Future presentations by Mary Ellen and/or Greg
Psaltis, dates and contacts for currently scheduled events.
For more complete information regarding program contents, go
to Courses
or Program
Directors. Thursday-Friday, April 24-25, 2024 "Problem Parents? No Problem!"
presented by Greg and Mary Ellen Psaltis Are you among those who think
that parents are the problem in children’s treatment in a dental
office? In this
informative program you will learn to identify parents’ hidden
agendas, why parents behave in different ways
and some shortcut clues to dealing effectively with parents. These
simple, but remarkably effective skills will
enhance your communications when presenting treatment plans,
scheduling appointments or teaching oral
hygiene techniques. Are parents really the problem or is
it our understanding of them? (Thursday a.m.)
So Little Room, So Much to See (Saturday, Feb 25)
(The Complete Pediatric Dental Examination) Every pediatric dental examination is like a new patient
examination simply because of the dynamics of growth and
development. Furthermore, there is much to see in the mouths of
children other than caries and loose teeth. This program
thoroughly covers all aspects of the pediatric dental examination
including recognition of anomalies, growth and
development, symmetry and balance of the dentition and other
components that make examinations on children far from
routine. Both clinical and radiographs and photographs illustrate
the areas of discussion. (Thursday p.m.)
Eating as if Your Life Depends on it (taught by
Mary Ellen Psaltis)
Daily
food choices create the foundation for your overall healthy and
ultimately the health of your practice. We will cover hidden
influences, sugar awareness, and explore the fascinating
connections between brain, gut and the path along the way. Let's
look at the
food we eat (or not) and identify action steps, both large and
small, that add up to a lifetime of well-being. (Thursday p.m.)
Getting Past “Uh-oh,” “No”
and Helicopters
Pediatric dentistry is unique since it requires dentists to
successfully communicate with both children and
parents and manage their behaviors as well as one’s own.
Principles of behavior management are discussed
and shown in videos with patients in treatment and how to handle
them. Dentistry focuses on technical
aspects of work, but in pediatrics it is only possible by proper
handling of patients. The parents? They are
the entertainment and promotional program, not the “problem” that
most believe. (Friday p.m.)
Star of the North Meeting, St. Paul, MN
Contact: Whitney Bey, Director of Convention Operations, (612)
767-8400
Friday, May
17, 2024 Establishing Equilibrium
in the 5G World
The pandemic,
staff shortages, debt, fast pace of life, time away from family
and other factors are all adding
to the accumulated stress that many dentists are experiencing.
With a wonderful career choice like ours, shouldn’t
we be enjoying ourselves more and stressing less? Are there any
simple solutions to make our quality of life better?
In this discussion, we will talk about 5 “G’s” that add to
stress and 5 “G’s” that can reduce them. These simple
ideas are all easily attainable by anyone motivated enough to
de-stress.
Getting Past “Uh-oh,” “No” and Helicopters
Pediatric dentistry is unique since it requires dentists to
successfully communicate with both children and
parents and manage their behaviors as well as one’s own.
Principles of behavior management are discussed
and shown in videos with patients in treatment and how to handle
them. Dentistry focuses on technical
aspects of work, but in pediatrics it is only possible by proper
handling of patients. The parents? They are
the entertainment and promotional program, not the “problem” that
most believe.
South Dakota Dental Meeting, Sioux Falls, SD
Melissa Afdahl, Event Manager
Phone: (605) 224-9133
Friday, September
21, 2024
What you
Need to Know in Today’s World of Pediatric Dentistry
Appropriate treatment
planning, local anesthesia and growth and development are the
areas of pediatric dentistry
that
will be the focus of this presentation. The indications for
pulpotomies have changed, the need for full coverage
crowns (versus large fillings) cannot be overstated, painless
and faster anesthesia is now a real possibility and the
necessity of radiographs during a child’s facial and dental
development will provide a clear rationale for parents
who “don’t want any x-rays taken.” Beyond the technical aspects
of pediatric dental care, handling parents of the
patients will also be covered.
