By Marilyn R. Calvo, DDS, AAACD
 

Have you been thinking about starting AACD’s Accreditation journey and wondered if it’s a challenge that might be right for you to pursue?  There is no better place to find out than at the annual AACD Scientific Sessions. Some members attending the scientific session do not know exactly where the bar is set in delivering or even planning Accreditation level cases.

Why don’t you come on a fact-finding mission and find out first-hand!

The initial step is to sharpen your eye and learn what excellence in cosmetic dentistry is all about. You can do this by attending the Accreditation Workshop course at our annual scientific sessions. It’s a course that provides a detailed overview of the Accreditation process.

The next workshop in your fact-finding mission is the Criteria Workshop. The presenter begins with a display of cases that have been both successful and unsuccessful in passing, which are then evaluated using criteria that Accreditation Examiners follow in reviewing clinical cases. The process of analyzing these cases is enlightening for anyone preparing to submit Accreditation cases or just finding out if the Accreditation journey is right for them.

When you’re ready to commit to starting your Accreditation journey, you will begin with a written exam. This will be your first-step on your path to excellence. The written exam is given every year at the annual scientific session or you can choose to take it at a Castle Testing Center. It’s a multiple-choice exam that tests foundational knowledge of esthetic dentistry principles. For more information on suggested study materials, check out the AACD Website. Sample exams are also available for purchase.

Another great resource for unlocking the secrets of esthetic dentistry is the NEW AACD Guide to Accreditation Criteria: Contemporary Concepts in Smile Design. This guide presents a collection of universally accepted parameters of smile design with fabulous illustrations and clinical examples. It is an excellent tool for all dentists and technicians, but especially for those seeking AACD Accreditation.

Photography is an essential tool for Accreditation. It is primarily through the 12 required before and after RAW views that candidates demonstrate their ability to achieve excellent clinical results. A photography workshop is available in Toronto with limited seating. Another resource, A Guide to Accreditation Photography, was designed to give guidance related to the photographic requirements for the AACD Accreditation process.
 

While pursuing Accreditation, it is important that you find a mentor on the AACD Website. Mentors are Accreditation Examiners who volunteer their time and expertise to help colleagues with selecting and treating the required case types.

This article gives an overview of how to get started on your Accreditation journey if it’s right for you. Accreditation is not easy, but ask any Accredited member and their response will be that it was well worth it.



Banner image adapted from Adrià Ariste Santacreu, used under the Creative Commons License Attribution 2.0 Generic.