A bit more information

This course is designed to enhance the curriculum for delivering effective Oral Hygiene Instruction (OHI) to students, utilizing the innovative principles of iTOP (Individually Trained Oral Prophylaxis). One area where many programs struggle is adequately preparing students to feel confident and comfortable engaging in conversations with patients about disease prevention techniques.

Through this innovative curriculum, participants will learn how to effectively teach students not only the technical aspects of OHI but also the essential motivational skills needed to educate patients about their oral health. By fostering a comprehensive understanding of disease prevention and homecare education skills, we aim to empower future dental professionals to make a positive impact in their patients' lives.

Objectives:

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Evaluate evidence-based strategies for managing biofilm-related oral diseases, with an emphasis on individualized mechanical biofilm control approaches that extend beyond traditional homecare recommendations.
• Discuss innovative teaching methods for disease prevention, such as “touch to teach” and collaborative patient-provider models, to support student development of effective patient education skills.
• Incorporate advanced oral hygiene techniques into curriculum and clinical instruction that prioritize patient comfort, motivation, and effectiveness—enhancing both student competency and patient care outcomes.
• Integrate educational strategies and resources to enrich preventive oral health curricula, fostering a comprehensive and engaging learning experience for students to prepare them for evidence-based, patient-centered care.

Educators Platform Masterminds are dynamic two-hour virtual sessions building on each other’s challenges, ideas and successes in the presence of a content expert. Mastermind sessions are thoughtfully facilitated to create an environment for like-minded colleagues to share and learn from one another with the goal of collective professional growth and development. Sessions are uniquely tailored to the needs of participants. Those attending will have the opportunity to create strong connections with other participants to last a whole career.

More about our content expert: Sarah Jackson, RDH, MS, FADHA, is the Head of Education and Professional Relations for Curaden, USA. Over the past 25+ years, she has held various roles within the dental team, including dental assistant, front office staff, and dental hygienist. Sarah spent 20 years at Eastern Washington University, where she ultimately served as a tenured full professor and program director and is now a Professor Emeritus. Sarah is a researcher, published author, international speaker and active leader in the association. As a health and wellness advocate, she co-founded the Abundant Life Wellness Hub to help others live abundant, healthy lives. Sarah strives to inspire positive change among oral healthcare providers worldwide. As a certified instructor with Curaden Academy, Sarah is dedicated to advancing the mission of iTOP (Individually Trained Oral Prophylaxis). She aims to empower dental professionals to elevate their roles as health coaches, deliver exceptional oral hygiene education, and make a meaningful impact on patients’ oral and overall health.

Attendees of Educators Platform Mastermind sessions will earn 2 CEU in Educational Methods.