I had been putting off pushing for that next level of knowledge… there’s always a reason not to follow what your head is telling you, whether it’s time, money, or simply questioning ‘why bother?’. However, I was training undergraduates and I didn’t want my time and practice-based knowledge to be outdated, or, worse still, proven poor practice in this ever-changing field.

I wanted to improve my understanding of endodontics, challenge and enhance my techniques, and boost my treatment success rate. I also wanted to check if my current equipment was being used to its maximum potential, and see if any of the myriad of new tools available would be of use to me and financially viable within my practical sphere of operating.

I found there had been a shortage of structured courses focused on interested general practitioners and the simplyendo® name kept coming up, so I decided to take the plunge.

A welcome challenge

What I enjoyed most about the course was the interaction with fellow dentists and tutors. It provided a welcome challenge from like-minded professionals, tearing away the straitjacket that UK dentistry can often place us in.

Since taking the course, in addition to my usual work over the last two years, I have undertaken 62 root canal treatments (25 of which were on a private basis) and associated crown provision, which has gone a long way to paying for the tuition fees. It is unlikely that I would have done so without the knowledge, confidence and tactile skills that I have benefitted from attending the simplyendo® course.

Just do it

If you’re contemplating taking the course, my recommendation is to just do it! You won’t be disappointed. It will greatly improve your assessment skills, such as which cases to avoid and what technique is necessary to achieve success. It will ease your litigation concerns by providing a template to follow, involving the patient throughout the process and being realistic in the outcomes before treatment commences.

My advice is that the more you put into this course the more that you will get out of it, so give yourself the time to explore the background reading, it’s well worth it. As a minimum, get yourself some high magnification loupes with a strong backlight. And lastly, challenge yourself!