Preceptors & Fellowships

This fellowship consists of a series of on-campus lectures, seminars, and hands-on practical experiences that together provide comprehensive, intensive, and focused involvement in forensic dentistry. The fellowship is designed to prepare dentists for careers in Forensic Odontology.

The fellowship offers a full range of evidence-based instruction and practical exposure to all areas of Forensic Odontology. Topics covered include forensic radiography and forensic photography imaging principles, processing, and interpretation; dental identification of human remains, disaster victim identification, and multiple fatality incident management; pattern, patterned injury, and bitemark assessment, analysis and comparison; dental age assessment resulting in estimation of age; abuse recognition and case management of victims of abuse (child, adult, elder); overviews of forensic pathology and forensic anthropology; and the principles and practical aspects of relating to the legal system. This fellowship is designed for dentists who seek comprehensive forensic odontology information.

Tuition is $16,900 plus travel, lodging and other expenses, supplies and incidentals.

Requirements

Applicants must have a DDS, DMD, or equivalent degree and pass a background check. The fellowship requires a minimum of 330 “on-campus” hours consisting of multiple periodic visits plus, at least, an equal number of off-campus hours including both study, casework, and research. The requirements must be completed in a 16-18 month period (usually October through February but start-finish dates can be flexible).

Each Forensic Odontology Fellow must initiate and complete an independent research project. The results of that project are to be presented to the forensic odontology faculty and invited guests at the School of Dentistry, UT Health San Antonio prior to the completion of the fellowship period. Results of the research project must also be submitted for presentation at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) that follows the completion of the on-campus portion of the fellowship. The presentation may be in the Odontology section, or another section of the AAFS. If not accepted for presentation at the AAFS annual meeting, the results must be presented at another national or international professional meeting. Publication of the research in a peer-reviewed journal is encouraged but not mandatory.

Credentials

Upon successful attendance at all required sessions and completion of the mandatory research project, a certificate of completion of the fellowship will be issued by the Center for Education and Research in Forensics, Comprehensive Dentistry Department, School of Dentistry, at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. Hour-for-hour CE credit will be documented but no academic credit is offered in this fellowship.

Upon successful completion of this fellowship, a dentist will meet the education requirements for membership in the American Academy of Forensic Sciences and the education requirement for application to the American Board of Forensic Odontology.

Administration

The program is directed by David R. Senn, D.D.S., and requires attendance of regularly scheduled sessions regarding Forensic Dentistry given by the Center for Education and Research in Forensics, Comprehensive Dentistry Department, School of Dentistry, UT Health San Antonio. The Bexar County Forensic Science Center and the Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office also provide support.

Registration

Additional information and registration forms are available and may be procured by contacting:

Dr. David Senn
senn@uthscsa.edu
Comprehensive Dentistry Department
UT Health San Antonio, MC 7914
7703 Floyd Curl Drive
San Antonio, Texas 78229-3900

The Dental Implantology preceptorship consist of a clinically focused curriculum that incorporates the latest research from the clinical basic sciences. This provides participants with an understanding of the rationale and scientific basis for the clinical practice of implantology. Participants will meet for six weekend sessions, which will include didactic sessions and some hands-on training experiences in an interactive learning environment.

During the preceptorship, participants will:

• Learn the rationale and scientific basis for the successful clinical practice of implantology
• Learn about current concepts, principles, and clinical methodology used effectively in practice
• Learn proper evaluation, diagnosis, and selection of patients for implant placement and restoration
• Develop and understand specific implant surgical and prosthodontics skills and the different modalities available
• Manage the more difficult clinical situations, such as patients with advanced maxillary or mandibular atrophy
• Practice management aspects of dental implantology: records, insurance, informed consent, medical, legal, and marketing considerations

During participation sessions, the preceptorship will feature hands-on exercises that will familiarize preceptors with the surgical and restorative aspects of dental implant systems and prosthetic laboratory techniques. Preceptors will have access to the implant anatomy laboratory so they can familiarize themselves in implant anatomy through dissection and to actually place implants in cadaver models. The co-directors will conduct a two hour diagnostic and treatment planning segment featuring the preceptors’ patient cases at each of the weekend sessions.

Didactic Sessions

• History and future of dental implantology
• Three-day classroom/cadaver laboratory exercises
• Biomechanical and biomaterial aspects of dental implantology
• Physiology of bone with emphasis on cellular, molecular healing, bone maturation of bone in function and selection of implants with different designs and surfaces relating to bone density and planned Implant function
• Anatomy of the maxilla, mandible, and TMJ in terms of available bone and anatomy as related to stress distribution
• Anatomical structures (muscles, nerves, arteries) as they relate to implant placement
• Philosophies of implant retention and stabilization
• Essential treatment planning facets, including patient selection, past dental and medical history, essential diagnostic guides (casts, templates, etc.), documentation, appointment sequencing with laboratory, surgeon, restorative dentist. Essentials of joint treatment planning, recall principles.
• Surgical and prosthodontic considerations including incision design, fixture and abutment selection, occlusal considerations and force transmission
• Peri-implantitis and its effect on the dental implant from the infective and traumatic aspects
• Post-restoration responsibilities of staff personnel, hygienist, surgeon and restorative dentist on a recall basis.
• Includes demonstration of instruments, techniques for post-implant placement, restoration hygiene.
• Principles in troubleshooting, rescue and retrieval procedures
• The prosthodontic aspects of diagnosis and treatment planning as well as the clinical communication of this information to the surgeon
• Procedures for developing optimum esthetics and the biomechanical loading aspects of implant restorations
• Component systems will be categorized with specific indications for their use.
• The importance of optimal laboratory support and clinical communication skills to facilitate positive interaction with the dental technician
• Indications and techniques relating to insertion of implants in single tooth and fresh extraction site situations
• Hard and soft tissue grafting, guided soft, hard tissue regeneration in both pre- and post-implant placement, including sinus lift procedures
• Repair of the ailing, failing implant with new regenerative procedures and materials.
• An overview of informed consent documentation and medical-legal review
• The principles of practice management, marketing, and insurance considerations
• An opportunity for your dental hygienist to complete a certification course in dental implant hygiene

Registration

Pre-registration for all courses is necessary. Each participant should pre-register for a course so that a course packet will be available at the time of check-in.

Please call the Office of Continuing Dental Education at (210) 567-3177 to pre-register for a course, or mail the registration form with a credit card number or check made payable to “UT Health San Antonio” to:

Continuing Dental Education, MSC 7930
UT Health San Antonio
7703 Floyd Curl Drive
San Antonio, Texas 78229-3900

Register for Preceptor in Dental Implantology