Workshops & Courses

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Workshops and Courses at VDEC

The Centre offers a “state of the art” teaching facility, an outdoor area for attendees to enjoy lunch and refreshment breaks, whilst sharing ideas and asking questions, and a lecture/wet lab area for tuition and workshops.

There are individual work stations each equipped with high and low speed drills, air-water syringes, and quick disconnects for ultrasonic scalers. Each dental work station has complete instrumentation for the course taught. In addition, on site there are Acteon XMind DC dental radiographic xray generators, Sopix2 DR sensors, PSPix CR plates and computers, amalgamators and a model cutter. Each attendee has access to their own set of instruments, loupes, dental models and specimens. There is no sharing of instruments, no time searching for the right materials or waiting for equipment.

WHAT’S UNIQUE

NO DOG CADAVERS. WE USE SIMULATION MODELS SPECIALLY MADE FOR THE VETERINARY DENTAL EDUCATION CENTRE. ANIMAL ETHICS IS ONE OF OUR PRIMARY GOALS. NO DOG HAS BEEN EUTHANSED FOR OUR COURSES.

A high tutor to attendee ratio, often 1:2-3, so small groups; and longer laboratory time provide the attendees with the chance to fully learn and put into practice the new techniques. Couple this with the relaxed informal environment which allows for better learning, and you have all the ingredients for a successful educational and professional experience. All attendees MUST be fully vaccinated for COVID-19.

Feline Radiology, Analgesia and Extractions in the Feline

Course Details:

Date: May 5th 2023.

Who can attend: Veterinarians

Cost: $1650 (includes subscription to VDEC and Vet Dental Charts)

Venue: VDEC Training Centre, 81 Belgrave-Hallam Rd, Hallam Vic 3803

A number of companion animals do not receive adequate periodontal homecare and suffer advanced dental pathology that requires oral surgery including extractions. A large number of fractures are not able to be saved by endodontic treatment and require extraction, so analgesia and an easy, less traumatic tooth removal is ideal. At this course you will greatly improve your dental skills as we cover: Analgesia and use of local analgesic agents, anatomy for nerve blocks, radiology positioning and interpretation, simple and surgical extractions, raising a muco-gingival flap, osteotomy techniques, tooth sectioning in the feline patient.

Canine 1. Oral Examination, Periodontal disease, Radiology.

Course Details:

Date: 2023 dates: June 22nd, August 17th, September 13th

Who can attend: Veterinarians

Cost: $1950

Venue: VDEC Training Centre, 81 Belgrave-Hallam Rd, Hallam Vic 3803

The majority of dogs do not receive adequate oral care and periodontal treatment and suffer advanced dental pathology that requires treatment. At this course you will greatly improve your dental skills as we cover:
Oral examination
Dental Charting
Periodontal disease treatment – scaling/polishing
Open and Closed root planing
Use of perioceuticals
Radiology – taking high quality images, interpretation of the images and pathology.

Canine 2. Local Analgesia and Extractions in the Canine

Course Details:

Date: 2023 dates: June 23rd, August 18th, September 14th

Who can attend: Veterinarians

Cost: $1950 (includes subscription to VDEC, Vet Dental Charts and D.A.V.I.D. with a 2-day registration)

Venue: VDEC Training Centre, 81 Belgrave-Hallam Rd, Hallam Vic 3803

Advanced dental pathology that requires oral surgery includes extractions, as a large number of fractures are not able to be saved by endodontic treatment. Therefore, analgesia and an easy, less traumatic tooth removal is required on a day-to-day basis, as well as treatment of extraction-based complications. At this course you will greatly improve your dental skills as we cover: Analgesia and use of local analgesic agents
Anatomy for nerve blocks
Simple and surgical extractions, including raising a muco-gingival flap, osteotomy techniques, and tooth sectioning, for incisors, canines, premolar and molar teeth in the dog.
Closure of oro-nasal fistulas in the canine patient.

Saving Teeth – Alternatives to Extraction

Course Details:

Date: 2023 dates: March 24th, August 25th, September 8th

Who can attend: Veterinarians

Cost: $1,950

Venue: VDEC Training Centre, 81 Belgrave-Hallam Rd, Hallam Vic 3803

Tooth pathology is limited to the crown.

We are trained to evaluate pathology and any condition that affects the enamel or the tooth crown is extracted. I see so many teeth being taken out it is disturbing. Now the manufacturers of radiology equipment have everyone take radiographs, more pathology is diagnosed and therefore more teeth are extracted. We could change this with some education on ‘Saving Teeth’!!
In this course we learn how to treat:

Conditions:

  • Uncomplicated crown fractures with enamel and dentine exposed – pulp NOT exposed
  • Enamel hypoplasia or carious lesion

Treatment: Composite restoration

Conditions:

  • Recent complicated crown fractures – pulp exposure <48hrs
  • Lingu-verted mandibular canine teeth

Treatment:

  • Crown reduction and direct pulp capping
  • Vital pulp capping
  • Coronal extensions

Endodontics (Root Canals)

Course Details:

Date:
Dates Yet To Be Announced

Who can attend:
Veterinarians with an ANZCVS membership and bring a nurse to assist

Cost:
$4,950.00

Venue:
VDEC Training Centre, 81 Belgrave-Hallam Rd, Hallam Vic 3803

Endodontics or the treatment of the tooth’s root and pulp canals, gives the veterinarian disease management options other than extraction. The tooth root comprises a significant portion of the jaw integrity and extraction may not be only difficult but leads to a weakened jaw bone. Tooth preservation enables the animal to maintain its dentition and prevents further injury. Whether providing endodontic treatment for a slab fracture of the maxillary carnassial tooth or a canine tooth, endodontic therapy gives the veterinarian important treatment options. Radiology forms a major component in the endodontic discipline and attendance at the radiology course or evidence of radiology skills and access to radiographic equipment in the clinic is a pre-requisite. This course provides diagnosis of tooth pathology and the delivery of treatment will discuss indications for root canal therapy, equipment and materials required for root canal therapy, debridement and obturation techniques, restorative materials and their usage as applied to endodontic access sites.

