The Academy of General Dentistry is a professional association of the general dentists throughout the United States and Canada. The Academy was formed in 1952 and has always sought to continue the education of general dentists and to provide consumers with reliable information. According to AGD’s website, its core competency statement is “Quality of care through lifelong learning,” and its development of Fellowship and Mastership programs seek to encourage constant learning and development in the general dentistry industry.
Continuing Education
Although all dentists are required to engage in continuing education periodically to ensure that their skills stay honed and up-to-date, dentists who are members of the AGD take those continuing education requirements further by taking at least 75 hours of continuing education courses every three years just to maintain their enrollment in the association. Those continuing education courses can range on a variety of dental subjects from teeth whitening to dental implant procedures.
Fellowships and Masterships
So committed to providing patients with quality care through continuing education are AGD members that they oftentimes receive awards and special acknowledgment for their achievements within their educational field. Those who truly dedicate themselves to go above and beyond are awarded Fellowships or Masterships, depending upon the extent of the achievements. In order to earn a Fellowship award, members must complete at least 500 hours of continuing education courses relating to dentistry, pass a rigorous exam and maintain their AGD membership for at least three consecutive years. To receive the Mastership award, they must invest in at least 600 hours of approved continuing education courses within specific dental disciplines in addition to passing a comprehensive exam and maintaining at least three years of consecutive membership in the AGD.
AGD Dentists
To date, there are reportedly more than 38,000 dentists throughout the United States and Canada who hold AGD memberships, making the AGD the second-largest dental association on the North American continent. Additionally, it is the only association on the continent that supports the needs and interests of general dentists exclusively. Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, the AGD is dedicated to providing quality dental care and oral health education to the public.
What Are General Dentists?
General dentists are those who provide primary care for patients of all ages and are responsible for the diagnosis, treatment, management, and overall coordination of services related to patients’ oral health needs. Some of the types of services that general dentists perform include routine teeth cleaning, treatment of disorders and diseases affecting the teeth, gums and jaw and restorative procedures such as bonding, dental bridges, crowns, fillings and other procedures designed to repair the effects of tooth decay, trauma, defect and disease within and around the oral area.
Why Choose AGD Dentists?
Dentists who are members of the AGD are more likely to be up-to-date on all the latest technologies and innovations within the dental industry simply because of the continuing education requirements that they must adhere to in order to maintain their membership in the association. Therefore, patients can rest assured in their knowledge that AGD dentists are dedicated to their professionals and the furthering of research and development within their fields.
References:
Winland RD, Mages.M. “The Academy of General Dentistry’s ongoing charge for quality dental education.” Retrieved on October 18, 2015, from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10665236.
The Academy of General Dentistry
560 W. Lake St., Sixth Floor
Chicago, IL 60661-6600
888.AGD.DENT
http://www.agd.org/
Images:
http://www.mainlinesmile.com/images/agd-2.jpg
https://www.flickr.com/photos/23301907@N07/7257837056/in/dateposted/