Cornell debuts educational veterinary dentistry program

Photo courtesy of Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine.

Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine has announced that its veterinary dentistry experts have created a new, comprehensive online curriculum—the Veterinary Dentistry Diagnostics Program—available online to educators and professionals.

“We’re proud of this groundbreaking new collection of resources,” stated Jodi Korich, DVM, associate dean for education, in a university release.¹ “Veterinary colleges can use these resources to augment their existing dentistry curricula, while practices can use them to support employee training to expand services in a rapidly growing field.”

The 3-course program is hosted online by eCornell, and it was developed by the college’s educational support services team, using in-house talent for video, medical illustration, and design. It includes course authors Nadine Fiani, BVSc, associate clinical professor and section chief of dentistry and oral surgery, and Santiago Peralta, DVM, DAVDC, associate professor in dentistry and oral surgery, both at the Cornell University Hospital for Animals.

“One of our primary goals was bolstering the field’s knowledge of veterinary dentistry, which has seen so much growth as a clinical discipline,” Fiani expressed, in the release.

“Our courses guide participants through the gold standard of dental care, using real cases that combine practical and conceptual knowledge,” Peralta added.¹

The Veterinary Dentistry Diagnostics Program is self-paced and can be run in facilitator-led segments or as modules for students to complete on their own. The 3 courses include Conscious Oral Exam of the Dog and Cat, Intraoral Radiology in the Dog, and Oral Examination and Periodontal Charting in the Anesthetized Dog and Cat.

“We hope that this program will offer an additional layer of instruction for students to meet core competencies in veterinary dentistry confidently,” Peralta said. Additionally, the dentistry team strived to fill any gaps between theory and practice, applying theory and putting it into the context of actual patients.¹ Participants work with interactive 3D models, clinical photos, videos and more.

“Dr Fiani and Dr Peralta have in-depth understanding of the knowledge and skills veterinarians need to be proficient in primary care dentistry, so anyone completing these courses can be assured it will be well worth their time and effort,” Korich concluded.

Go to eCornell to see the veterinary dentistry courses available.

Reference

Greaver Cordova M. Cornell launches new educational veterinary dentistry program. News release. Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. https://www.vet.cornell.edu/news/20230202/cornell-launches-new-educational-veterinary-dentistry-program