VETERINARY DENTISTRY IMCVD COURSE

With Dr David E Clarke

ANZCVS Memberships in Veterinary Dentistry Course

Advanced Course Mentorship for ANZCVS exam preparation
Welcome to the Membership Course that will prepare you for the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Science membership exams for veterinary dentistry.

The membership is a proven, 18-month course that covers the 11 topics in the Memberships Guidelines handbook, delivered by world-leading, specialist veterinary dentist Dr David Clarke, who brings 23 years of experience in completing over 11,000 cases.

The course is fully backed with full case support and mentorship to give you the confidence to give sound advice to both owners and your veterinary colleagues, be able to confidently apply the knowledge to the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the oral cavity to confidently perform dental procedures, take on more cases and see predictable outcomes, every time.

 

Where does it happen?

The membership course is taught by virtual zoom meetings and face to face workshops in Melbourne, Australia. After each event, all modules will be available online as a full recording so you will have full access to the course content.

 

When does it start?

This program includes virtual Zoom meetings and hands on workshops and recorded online content. You can start the training online the moment you enrol with our Module 1 full recording. The course runs from January 2025 until June 2026, in line with the exams for the ANZCVS. You’ll need to attend live for two 2-day workshops to build your skills which greatly assist in passing the exam and performing procedures in your clinic.

 

What’s Included

• Intensive two Practical 2-day Workshops
We will schedule dates, for practical workshops once we have an initial virtual meeting, topics to include: – 1. Foundations: Perio, LA, Radiology, Extractions; 2. Saving Teeth – Pulp Capping, Restoratives, Coronal Extensions, Basics of Root Canal procedures.

• Virtual case studies and theoretical learning
Covering outlines and learning objectives, questions and presenting case studies utilising monthly virtual Zoom meetings, which will be recorded in case you cannot make it or wish to go back and listen (the times will be decided based on individual geographic location and availability, which suit the group). During these meetings we will discuss the notes and course. Each week a set of case studies will be presented, with questions and explanations. It is expected that in time the candidates will we submitting the case studies. Depending on the size of the group, we can organise additional meetings as required, or if you have a few cases piling up!! When the exam is closer, we will have weekly meetings and also practice oral exams. The course also includes two 2-day practical workshops.

• Online e-learning platform
Watch full video recordings of our modules, meetings and procedures. Complete your assessments from any desktop or mobile device, anytime you like.

• Expert mentorship
You will have direct access to Drs David Clarke and Angus Fechney and their team. All questions and concerns will be answered and you will have the opportunity for full interaction and interactive learning. There is no question that is either too simple or too difficult to be answered.

• Interactive dental community
Join an energetic community of keen learners. Submit cases, ask questions, learn from others, make friends, have fun!

 

Quite simply, there’s nothing else like it.

 

Cost:
Cost of the complete course is $16,500 AUD.

 

Of course we can’t sit the exams for you or guarantee you will pass, but we would be pretty disappointed if you did not pass with flying colours.
The course is focused on virtual presentations, live and pre-recorded webinars, practical videos, pictures and case studies to ensure you have the knowledge to tackle dental problems and conditions as they present on a day-to-day within your clinic. All education, including presentations and notes, case studies and question/answer sessions will be provided.

The course instructors, Drs David Clarke and Angus Fechney strongly believe that a veterinarian learning dentistry should gain both theoretical knowledge and practical skills. And although the ANZCVS memberships will only test theory of dentistry, the membership course will give each candidate a strong grounding in practical skills and procedures too.

The course OBJECTIVES and LEARNING OUTCOMES are structured around the 11 topics in the Memberships Guidelines handbook, and at the end ensure the candidate is able to demonstrate sufficient knowledge of Small Animal Dentistry and Oral Surgery. Approximately one month will be spend on each topic from February – December 2025. The first month, January will be spent on the basics of dentistry, and 2026 will cover further cases and skills in sitting exams and practice oral exams.

Our study and case studies/practical times will be based around the Chapters in Wiggs’ Veterinary Dentistry – Edition 2, Dr David Clarke’s notes from the previous CVE courses – Distance Education and Time On-line, Dr Fechney’s Massey University student notes as well as journal articles from Journal of Veterinary Dentistry. We will use other books, such as BSAVA Manual of Small Animal Dentistry and duPont’s Radiology as required.

You will be required to purchase Wiggs’ Veterinary Dentistry 2nd ed. and a subscription to the Journal of Veterinary Dentistry. Access to pre-recorded webinars, notes, case studies and the on-line chat group will be housed on the www.vdec.com.au website.

Cost:
Cost of the complete course is $16,500 AUD.