Since the 2009 establishment of a professional education program in dental assisting at Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital in Hangzhou, China, LLU School of Dentistry clinic faculty members have provided continuing education (CE) courses to the hospital’s dental staff, dental assisting students, and dentists from the surrounding community.
The most recent such CE offerings at SRRSH were held November 13 and 14, 2014, during the hospital’s Academic Week. Kenneth Abramovitch, DDS, MS, professor and director, Radiologic and Imaging Services, presented an all-day course on “Dental Imaging in a Digital Environment.”
Les Arnett, DDS, MS, professor, Department of Periodontics, presented a half-day course on “Periodontitis as a Risk Factor for Systemic Diseases.”
Dr. Arnett’s wife, Linda, a dental hygienist, reviewed advances in dental hygiene in the US with the dental assistants—a group who, with the mentoring of LLUSD faculty, have been trained in dental hygiene procedures to fill the need for this dental service, since dental hygiene is not yet an established health care category in China. In addition, Linda planned a special evening “craft night” for the dental assistant/hygienist’s enjoyment.