Practical Clinical Courses, Provo, UT
Toni Wengreen, CEO and Outreach Director
Phone (800) 223-6569, ext 111
Friday-Saturday, August 29-30,
2024 (dates and topics to be determined)
Newfoundland-Labrador National Oral Health Convention, St. John,
Newfoundland
Amanda Barron, Executive Director
Phone (709) 579-2362
Friday, May 2, 2025 So Little Room, So Much
to See
(The Complete Pediatric Dental Examination) Every pediatric dental examination is like a new patient
examination simply because of the dynamics of growth and
development. Furthermore, there is much to see in the mouths of
children other than caries and loose teeth. This program
thoroughly covers all aspects of the pediatric dental
examination including recognition of anomalies, growth and
development, symmetry and balance of the dentition and other
components that make examinations on children far from
routine. Both clinical and radiographs and photographs
illustrate the areas of discussion.
Aren't They Just Baby Teeth? (Answers to Common Questions from
Parents)
You’ve
heard these words before and can’t help thinking to yourself,
“Oh no, another ignorant parent.” Parents who pose
this question (and others) are not ignorant—they are often
working from old beliefs or their own experiences. The ability
to
answer these common questions insures a greater understanding of
the pediatric dental issues at hand and creates a positive
relationship through effective communications. This program is
based on questions routinely heard from parents of pediatric
dental patients and covers a broad spectrum of topics. Included
are primary anterior trauma, stainless steel crowns,
timing of
initial examinations, proper placement of sealants and more. The
scientific basis and the rationales for treatment is a
significant
part of the lecture. Practitioners who treat children will
benefit from this engaging course.
Lane County Dental Society, Eugene, OR
Contact: Nissa Newton, Executive Director
Stainless Steel Crowns and
Treatment Planning (Hands on course) Do primary tooth crowns mystify
you? They always sound
so simple—right up until you try them on a live
pediatric patient. In this hands-on workshop, you will
learn how to diagnose properly for stainless steel
crowns.
Next you will be able to see the proper preparation and
placement technique (including a live demonstration)
and then perform it yourself on a typodont. At the end
of this workshop you will agree that these restorations
are a snap! The course will also include a hands-on
treatment planning exercise to more fully train
attendees
to plan a successful course of treatment for children.
"Bites, Bytes and Bites" The program will span a
variety of topics, ranging from pediatric dental exam (Bite
#1) to issues with parent demands (Byte #2) to
nutritional guidance for a healther life (Bite #3). The final
section will include a session about no bites, namely
managing behavior
in the pediatric dental setting. Specific courses are:
Eating as if Your Life Depends on it (taught by
Mary Ellen Psaltis)
Daily
food choices create the foundation for your overall healthy and
ultimately the health of your practice. We will cover hidden
influences, sugar awareness, and explore the fascinating
connections between brain, gut and the path along the way. Let's
look at the
food we eat (or not) and identify action steps, both large and
small, that add up to a lifetime of well-being. In Stressful Times is the 5G World Working
for You? (one-hour)
The
pandemic, staff shortages, fast pace of life and other factors
all add to the accumulated stress dentists are now
experiencing. With a wonderful career choice like ours, can't we
enjoy ourselves more and stress less? Are there solutions
to improve our quality of life? We will tak about 5 "G's" that
add stress and 5 "G's" that can reduce them. These simple ideas
are easily attainable by anyone motivated to de-stress.
Health by the Numbers (one-hour, taught by
Mary Ellen Psaltis)
Come
with your writing device/pen and be willing to examine a
numerical picture of your health. We will talk numbers
beyond height and weight.. Is there a way to quantify well-being
with numbers? How many vegetables do you really need
each day? How do you get eough fiber into your eating? Are you
aware of the added sugars you eat? Does it all matter? We
will have fun looking at our numbers.
Dealing
with Dr. Google
We
all
have had the experience of patients (or parents of patients)
coming in to our practices and questioning
our treatment recommendations because of their new-found
knowledge they obtained from the internet. In this
course, we will explore why this is happening so frequently,
what ramifications it can have on your practice
and how to deal with it. Specific issues, such as primary pulp
medicaments, fluoride and sealant materials will
be discussed with the controversies surrounding them. Tools for
dealing with this increasing phenomenon
will help practitioners to communicate more effectively when
faced with demands from patients. (Fri p.m.)
Stainless
Steel Crowns and Treatment Planning (Hands on course) Do primary tooth crowns mystify you? They always sound so simple—right
up until you try them on a live
pediatric patient. In this hands-on workshop, you will learn how
to diagnose properly for stainless steel crowns.
