Practicing What We Teach By: Brian Hulan, Corporate Communications

From Yuba City, California to Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, and throughout the U.S., PAC~live is redefining outstanding aesthetic education in contemporary dentistry. PAC~live–the Pacific Aesthetic Continuum–is a series of educational forums dedicated to clinical excellence and professional growth. Each program offers a live-patient, hands-on experience supported by a 2-to-1 clinical faculty ratio. Not only does PAC~live teach attendees state-of-the-art aesthetic techniques that work and continue to be validated every day in practices across America, it empowers graduates by creating a dynamic team experience and providing guidelines for putting what is learned into practice.

The Pacific Aesthetic Continuum was created in the summer of 1998 by Dr. William Dorfman, co-founder of Discus Dental, in conjunction with some of the top aesthetic dentists in the country. The objective was to create a live-patient, truly hands-on continuing education program with a single focus: mastering the art of functional aesthetic dentistry. Since its inception, PAC~live has built a nationwide alumni network of dentists united by their incredible passion for creating beautiful smiles.

Teachers That Do

PAC~live is led by Edward Lowe, BSc, DMD, in private practice in Vancouver, British Columbia. Dr. Lowe has served as Clinical Director since July, 2002, and as Clinical Instructor since the program’s inception. He has brought a team concept to the PAC~live mission and its faculty. “We have assembled what I believe to be the finest teaching faculty in any Advanced Aesthetics program today. As Director, I strive to constantly ensure we continue to be recognized as the catalyst for outstanding clinical dentistry as well as personal fulfillment in our chosen profession,” comments Dr. Lowe.

Edward Lowe, BSc, DMD

Clinical instructor Joe Harris, DDS, from Phoenix, AZ calls PAC~live the best study club in the world because he learns just as much as the participants every time he teaches a course. Dr. Harris runs a busy aesthetic practice and has been an instructor at PAC~live since August, 1998.

The operative word in PAC~live is very much “live.” According to Dr. Lowe, “The benefits of a live-patient, hands-on program are unparalleled. PAC~live offers a truly unique opportunity for everything to come together in one place, under the guidance of expert clinical instructors, using state-of-the-art materials and techniques. Participants have the opportunity to work on their own selected patients, side-by-side with a master ceramist–provided to them by the program—and with the guidance of individuals like Dennis Wells, Brian McKay, Derric Des Marteau, Rob Ritter and other true aesthetic masters. When does one get the opportunity to learn advanced prep techniques, then put them into practice with the ceramist to the left and a clinical mentor to the right? The experience just cannot be duplicated.”

Wet-Fingered Faculty
Each member of PAC~live’s clinical faculty is a full-time, practicing dentist with years of experience handling everything from one-unit direct veneer cases to full mouth reconstructions. Most have established themselves in the aesthetic community through membership in and accreditation by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry and other prestigious organizations. Each and every instructor is committed to leadership in the practice and art of aesthetic dentistry.

The country’s finest labs work side-by-side with course participants in a unique learning environment. Nelson Rego, a PAC~live Master Ceramist and Laboratory Leader ensures proper shade selection while documenting the case using digital photography.

“We’re all wet-fingered dentists,” says Derric Des Marteau, DDS, PAC~live’s Clinical Faculty Leader. Dr. Des Marteau exhibits a true passion for dentistry and his schedule proves it. Four days a week he operates a highly successful aesthetic practice just outside San Francisco. When he’s not seating a 10-unit anterior case, he’s on the football field with the Oakland Raiders as their official team dentist–or the basketball court with the Golden State Warriors and local collegiate teams.

“I love what I do, and I’m so thankful that I have the opportunity to teach others the skills that someone once taught me,” says Dr. Des Marteau. “At PAC~live, we teach what we do, and what we have done, every day, for the past several years. We share the same problems, encounter the same issues, and are presented with the same challenges that our PAC~live participants face. PAC~live offers the unique ability for everyone to share their experiences and teach each other how best to solve problems and create incredibly successful practices.”

Courses of Action
PAC~live offers a continuum of courses that begin with a fact-filled, level one Functional Anterior program, where 8-10 anterior, all-ceramic restorations are created on each patient. It is a comprehensive course that offers a variety of clinical, practice management and hygiene lectures for the entire team. Over the course of two 3-day weekends, participants study topics such as advanced smile design, preparation protocols, custom provisionalization, adhesion, cementation, setting appropriate fee schedules, enrollment skills and hands-on hygiene programs.

