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Posted 08/10/2019 in Clinician Spotlight

What do you get when you find 3 South Africans & a Canadian? Top 4 MSc. Laser Dentists of 2019 (AALZ)

Dr Bryan Sher (SA), Dr Jacques Ferreira (SA), Dr Awie Thomas (SA) & Dr Dean Sexsmith (Saskatchawan, Canada)


A proud moment for South African and Canadian Dentistry, representing the top four positions of the post-graduate ‘Master of Science, Lasers in Dentistry’ Class at RWTH Aachen University’s Laser Centre (AALZ). The South African Masters started their laser education in South Africa’s very first Mastership Diploma course in 2017, after which they decided to take it to the Master Degree level, the MSc. at Aachen University in Germany. Two years later, they have made South Africa proud by raising the bar a bit higher. The two years of hard work and post-graduate research, many flights and trains to Germany, and time out of the practice has changed their everyday dentistry forever.


Second from left:  Dr Jacques Ferreira from Standerton achieved ‘Cum Laude’ and the university’s fifth ever achiever of this ‘level of excellence’ in 15 years. [Dr Ferreira acquired his two lasers in 2014, the Waterlase Er,Cr:YSGG and Epic Diode 940nm.]


Far left:  Dr Bryan Sher from Green Point, Cape Town earns another feather in his cap, alongside his BSc. and Honours in Physiology, BChD in Dentistry, he achieves his MSc. in Lasers in Dentistry second in the international class at Aachen University. [Dr Sher acquired his two dental lasers in 2016, the Epic 940nm and Waterlase Er,Cr:YSGG 2780nm. He now combines the Waterlase Fractional Ablative Handpiece for the same advanced and cool approach to skin rejuvenation, wrinkle and scar treatment compared to other systems being used in the market. With the Er,Cr:YSGG Fractional Handpiece, water and air is combined for gentler, minimally invasive treatments and faster healing.]


Third from left:  Dr Awie Thomas from Vredendal doubles the Western Cape success and creates a hat-trick for South Africa on the MSc. Laser Podium. Dr Thomas also went on to present Mastership level clinical laser cases to the World Clinical Laser Institute in San Diego in October 2019 as well as the WCLI Mastership written exam. He also passed very well and now has the German Mastership, German MSc. and American/WCLI Mastership. [At the very beginning of his laser interest, Dr Thomas used a 980nm diode laser. After seeking good training and learning more about wavelengths and tissue interaction for dentistry specifically, Dr Thomas discovered the Epic 940nm Diode efficiency and paired it with the game-changing Waterlase Er,Cr:YSGG 2780nm. He has now added the Waterlase Fractional Ablative Handpiece to treat Vredendal patients’ scars, wrinkles and provide the latest minimally invasive skin rejuvenation with Er,Cr:YSGG.]


Far right:  Made in Canada, Dr Dean Sexsmith from Saskatchewan has been providing complete dental care by safeguarding Lloydminster patients’ smiles with general, preventative, cosmetic and endodontic dentistry with the advances of lasers since 2004. [Dr Sexsmith uses Waterlase Er,Cr:YSGG 2780nm and Epic Diode 940nm.]


We can only imagine how much these gentlemen are going to miss their student life of laser classes, talking once sci-fi dentistry, physics, absorption, joules and scattering on another level, and continuing it over German pints. Thanks to pioneers like these, it’s not like science fiction anymore, but through understanding, it’s the reality of world-changing technology that describes high-level medicine today. Tomorrow, it’s computers a million time faster through aiding quantum computing.


Can you imagine getting surgery on your cornea without the precision of laser? It’s not the eighties, and the characteristic ability to precisely cut and target, makes lasers particularly attractive to provide real minimally invasive treatments, solve problems and enable new treatments in the dental practice. Over the past two decades, lasers have become ubiquitous in the practice of modern dentistry, adding a gentle rushing air or popping water sound to the dental suites, rather than the whine of the dental drill.


South Africa has always been praised for raising good dentists. It is no surprise that South Africa has a large community of early adopters of dental laser technology over the last 12 years, and close to 50 Mastership level qualified dentists, specialists and one hygienist.

 

The Master program is designed to enable dentists to treat patients with laser adjuvants and laser based therapeutic methods as highly qualified specialists, and in a responsible manner. MSc. laser dentists are qualified to train users on a variety of dental lasers and wavelengths, Er,Cr:YSGG, Er:YAG, and Diode Lasers, as well as Photobiomodulation (PBM).

 

In the words of Prof. Dr. Norbert Gutknecht, Executive Director of the Master Program, “The South African group this year have taken the standard of lasers in dentistry to a new level.


Mastership Cape Town 2020: South Africa will host its fourth Mastership Course for a limited number of local and international dental practitioners from 15 March 2020 in Cape Town. It will cover three modules over 9 days followed by practical application and presentation of 5 clinical cases, and the final examination module one year later in South Africa or Germany. The Mastership can be combined with the full MSc. Degree in Aachen, Germany. For more information, visit scivisionmedical.com/mastership

View the AALZ Master Laser Education Program


Master Workshops: Look out for training workshops and mentoring opportunities with these MSc. laser dentists and trainers to fast-track your incorporation of this most advanced technology in dentistry. Learning can be so much fun from a good teacher.


Many say laser technology rates as the highest in terms of "cool" that humans have achieved. Lasers are a fast train on the move and it seems that the implications of laser tech is limited only by learning, imagination and funding. 


Enquiries: info@scivisionmedical.com / +27 12 665 3541 / Whatsapp +27 84 405 8025



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