of September 8–12, 2014, a lively group of 24 general dentists from Italy participated in the continuing education program, which was led by the Chair of the Department of Periodontology and Director of the Advanced Specialty Education Program in Periodontics Dr. Serge Dibart, Orthopedic Surgeon and Director of Microsurgery Training at MD Anderson Cancer Center Dr. David Pan, Clinical Associate Professor of Periodontology Dr. Albert Price, and Clinical Associate Professor of Periodontology Dr. Ming Fang Su.

The program included lectures, hands-on training using pig jaws and duck feet, viewing several live surgeries, group dinners, and a night at Fenway Park to take in a Red Sox game. The week concluded with a certificate award ceremony for the attendees at the BU Castle. According to Dr. Dibart, the Periodontal Microsurgery Program is the only one of its kind in the United States. He said, “The participants were quite enthused and asked for more training sessions in the future as they found the experience to be an ‘eye-opener’ (pun intended).”

The program received rave reviews from the Italian group due to its unique structure and heavy emphasis of hands-on learning and live, interactive surgeries. Most participants did not speak English, but given Dr. Dibart’s fluency in Italian, the group didn’t miss a beat.

To complement the hands-on learning, the group enjoyed watching four live surgeries streamed from the Implant Surgery Suite directly into the classroom. This two-way communication proved valuable for the attendees due to the ability to see and hear the surgeon and ask questions as the surgery progressed. Dr. Su performed a Guided Bone Regeneration (GBR) after a failed implant and an upper left sinus lift, Dr. Price performed an anterior site augmentation and a sinus lift, and Dr. Dibart performed microsurgery.

One participant said, “The program was a good combination of didactic and hands-on learning. It was very good to watch surgery by stream TV.” Another participant praised the course structure by saying, “It was a really unique course. I was enthusiastic about the practical training in microsurgery.”

Photos from the weeklong program can be seen on Facebook and Flickr.