Introduction
To All AOD Members, Friends, and Browsers
This section has been designed to offer you an opportunity to communicate with AOD members who are
on a dental school faculty of who belong to a study club.
Why List Operative Departments?
It is hoped that dentists browsing the site and who are interested in this Academy might be able
to find a familiar faculty member to ask for more information about this organization. I'm encouraging
all AOD faculty members, part or full time, to send me their name, contact number and affiliated dental
school.
Why List Study Clubs?Study clubs are an excellent adjunct for continuing education.
Many of our members are involved in a study club and the aim of this list is to make available
someone who can answer questions regarding their particular study club. Clubs can be primarily
clinical (hands-on),
didactic (lecture) or a combination of both. Focus may be on varying materials or techniques.
The RV Tucker Study Club is the club with the largest affiliation here, so some commentary has been
added here to clarify its methods and purposes. Other clubs are invited to add a description of their
club. The list here is organized by state since location is probably the first factor in selecting a
club. I encourage all members who are in study club to contact me in order to be listed. Please send
your name, state, club, and contact number.
Both lists have been compiled from a questionnaire at the 2007 AOD Annual Meeting. These lists
are just beginning and I encourage all members to let me know your affiliation and be included
appropriately on these lists.
Dr Susanne T. Grennell
P.O. Box 153
Billings, N.Y, 12510
Commentary on Study Clubs
What is a Study Club?
Dental study clubs have been around for a long time. G.V Black was asked to mentor
one of the first gold foil study clubs in Minneapolis, Minnesota over one hundred years
ago. This type of dental learning has continued to this day. Some dentists have meetings
and lectures and call them study clubs but in the historical definition of the term study club means
dentists working on patients under the supervision of a senior mentor on an ongoing basis. It is an
ongoing experience usually meeting numerous times during the year and is not simply a continuing dental
education course.
A minimum of eight and a maximum of twelve members is usually ideal. Fewer than eight may be financially
difficult and more than twelve may become non productive with the mentor not being able to spend enough
time with each member.
Rather than simply listening to a lecture study club members practice dentistry on patients in a
relaxed setting without the normal stresses of a busy dental practice. There are no distractions
other than the operation being performed. The goal is to produce the finest rubber dam application,
preparation, impression, and finished restoration as is possible on that day by that operator.
It is a time to challenge yourself and refine your skills. Also a longer term goal is, with the
help of the mentor, to improve his or her clinical skills. The mentor will
recognize the member's weaknesses and help strengthen them to the full potential of that dentist.
The mentor may sit down and help demonstrate for the member how to accomplish a certain procedure,
for example rubber dam application, instrument sharpening, chair position, patient position,
handpiece control, and more. Many of these things, of course, are not possible with simply a
lecture format or even a one or two day hands-on or participation course.
Another benefit of an operating study club is the camaraderie that develops among members and respect
and friendship with the mentor. As dentists sometimes we work alone without day to day interaction
with other dentists and study club changes that. Working together each month, seeing each other's
preparations and seatings, being critiqued by the mentor, and socializing usually following the
operations during lunch or dinner, all contribute to closer relationships among the members and
their mentor. In addition often an annual event is planned with spouses.
As time goes on a certain self confidence appears as the member sees his own improvement and
wants to continue the process. This is reflected in the member's practice and the skills, learned
with direct or cast gold which are transferred not only to the castings and foils done during regular
practice time but also other disciplines of dentistry as well.
Study club is not for everyone. There is a large time and financial commitment depending upon
the various expenses and number of operating meetings scheduled. If you do join an operating
study club there is no question that at least one thing will happen - you will become a more
refined clinical dentist with improved skills. The degree to which that happens depends mostly
on you and - similar to many other things in life - the effort that you put into it.
One of the ways to become involved is to contact the Academy of Richard V. Tucker Study Clubs,
a worldwide association of over 50 cast gold study clubs. A rapidly expanding organization,
the academy's mission is to teach excellence and professionalism in dentistry and particularly
with cast gold. Contact the study club closest to you or form a new one.
See www.rvtucker.org
Dr. Bruce W. Small
Tucker sturdy club #32
Reason for membership in the Academy of R.V. Tucker Study Clubs
