In 2006, we celebrated our 1,000th course. In 2007, we celebrated 60 years of delivering quality continuing professional development programs relevant to your daily practice. In 2008, we are celebrating the construction of a brand new 55 head Clinical Simulation Unit at 1 Mons Road Westmead as well as a totally refurbished and reconstructed 55 head Clinical Simulation Unit at the Sydney Dental Hospital, Surry Hills.

Clinical Simulation is such an important part of the education of our undergraduate students as well as the demonstration and practising of current and new dental procedures for graduated dental professionals. We are very proud to be instrumental in the construction and refurbishment of 2 new state of the art facilities, housing a total of 110 phantom heads, split between our two teaching hospitals.

Patient treatment programs are also of major benefit to the practicing dental practitioner, and often these courses consist of a combination of clinical simulation followed by treating live patients. We are fortunate to have the patient resources available though our teaching facilities; Sydney Dental Hospital and the Westmead Centre for Oral Health. The partnerships work in unison to bring you continuing educational courses and conferences to assist you in your day-to-day practice.

The programs available during 2008 are an assembly of recurrent, re-introduced as well as new courses and are designed to offer the latest in dental education and advancement in dental procedures. We are always happy to hear from you, with new ideas or ways in which we can improve or enhance the calendar of courses. We therefore welcome your feedback and invite you to contact us with your comments or suggestions.

As with every annual program of courses, we need to acknowledge the many people who contribute to our program calendar. So please join me in thanking the course conveners, presenters, committee members, sponsors, staff of Sydney Dental and Westmead Hospitals, the Faculty of Dentistry and the Continuing Education in Dentistry Office in bringing you another year of exciting professional developmental activities.


Glenn Butcher