Dental study clubs and mentorship

Dentistry can be a very difficult profession in many ways, whether it's running a business in private practice, dealing with administrative and political aspirations in a school, or dealing with employees and the general public. Deciding on a type of continuing dental education can be a stressful experience as well. I belong to both a cast gold and a gold foil operating study club and mentor two other cast gold clubs. The experiences have been life-changing in some ways and have expanded my knowledge base about operative dentistry to a great degree. My clinical skills have improved dramatically and most importantly have been transferred to all aspects of my clinical dentistry practice. Joining or forming an operating study club with an experienced mentor is the most effective way to learn and improve a certain clinical skill and to reap the other benefits described above. It can be especially beneficial for a younger dentist to learn at a high level early in his or her career. I welcome any inquires concerning forming or joining a study club. Additional information regarding operating study clubs is available through the Academy of Richard V. Tucker Cast Gold Study Clubs (www.rvtucker.org), the Academy of Operative Dentistry (www.operativedentistry.com), and the American Academy of Gold Foil Operators (www.aagfo.com).