“It’s not about following written protocols of prepping and seating advanced aesthetic cases,” says Dr. Brian McKay, Clinical Faculty Leader for PAC~live. “There are core concepts we teach that, when combined, create the recipe for success in just about any dental practice. We, the faculty, all live and breathe this every day. What separates the faculty of PAC~live is that we all have busy, successful practices. But it took a great deal of work to get to this level. I sold a 14-chair practice to build what I now call my aesthetic dream practice, but only after years of studying and learning from my own mentors. What PAC teaches is the path to this level of dentistry and this type of clinical excellence.”

Dr. McKay stresses the importance of taking risks, removing yourself from your comfort zone and exploring the vast array of opportunities that the practice of dentistry offers today. “At PAC~live, you are able to go as far as you want to go–we’re just there to make sure you’re going in the right direction.”

		Before After
This patient’s concerns were a gummy smile, short teeth and cervical discoloration. After crown lengthening and a healing period, she was restored with 10 IPS Empress porcelain veneers. The buccal corridor was widened, the mesial inclination of the buccal segments were idealized and her goal of longer, whiter teeth was achieved.

Core Concepts
Dr. McKay believes this understanding and integration are advanced by the core concepts taught at PAC~live. “PAC-live is really a lifestyle change based on key factors that are very important to us. The path to excellence involves an understanding of individual components, each critical to creating aesthetic success, and then integrating them into daily practice.” These core concepts include:

Clinical Excellence Using Advanced Aesthetic Techniques: This is the foundation upon which you will build your practice. Your knowledge and skill-set must be solid. PAC~live begins with this.

Confidence in Your Clinical Skills: Confidence is paramount in doing this type of dentistry. It’s not ego, it’s knowing you have the tools to treat a case, transform a smile, and create beauty and ensure function.

Enrollment Using a Team Approach: You may have the best clinical skills in town, but if your team doesn’t believe it and preach it, your patients will never know. PAC~live understands just how important your team is in promoting advanced aesthetics in your practice. They are your front line, and most likely, the ones with whom your patients most identify.

Build a Practice-within-a-Practice: It is highly unlikely a dentist can become insurance independent and promote only fee-for-service type dentistry without having a strong general practice to build on. PAC~live teaches dentists how to develop and maintain an aesthetic practice-within-a-practice. It’s not the only way, but it’s the way that’s proven successful by PAC~live faculty in their practices and many others who follow this model.

Proven, Tested and Successful Philosophy: The aesthetic and restorative dentistry taught at PAC~live is based upon uncompromising approaches to restorative dentistry. Most of the faculty are continuing ed junkies and have attended or taught at many other continuums and institutes. In today’s world of advanced aesthetic techniques and materials, PAC~live offers the state-of-the-art for the clinician dedicated to excellence. This holds true for faculty and graduates.

All For One, One For All
An excellent dentist is just that, an excellent dentist, but an excellent team is what creates a successful practice. This is why PAC~live courses are geared for the entire team. Clinicians study advanced aesthetics while team members attend courses on enrollment skills and effective patient communication. It’s not enough that the clinicians learn the advanced techniques taught at PAC~live. To build a successful aesthetic practice requires a team effort and an understanding of the overall goals of the practice. According to Joseph Harris, DDS, in private practice in Phoenix, Arizona, and PAC-Team Program Co-Leader, “When you help make your team the best and most educated in town, you are empowering them to contribute dynamically to the overall success of the practice. The empowered team constantly looks for answers with the overall result in mind.”

In the team context, hygiene obviously plays a critical role. PAC~live offers dedicated, hands-on hygiene programs, directed and taught by Hygiene Mastery. Vicki McManus, a program instructor and founder of Hygiene Mastery, shows dental teams how to increase overall production by at least 30%.

Team programs are rounded out with exceptional marketing and management courses offered by Fortune Management’s Alan and Sandy Richardson, nationally recognized practice management coach Gary Takacs, insurance independence specialist Dr. Michael Dolby and marketing dynamo, Dr. Mike Maroon.

PAC~live…Where The Amazing Happens!
What separates PAC~live from the rest? An outstanding and comprehensive curriculum, a solid core philosophy, a mastery of state-of-the-art aesthetic technique and a commitment to making it all work in the practices of graduates. Most of all, it’s the outstanding teaching of the finest faculty in dentistry. It’s real-world dentistry taught by real-world dentists. It’s an educational experience where you can make the most amazing discovery any dentist can ever make...your own practice! PAC~live will take you where you need to go.