Early career dentists are invited to book their place at the Introduction to Occlusion symposium which is being hosted by the Tom Bereznicki Dental Educational Foundation in conjunction with the College of General Dentistry (CGDent).
The event will take place on Saturday 5 April 2025 at the Kensington Conference and Events Centre in London. Six renowned speakers will deliver a series of lectures to enhance delegates’ understanding of the fundamentals of occlusion and how these principles can support the placement of successful, long-term restorations for patients presenting with tooth wear and other conditions.
Dr Tom Bereznicki FCGDent, a general dental practitioner with a special interest in restorative dentistry and founder of the Tom Bereznicki Dental Educational Foundation, explains why accessible postgraduate training on occlusion is essential:
“Occlusion is the cornerstone of everything that happens in your mouth and sometimes young dentists don’t appreciate that to maintain somebody’s healthy dentition you still have to consider their occlusion. You have to prevent wear which is very often occlusally-related. And when providing restorations, whether simple fillings, advanced multiple crowns, or indirect restorations which you want to last as predictably and as long as possible, if you don’t take the occlusal scheme into consideration then they are likely to fail prematurely.”
The opening lecture will be delivered by Dr Bereznicki, whose dental education charity also funds the CGDent-GC Award for Foundation Trainees and the College’s new Award for Advanced Aesthetic Dentistry.
Further lectures will then be delivered by Professor Paul Tipton FCGDent, Dr Ken Harris FCGDent, Dr Tif Qureshi FCGDent, Dr Shiraz Khan and Dr Koray Feran FCGDent.
Professor Paul Tipton FCGDent is a Specialist in Prosthodontics and founder of the well-known private dental academy, Tipton Training. Qualifying from Sheffield University in 1978, he taught in Sheffield and Australia before establishing a referral practice in Manchester, and he currently practises in Manchester, Nottingham and London. He is also Visiting Professor of Restorative and Cosmetic Dentistry at City of London Dental School, and lectures at Kings College London and for the University of Manchester MSc in Aesthetic and Restorative Dentistry. He holds an MSc in Conservative Dentistry from the Eastman Dental Hospital, the Diploma in General Dental Practice from the Royal College of Surgeons of England and further diplomas in restorative, implant and aesthetic dentistry. He is a Fellow of the International Academy of Dental Facial Esthetics, was a founding member of both the British Academy of Aesthetic Dentistry and the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry and is currently the President of the British Academy of Restorative Dentistry.
Dr Ken Harris FCGDent is principal of a private referral practice in Sunderland specialising in complex dental reconstruction cases. He graduated BDS from Newcastle in 1982 and has since been awarded an MSc in Restorative & Aesthetic Dentistry (with distinction) from the University of Manchester, both Membership and Fellowship of the former Faculty of General Dental Practice, and Fellowship of the Faculty of Dental Surgery of the Royal College of Surgeons of England. He is also an Accredited Fellow of the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry and acts as a tutor and examiner for its accreditation process. Teaching both nationally and internationally, he is also a mentor for the Kois Centre in Seattle, of which he was the first UK graduate.
Dr Tif Qureshi FCGDent is a private practitioner based near London with special interests in orthodontics and minimally invasive restorative dentistry. He is Chairman and Clinical Director of IAS Academy, a well-known orthodontic training provider which delivers the CGDent Postgraduate Diploma in Primary Care Orthodontics. He qualified from Kings College London in 1992 and is a Fellow of the International College of Dentists, Past President of the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, board member of the British Association of Private Dentistry and 2019 winner of the Sverker Prize for commitment to conservative dentistry. Pioneer of the ‘Align, Bleach, Bond’ concept and Progressive Smile Design, he teaches widely using clear aligners and lectures internationally.
Dr Shiraz Khan is an aesthetic and restorative dentist with a particular focus on rehabilitation cases and addressing tooth surface loss. Practising in London, he also teaches and lectures on composite resin restorations, ICON infiltration, clinical dental photography and presentation. He graduated BDS in 2013 and also holds a Bachelor of Medical Sciences and Master’s in Restorative Dentistry (with distinction) from the University of Birmingham, a Postgraduate Diploma in Primary Care Dentistry from the University of Kent, and the Membership of the Joint Dental Faculties and Membership of the Faculty of Dental Surgery of the Royal College of Surgeons of England. He is a member of the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry and Director of the Young Dentist Academy.
Dr Koray Feran FCGDent is known for his multidisciplinary approach to complex surgical and restorative cases. After qualifying in 1989, he completed house roles in prosthetic dentistry and oral and maxillofacial surgery before moving into general dental practice in London. He established his own practice in 1998 and in 2005 founded The London Centre for Implant and Aesthetic Dentistry in Wimpole Street. He holds an MSc in Periodontology from Guy’s Hospital, was awarded the Fellowship in Restorative Dentistry of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, and is a Past President of both the British Academy of Aesthetic Dentistry and the London Dental Fellowship. He is a Fellow of the International Congress of Oral Implantologists, the International College of Dentists and the Pierre Fauchard Academy, and a member of the British Society for Restorative Dentistry, European Academy of Aesthetic Dentistry, Scandinavian Academy for Aesthetic Dentistry, and European Association for Osseointegration. He has been a committee member, mentor and tutor for the Association of Dental Implantology, and a lecturer for both the University of Salford and Edge Hill University MSc programmes in implant dentistry.
Describing the programme, Dr Bereznicki said: “To cover the length and breadth of the subject of occlusion would in all probability take a week. In the time available we will try to deal with the basic fundamental principles involved, particularly the intraoral occlusal examination which is crucial in treatment planning. In addition, examples of clinical success as well as occlusally-related failures will be covered.”
Alongside the programme of lectures, delegates who wish to develop their knowledge of occlusion further can visit a hand-picked selection of education stands to learn more about leading postgraduate courses available in this field.
The event is open to dentists who qualified in the UK or overseas between 2019 and 2023 and have been practising in the UK for at least the past two years. To ensure the symposium is accessible to early career dentists, the fee has been set at an affordable rate of £75 and it takes place on a Saturday to avoid time away from clinic.
Registration is now open and eligible dentists can find further information and secure their place by visiting https://bit.ly/3WdJkYQ
