AACD: Helping Dental Professionals Go Further, Faster
Founded in 1984, the AACD is dedicated to advancing excellence in the art and science of comprehensive cosmetic dentistry
The pathway for dental professionals to maximize the full potential of the modern shift toward more esthetically pleasing dental care means practicing recognized standards for excellence—not merely incorporating the use of tooth-colored materials and restoratives for an esthetic “look.” Fortunately, this is well-charted terrain. It’s a road that dentists and laboratory technicians have successfully embarked upon for 35 years through membership, educational programing, skills development, collegial connections, and the Accreditation process in the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD).
Exposure to the breadth of cosmetic scenarios—and the application of proven techniques, materials, and collaborative approaches for their treatment—empowers dentists with experiential knowledge to address the uniqueness of their own patient cases and achieve the fulfillment and profitability that cosmetic dentistry can deliver. Active membership and participation in the AACD make all of this possible.
Annual AACD Scientific Session
The AACD offers many channels of esthetic education, but the annual conference is the biggest of its kind and offers unique opportunities for professionals to connect on a social and professional level. Every year, a location is chosen for the conference and an extensive and dynamic schedule of hands-on workshops, lectures, general sessions, and social-networking events is curated.
Conference attendees are invited to explore the latest technology, trends that have everyone talking, and make connections with industry-leading experts. They can build on what they already know and develop a mastery of techniques, tap into areas they haven’t previously explored, and develop professional relationships that can last a lifetime.
The Shift to Virtual Learning
AACD Central opens the door to continual online learning, offering members access to a deep resource library. The online learning platform is cosmetic dentistry’s ultimate authority on creating beautiful smiles, with more than 700 hours of video classes, including 300 lessons from the top educators in esthetic dentistry. Participants earn CE while expanding their skills and improving patient results. This also includes AACD Accreditation-specific education.
With a continually refreshed stable of online videos and educational resources, it’s like having a personal instructor, a professional mentor, and a trusted peer at your side, pushing you to rise to the top of the industry and be a well-versed cosmetic dentistry expert.
Content is organized into intuitive Learning Paths that don’t just give dental experts information on cosmetic and general dental techniques and trends—there are in-depth courses and content that focus on practice management, marketing, and more. With video programming, slide shows, Journal of Cosmetic Dentistry back issues, and downloadable resources, CEntral is a go-to for online education.
Photography for Accreditation Guide
A large part of the AACD Accreditation process involves submitting specific documentation for the clinical case submission portion of the examination. Proper documentation is necessary for self-critique and the examination process itself. That means that dental photography is an important part of attaining the credential. Beyond Accreditation, having the skills to take AACD Accreditation dictated images demonstrates to patients the value of your services and skills. It’s an immediate visual representation of what is possible, which appeals to the demands of patients. Using protocol guidelines, professionals have a checklist of angles and magnification data to take away any mystery and make photography a rote form of documentation that can easily illustrate what differentiates an AACD Accredited Member from the rest.
AACD Cosmetic Dental Marketing Institute
An intensive, self-paced, online university built to address the specific concerns of top-class cosmetic dentists, the Cosmetic Dental Marketing Institute helps practitioners build a more profitable business with less reliance on insurance and create demand for fee-for-service treatments. The Marketing Institute covers everything needed to generate success—from strategic marketing (what to say and how to say it), to tactical marketing (SEO, websites, social media, case presentation, and more), to how to create loyalty and accelerate referrals.
This self-study masterclass in marketing includes more than 8 hours of education broken into 45 video lessons in a modular format, thus allowing participants to learn on their own time.
