Mistakes and complications happen to everyone—here's an opportunity to learn how to deal with dentistry’s toughest challenges from some of the world’s best educators
There’s nothing quite like the satisfaction that comes with success—after all, ensuring patients’ health and putting smiles on their faces drives most practitioners to give every case their all. But in dentistry, as in life, things don’t always go according to plan. From complications to outright failures, even the most seasoned professionals must eventually grapple with the unexpected, and that’s when a doctor’s mettle is truly tested.
It's the need to navigate these challenges that inspired DentalXP’s summit, “New Takes on Mistakes: Addressing Clinical Failures in the Modern Dental Practice.” Some of the best dental educators in the world will gather in Chantilly, VA, to present their perspectives on surgical, prosthetic, and lab failures over 3 days in October. Among these “XPerts” is Alexandre Aalam, DDS, a Los Angeles periodontist and diplomate of both the American Board of Periodontology and the American Board of Oral Implantology.
A One-of-a-Kind Learning Experience
The event represents a departure from the typical continuing education experience. “In most seminars or symposiums, presenters only showcase their best work—their successes,” Dr. Aalam said. “But what makes this event so amazing is that people are going to come clean about the realities of practice.”
Pulling back the curtain on dentistry in this way can be beneficial from multiple standpoints. “Seeing firsthand that even the biggest names in the field encounter complications and failures will hopefully reassure doctors and boost their self-esteem,” said Dr. Aalam. Ultimately, he expects that dentists will come away with the knowledge needed to improve their skills and the resolve to do better for their patients.
What Attendees Can Expect
During his course, Dr. Aalam will show participants how remote anchorage techniques can address clinical failures in the modern surgical office. “Today, we know that nothing is forever—the implants that were once thought invincible sometimes fail,” he shared. “It’s important to understand the last-resort treatments that can restore dignity and function for patients who have endured multiple rounds of surgical revisions, infection, and other complications.”
Additional presentations on a host of topics will be given by Drs. Richard Nejat, Darcio Fonseca, Mark Bishara, Daniel Berant, Richard Martin, Ehab Moussa, master dental ceramist Sean Park, and more.
Those attending a DentalXP event for the first time are “in for a treat,” Dr. Aalam said, and can expect to find themselves among a uniquely inclusive, familial community. “It’s truly a collegiate, convivial environment and the culture is very open,” he shared, adding that there will be ample time for participants to network, mingle, and ask questions. “Everyone checks their egos at the door—it’s all about sharing knowledge, being truthful, and building toward better dentistry.”
In turn, Dr. Aalam predicts that “New Takes on Mistakes”—which will be held Oct. 24–26—should be nothing short of another “home run.”
