PROSTHODONTICS - American College of Prosthodontists

The American College of ProsthodontistsThe research environment in prosthodontics is strong. Despite the economic climatethat has reduced some opportunities in the past two or three years, other factors over the pastdecade have improved opportunities for research in prosthodontics (both the specialty and thewider discipline it serves). These opportunities touch all aspects of patient care, from diagnosticprocedures, to new therapies, to new materials, and ending in concerns for long term care of theindividual and the population in general (bioinformatics). The American College ofProsthodontists has paid particular attention to this environment, has contributed to the changein this environment, and monitors the role of technological advancement through research andinnovation in practice.Prosthodontists direct immersion in the changing research environment may beexemplified by the College’s convening of two different symposia focused on research andtechnology. The leadership of the ACP concern for the rapidly changing research climate wasaddressed in a conference of research faculty and investigators held in 2008 at the University ofNorth Carolina. With support of the American College of Prosthodontists Education Foundation,at two day conference addressing the spectrum of research activities in Prosthodonticsconcluded with a breakout discussion of needs and opportunities for innovation and research inProsthodontics. Specific actions were adopted by the ACP Board of Directors.The actions include:I. support for enhancing the CODA educational standards for advanced education inprosthodontics including a commitment to the research standard, inclusion of EvidenceBased Dentistry and evidence of adopting new technologies,II. promote research in advanced education programs by continued funding of researchopportunities,III. promote interest in innovation within the private practice community by engagingpractitioners in Clinical Evaluators Networks, andIV. advance basic research by Prosthodontists in US dental schools by creating the ACP’sYoung Prosthodontist Innovator Awards beginning in 2010In 2008, a second conference was held to focus more directly on the advancement ofDigital Technology. At this symposium, invited prosthodontists were exposed to emergingtechnologies presented by industry leaders. The outcome of this discussion was designated toinform the specialty in 2009 of the changing technological basis of the practice of prosthodonticsand to set the stage for future discussions of the prosthodontist’s role as early adopters andinnovators in clinical dentistry. The second Digital Dentistry Symposium is bookmarked for andbudgeted for early 2011. Since the 2006 ACP Annual Session has included the TechnologyForum, this has been an innovative and successful interactive session.The shared responsibility of teaching advanced and undergraduate dental educators thefundamental steps in conducting evidence based research evaluations of clinical scenarios. InApril 2010, the Academy of Prosthodontics financially supported and conducted an intensiveone day course for Prosthodontic educators. Eighty four individuals from across the USparticipated with 10 expert facilitators.Alternative approaches to research in small controlled (academic) environments are alsoimportant. Exploring efficiency and efficacy issues is relevant to the practice of prosthodontics.Practice-based research is ongoing in the US and the NIDCR has funded practice-basednetworks that evaluate patient outcomes of therapies. Published reports of practice-basedoutcomes are appearing in the field of dental implants (Stanford et al 2010) and dental ceramiccrowns (Blatz et al, 2009). In one example, hundreds of clinicians provided thousands ofimplants to evaluate the efficacy of a new implant surface technology. Within three years ofpatient treatment, a large data set was available to support the use of this available technology.Our commitment to change is reflected strongly in how prosthodontists communicate.Since 2006, the American College of Prosthodontics has expended great financial andorganization resources to the invigoration of its website as a place for communication and aninformational resource. The Prosthopedia ® is a living document with the intent of beingcontinuously updated and fully shared among viewers and participants. The importance ofProsthodontics - 122010 CDEL Re-recognition of the Specialty Report 12 of 279