Diploma in Aligner Orthodontics
The diploma is designed for GDP’s who are looking to upgrade their knowledge in orthodontics so that they can confidently and safely provide aligner treatments for their patients.
The course teaches fundamental and advanced orthodontics and its application to aligner therapy from diagnosis and treatment to retention.
The course is taught over two years.
Year 1
10 face-to-face teaching days with practical hands - on training.
Year 2
Monthly webinars designed to consolidate the teaching from year 1 and mentor delegates through cases they are treating and planning on treating.
One-to-one mentorship and support for cases being treated during the course will be provided on the face-to-face teaching days and online via our mentorship portal.
Year One
Day 1: Orthodontic Assessment, Diagnosis & Consent
- Introduction to the course
- History of orthodontic treatment
- Taking an orthodontic history
- Conducting an orthodontic examination
- Special tests
- Writing a problem list and making a diagnosis
- Consent
- Orthodontic Risks
Hands-on
- Orthodontic examinations with 1:1 guidance
Day 2: Aligner Biomechanics I
- Principles of orthodontics
- Biology of tooth movement
- Understand aligner mechanics & aligner treatment
- Anchorage
- Occlusion
Hands-on
- Treatment planning exercises
Day 3: Aligner Biomechanics II
- Understand & fully learn how to use ClinCheck & Spark Approver Software
- Communication with orthodontic technicians
- Understanding how to assess and adjust your ClinCheck and Spark Approver Plan
- How to make changes to your Invisalign treatment plan
Hands-on
- Treatment planning exercises
Day 4: Clinical Records
- Photography in orthodontics
- Camera, lens & flash selection
- Deep understanding of camera settings
- Take high quality impressions for orthodontic aligners
- Understand how to use an intra - oral scanner
Hands-on
- Clinical photography
- Impressions
- Scanning
Day 5: Aligner Treatment
- Understand how to use and place attachments
- Understand when and how to carry out IPR
- Pontics
- Auxiliaries
Hands-on
- Placing attachments
- Interproximal reduction
- Placing Auxiliaries
- Pontic Painting
- Placing separators
- Button cut outs
- Button bonding
- Sectional fixed appliance & Bracket bonding
Day 6: Class I & Class II Malocclusions
- How to diagnose, plan and execute treatment for Class I cases
- How to diagnose, plan and execute treatment for Class II cases
- Indications, treatment mechanics and limitations for expansion and distalisation
Hands-on
- Treatment Planning Exercises
Day 7: Class III Malocclusions
- How to diagnose, plan and execute treatment for Class III cases
- Advanced Treatment Mechanics
- Overcorrection
- Overjet reductions
- Intrusion/extrusion
- Rotations
- Inter-maxillary elastics
Hands-on
- Treatment Planning Exercises
Day 8: Deep, Open and Cross Bites
- Learn to treat deep, open & cross bites
- Aetiology, options for treatment and treatment mechanics
- Tracking
- Mid-course Corrections
- Refinement
Hands-on
- Treatment Planning Exercises
Day 9: Retention & Treatment Planning
- Retention
- Indications, designs, protocols for removable retainers
- Indications, designs, protocols for fixed retainers
- Consent for retention
- Troubleshooting
Hands-on
- Fixed bonded retainers
Day 10: Orthodontic & Restorative Interface
- Planning cases requiring restorative treatment
- Retention of teeth requiring restorative intervention
At the end of each day, clinical cases with varying complexity will be discussed and treatment planned. Delegates are encouraged to bring in cases they are currently treating in practice so we can help treatment plan and advise.
Year Two
Year 2 consists of online webinars conducted once a month in the evening. The webinars will focus on mentorship and treatment planning cases delegates are currently treating or thinking of treating. Year 2 will consolidate all the teaching from year 1 and expand orthodontic knowledge via treatment of delegates own cases which delegates will be walked through from start to finish.
Separately in year 2, delegates will continue to have access to the online mentorship portal where all cases currently being planned and treated can be discussed.
The course is delivered by Matthew Clover
Matthew Clover is a specialist orthodontist with over 20 years’ experience in military, hospital, NHS and private practice. He qualified as a dentist from Guy’s Hospital in 1998 and joined the British Army, winning the prestigious Sandhurst Cup as best cadet.
He worked as an associate in practice for 5 years before buying two specialist orthodontic practices in Salisbury, UK. He has been an accredited provider of Invisalign and Incognito for over 12 years and has published articles in several peer-reviewed journals. He has lectured to dentists and orthodontists on topics as varied as self-ligation, aligner mechanics, thumb sucking cessation and interceptive orthodontics.
