A true team triumph – ADI Team Congress 2023
Featured Products Promotional FeaturesPosted by: Dental Design 29th June 2023
Dental implantology is an exciting and fast-moving field of dentistry that provides new opportunities to grow for the entire team. The Association of Dental Implantology (ADI) understands this and is committed to supporting professional education so that more individuals can get involved and help deliver safe, effective and life-changing treatment to patients.
The ADI Team Congress 2023 was an exceptional display of talent and innovation, with conference streams dedicated to each member of the dental implant team. Friday’s programme split into several areas, with sessions tailored to dental nurses and practice managers, as well as dental hygienists and therapists.
For those in the former group, a combination of lectures, interactive sessions and hands-on practicals were provided, enabling everyone to get involved and enjoy a thorough educational experience. Hannah Fullerton kicked off proceedings with an intriguing lecture showing how dental nurses can add value to their role by taking on new tasks such as intraoral scanning and digital treatment planning. She shared her own journey, highlighting just how rewarding it can be for a dental nurse with a passion for learning new skills.
About the session, dental nurse at Thistle Dental, Iona Murray, commented:
“I thought Hannah was amazing and she covered a lot of things that were really relevant to our work. She showed how realistic it is for dental nurses to move up with experience and develop their career.”
Delegates also had the opportunity to get hands-on with a scrub and drape session with Kasia Allen, and delve into the field of suturing with Ryan Hughes. Offering a different perspective was Mahrukh Khwaja, who brought the importance of positive psychology to the fore. She considered how individuals might enhance their mental wellbeing while facing the challenges of dentistry. She encouraged everyone to practise mindfulness and even offered a quick 2-minute meditation for delegates to relax into the remainder of the day.
The Dental Nurses & Practice Managers Programme finished off with further insights into the benefits of photography and intraoral scanning, including a practical session with Kayley McCauley.
In the Dental Hygienists & Therapists Programme, lectures covered an array of clinical topics from use of airpolishing to decontaminate All on 4, to prevention and management of peri-implantitis and even handling zygomatic implants. Shaam Shamsi also provided some very useful information on medicolegal record keeping with implants, with a wealth of guidance on how dental hygienists and therapists can protect themselves while caring for patients with implants.
In the afternoon, the programme took delegates on a journey of “Dental Success and the Human Factor”, with Ganase Dharrie-Maharaj and Andrew Perkins. They covered some very interesting concepts designed to help professionals better understand how they work and what they can do to enhance their skills and experience at work. The speakers talked about cognitive capacity boundaries and how we each have a limit on how much stress we can take in a day before our “bucket” overflows and we stop coping well. By recognising the symptoms of cognitive overload in ourselves and others, we can take steps to avoid it from happening and therefore improve the operational efficiency of the entire team, ultimately, improving patient care.
At the end of the day, one dental hygienist and therapist commented:
“This was my first time at the ADI Team Congress. I came because we have a new airflow in the practice and I wanted to see how we could incorporate it for implant cleaning. I
enjoyed the session on this and also that on medicolegal record keeping. The last session on human factors was also very good, the speakers were chilled, comical and interactive which was great. The exhibitors were also very good.”
Complementing all of this, delegates had a chance to let their hair down with colleagues at the Congress Dinner on Friday night, where a great night was had by all. Between the Star Wars themed fancy dress, a lightsabre show and ADI President Amit Patel’s hair cutting for charity, there really wasn’t a dull moment!
Reflecting on the show in general, Zoe Linsell, dental nurse at Perfect Smile Clinic, said:
“This is the first year I have attended the ADI Team Congress. I think it’s amazing how they have catered to each role. I found the sessions about photography and implant prep really helpful and appreciate the practical elements as I think this adds to your depth of understanding. The hands-on sessions were the highlights for me, as they also enable you to mingle with colleague, to build bonds. It was interesting to browse the exhibition and hear what companies are saying, there is so much there! I would 100% recommend this event to other dental nurses, especially if they are looking to upskill or find a new area of interest as it really broadens your horizons.”
This is just one example of how the ADI supports the profession through exceptional education and networking. Be a part of the community and join today!
For more information, visit www.adi.org.uk
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