Starting a Dental Study Club
Dr. David Galler, AACA President
The American Academy of Clear Aligners (AACA) believes in achieving cosmetic and healthy smiles through the use of clear aligner therapy. The AACA is composed of North America dentists who embrace the use of Clear Aligner Orthodontic Therapy (such as Invisalign) in their Dental Offices. The AACA brings together the top practitioners in North America to lead and educate dentists who wish to attain excellence in clear aligner orthodontic therapy. They support dentists interested in furthering their education in the use of Clear Aligner Therapy, and promote exchanging ideas, as well as discussing new protocols and treatment modalities that will help further progress in this field.
Local AACA study clubs hold meetings every month in certain cities. The clubs meet once a month at a set time and a set location. Each meeting features a 2hr CE Course and dinner. Each club runs on a 12-month cycle from start date. Fee includes all 10 meetings and earning 20 CE credits. I wanted to join a local study club to learn more about clear aligners and enhance my clear aligner education.
When I first learned about the AACA Study Clubs, the closest city that had one was Vancouver. I had contemplated flying out monthly to learn more about clear aligner treatments. In March 2022, I had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Sheena (during the pandemic). If you don’t know Sheena, let me tell you, she has visions and goals. Hearing of my desire to attend the AACA Vancouver Study Club, she was adamant that Calgary should have their own and I should be the Calgary Chair. She carefully developed the plan for me to meet Dr. David Galler (AACA President and Clinical Mentor) at the AACA Annual Convention and thus the Calgary Study Club came to be.
Let me give you some perspective here, I have never led any dental organization, never held any private lectures or meetings outside and cetainly has no experience in inviting speakers both national and international to come to Calgary, Canada. I was uncertain whether I could make this all possible. Starting a Dental Study Club was definitely outside my scope of practice. The only people that were certain I could do this was my well-wishers which included my wife, my office manager and Dr. Sheena.
So, here are my tips for starting an AACA Study Club or any other dental study club for that matter.
1. Define Your Purpose: Determine the purpose and goals of your dental study club. For me, this was obvious in this case as it had to do with the AACA mission statements. But I wanted to build community, camaraderie and connections with dentists in Calgary. It’s a tough dental crowd in Calgary, I wanted to break down some barriers and meet people!
2. Identify Interested Dentists: In September 2022, the best way to do this since the AACA is supported by Invisalign was to contact the territory and local sales reps. They were the best way to let dentists know that we were starting and who would be keen on this learning experience. Treat it like a business marketing plan - now I am not saying to sell it to dentists, but you need to get the word out there. For me, I was only interested in getting 40-50 dentists to join. Any number beyond that would be unmanagable and definitely outside my current scope of practice! (Yes, I had the jitters!!)
3. Develop a Schedule: You should draft a schedule of when you can attend also see what works for most dentists. In my short experience, most out of town lecturers will only be able to come out on Thursday evenings. This was something that was taught early on to me by Dr. David Galler. As the club chair you should be willing to do the ground work to coordinate setup at least 2-3 hours before the event. This includes backup plans for food, drinks and even an absent speaker or technology problems.
3. Secure a Location: Decide on the structure and format of the study club. Determine how often and where you will meet, the duration of meetings, and the activities you plan to incorporate (such as lectures, case presentations, hands-on workshops, etc.). Set a schedule for your regular meetings. It’s important to start with something draft that can later be modi
4. Develop a Budget: Identify resources and speakers for the study club meetings. Money for the study club must be supported by membership. You should identify all costs which should revolve on the number of sessions that will be held for that membership period. The cost of the venue, speakers, food/drink and promotional/marketing material.
5. Create a Schedule: Develop a curriculum or agenda for the study club that outlines the topics and activities to be covered in each meeting. Ensure that the curriculum aligns with the interests and needs of the members. Always start with a draft and contact speakers early (high demand speakers are booked in advance; don’t drag your feet on these ones). Start local and then go beyond the border to have speakers. Attend the AACA Annual Convention or Invisalign GP Summit to shop for great speakers.
6. Plan Meetings: Organize the logistics for each study club meeting, including scheduling, venue arrangements, audio-visual equipment, and any necessary materials or handouts. Communicate the details with the members well in advance. Again, have a back-up plans for failure if any of these don’t work and how you will manage the problem. I had a projector fail to be compatible with a Macbook and this really affected the lecture (won’t happen again, I carry an extra projector!).
7. Promote the Study Club: Create awareness about the study club among the dental community. Utilize professional networks, social media platforms, local dental organizations, and word-of-mouth to promote the club and attract interested participants.
8. Conduct Meetings: Host the study club meetings according to the established schedule. Ensure that the activities and presentations run smoothly and encourage active participation and discussion among the members. This requires you to be prepared. Lack of preparation will show if you just haven’t got things together and this will show with food/drinks including presentation material or speaker arrangements.
Continuously assess the effectiveness of the study club through member feedback and self-reflection. Make adjustments to the curriculum, meeting format, or activities as needed to better serve the members' interests and needs. I usually send surveys to my members at the midpoint to see what has interested them in terms for format and material. In the first year, I had a few comment about the food at the second meeting and how it wasn’t as good as the first meeting (mental note - my group likes good food! In my head, that meant the speaker material must have been good!).
Remember, the specific steps and details may vary based on your location, the size of the study club, and the preferences of the members. It can also be helpful to consult with other dental professionals who have experience in starting or running study clubs for guidance and advice.
Typically, dental study clubs are organized locally and may consist of dentists from a specific geographic area or those with shared interests or specialties. Your club's members may meet regularly, such as monthly or quarterly, to participate in educational presentations, case discussions, and hands-on workshops. These gatherings allow your members to learn from experts in various dental disciplines and exchange ideas and experiences with their peers.
The topics covered in your dental study club meetings can vary widely and may include areas such as implant dentistry, cosmetic dentistry, restorative dentistry, orthodontics, periodontics, oral surgery, and more. By participating in a dental study club, dentists can stay up-to-date with the latest advancements in their field, enhance their clinical skills, and collaborate with colleagues to improve patient care.