Beyond Daily Care of Patients – Continuing Education Review of 2019

As we look back at 2019, all three dentists were very active with formal learning, teaching, and sharing knowledge with fellow dentists in what are known as Dental Study groups.

Dr. Bill Moorkamp began the year with an annual Dental Mission trip to Honduras, his 4^th. He joined his Dental friends in a clinic that has been repairing teeth and doing preventive education for the last 19 years.  Dr. Moorkamp also served as an adjunct faculty member of the University of Connecticut, joining a longtime colleague teaching 3^rd and 4^th year dental students at outreach clinics in the Dominican Republic.  Both trips were energizing and rewarding bringing Dental care to third world countries while interacting with dental colleagues and future dentists. 

Dr. Charlie Arthur and Stephen Moorkamp continue forging their path in comprehensive dental care by investing almost a week of their time this summer at the Pankey Institute for Restorative Dentistry.  As is typical, they met and interacted with Dentists from around the country focusing on both the technical and philosophical aspect of dentistry. This led to a visit with an instructor and his new office in the Chicago area this past fall while attending another dental course on Dental materials and technology.

All three doctors attended a course on Anterior Esthetics and Dental materials in St. Louis by Dr. Jose Luis Ruiz which was excellent for implementing the latest in tooth colored restorations especially in the esthetic zone known as the “social 6”.  A follow up visit with team members in Los Angeles will be forthcoming in 2020.

Drs. Charlie Arthur, Stephen Moorkamp, and Bill Moorkamp continued their monthly meetings with the local Spear Study Club based in Jefferson City, as well as attending separate two-day dental courses in the Phoenix area at the Spear campus. Dr. Arthur and Dr. Stephen attended an Occlusion (bite and jaw joint) seminar by Frank Spear and Dr. Moorkamp attended the “Advanced Anterior Restorative Challenges” course. 

The fall included Dr. Bill Moorkamp being able to introduce Drs. Arthur and Stephen to his “Off – Center Study Club” with a Head and Neck/TMJ dissection and Orofacial Pain course taught by a longtime friend of the Study Club, Dr. Henry Gremillion, at the LSU School of Dentistry in New Orleans.  This Study Club, composed of 10-12 dentists from around the country, has been dedicated for the last 20 years to the shared learning of presenting complex and difficult Dental rehabilitation cases to peers with discussion of treatment planning.  Dr. Stephen and Dr. Arthur are now members of the Study Club as well.

The value of lifelong learning is incredibly important to all of us at Moorkamp & Arthur Family Dentistry. Our dentists are dedicated to bettering our patients and the overall profession as well. We always strive to have to the most up to date knowledge and materials to provide optimal dental care for our patients.