Next you will be able to see the proper preparation and
placement technique (including a live demonstration)
and then perform it yourself on a typodont. At the end of this
workshop you will agree that these restorations
are a snap! The course will also include a hands-on treatment
planning exercise to more fully train attendees
to plan a successful course of treatment for children. (Sat a.m.
and p.m.)
"Dental Divas: Dealing with Dental Drama" presented by Mary
Ellen Psaltis Is
your work place fulfilling or frustrating?
Optimizing your work environment is essential for your
everyone's success and well-being.
However, working together can be fraught with conflict and
unresolved issues even though
women (the majority of dental employees) are know to be
nurturing and helpful. Why is it so hard?
Is there one person who seems to ruin it for everyone else? Or
does it go deeper?
This lively presentation will increase your understanding of the
underlying dynamics that can create conflict
and also create understanding and cooperation. We will cover
thoughtful ideas for transforming your office
environment.
"Nutrition Ignition: The Science and the Sense" presented
by Mary Ellen Psaltis
The vast sea of nutrition information is difficult to navigate.
With ads, fads and crazy science it is
challenging to discern what is actually beneficial. Increase your
food awareness with the best of
science and sense in order to make sound, appropriate choices. The
actions you take on a daily
basis make a difference in the overall health of you, your
practice and your patients.
Plus learn top tips in incorporate into your healthy living right
now.
"Food as your Farm-acy" presented by Mary Ellen Psaltis
The food choices you make are the foundation for your optimal
health - and the health of your
practice. The results even touch your patients. You will learn how
to take powerful steps daily
that can add up to a lifetime of optimal well-being and also take
home helpful tips.
"Heart Work is Not Hard"(Volunteering to your highest good)
Perhaps you've read or
heard about health care professionals who have traveled to foreign
countries to provide
humanitarian treatment to the disadvantaged. How can they do that,
you wonder. In this program, learn about several
existing programs that would allow you to participate immediately
and also about how Dr. Psaltis created two programs
in Mexico. Legalities, logistics and the rich rewards will be
discussed with visual support of photographs and videos of the
programs in action. This program will touch your heart and
possibly have you taking your dreams of helping others to the
next step.
"Do These Genes Make Me Look Fat?" presented by Mary Ellen
Psaltis
Can we blame our genes for our health woes? Are we victims or
agents of change? We know
nutrition is integral to our health, but we need to get our brains
and thoughts working with us.
Learn top strategies that support your body and your life. (Friday
11:00 a.m. - noon)
"Problem Parents? No Problem!" presented by Greg
and Mary Ellen Psaltis Are you among those who think that parents are the
problem in children’s treatment in a dental office? In this
informative program you will learn to identify parents’ hidden
agendas, why parents behave in different ways
and some shortcut clues to dealing effectively with parents. These
simple, but remarkably effective skills will
enhance your communications when presenting treatment plans,
scheduling appointments or teaching oral
hygiene techniques. Are parents really the problem or is
it our understanding of them?
"Primary Pulp Therapy" This
one hour presentation will discuss several primary tooth pulp
therapy medicaments and techniques.
Included will be pulpotomy procedures and pulpectomy (primary
root canals) as well.
"Pediatric Preventive and
Interceptive Orthodontics"
In this program there will be a thorough review of all space
maintainers used in pediatric dentistry as well as
some active appliances for space-regaining and cross-bite
correction. Diagnosis of early orthodontic referrals
will also be discussed to clarify which cases can and should be
referred early and which ones can wait. Habits
and their management will be covered as well. Finally, the
techniques for banding and impression-taking for all
appliances are illustrated during the program.
"Baby Steps"
(Infant and Preschool
Dental Care for General Dentists)
Emphasis is now being
placed on establishing a dental home for all children upon
eruption of the
first tooth or at 12 months of age. It is essential that all
dental care providers become skilled at the
steps necessary to make these visits successful for both the child
and parents. This course discusses
developmental ages, appropriate guidelines and clinical tips.
"A New
GPS"
Whether
you
are in your first year out of your training program or just
short of retirement, this presentation is for you. Stimulate
your thoughts and activate practical, achievable steps to
increase your enjoyment of work and assure that your investment
of time,
money and effort will continue to pay off over a lifetime.
Drawing upon the advice of several dental experts (as well as
others
from outside of dentistry), the material will help you establish
a plan to enhance your professional and personal life. Both
realistic
and fun, your new GPS will guide you to the place you’ve always
wanted to be.