CATEGORY 34 AUSTRALASIAN DENTIST EVENTS For many Australian dentists, the idea of moving into implant dentistry isn’t about chasing prestige – it’s about meeting patient expectations and expanding their suite of clinical offerings. Yet the path from general dentistry to competent implantology is rarely straightforward. Courses can be fragmented, mentorship inconsistent, and real-world surgical experience hard to come by. The Australasian Implant Academy (AIA) was founded, in 2019, to address this gap. It offers a structured, mentor-led pathway that meets clinicians where they are – whether they’ve never placed an implant or are already managing full-arch reconstructions. That approach has now earned international validation. “The Australasian Implant Academy is incredibly proud to announce its official accreditation by the International Congress of Oral Implantologists (ICOI), the world’s largest and most respected implant organisation,” says Dr Ned Restom, Co-Founder of AIA. “This prestigious milestone marks a defining moment for AIA, representing international recognition of our unwavering commitment to excellence in both clinical and academic standards.” For the broader dental community, Dr Restom adds, “this achievement sets a new benchmark for implant education in Australasia, aligning local training with world-class global standards.” A curriculum grounded in real practice Led by Head Lecturer, Dr Dean Licenblat, AIA’s faculty comprises active clinicians who bring daily surgical experience into every module. “This isn’t just another training program,” Dr Restom explains. “It’s an immersive mentorship experience designed to guide clinicians through realworld implant cases and build true surgical confidence.” The academy offers four-tiered Fellowship pathway – Fellowship 1 through Full Fellowship – allowing dentists to enter at a level matching their experience. “If a student transfers from another university at an advanced level, we recognise that and allow them to enter at an appropriate point .… ” Dr Restom notes. “We don’t force everyone to start from Fellowship 1 unless they want the fundamentals from the beginning.” Fellowship 1 covers foundational skills like flap design, suturing, and immediate implant placement. Fellowship 2 introduces partial extraction therapy and complex socket management. By Fellowship 3 – Full Arch & Beyond – participants are learning zygomatic, pterygoid, and remote anchorage techniques for the most challenging edentulous cases. “The theory prepares you,” Dr Restom says, “but to truly advance you need the hands-on experience this program provides.” Live surgery, lifelong support What truly distinguishes AIA is its access to live-patient surgical externships conducted under general anaesthetic in a private hospital setting – a rarity in regional training. “Being able to place implants on live patients under general anaesthetics in a hospital setting using state-of-the-art facilities and following strict guidelines is crucial training,” Dr. Restom explains. “Our externships provide that invaluable realworld experience under supervision.” And the support doesn’t stop at graduation. “The support is there any time they need it, even after completing the Building confidence, one implant at a time With ICOI accreditation, live-patient externships, and a global footprint expanding to New York, the Australasian Implant Academy is redefining what postgraduate implant education can – and should – look like in Australia. By Danny Chan
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