You can find the required CE credits for licensure, state by state, here. But for this week’s blog post, we’d like to tell you about the two types of CE credits that can make your dental practice go from “good” to great. You shouldn’t stop your CE after getting the minimum amount of CE credits needed in order to keep your licensure to practice as a dentist. You should go above and beyond so you’re sharper, able to change more lives, and be of more service to your patients.Technology advances exponentially with each passing day and never slows down. In this day and age, the “best way to do things” is never concrete and is constantly changing and evolving. By getting additional CE, rather than just the required amount, you’ll stay on the cutting edge of technologies and developing techniques.When you take the CE required for keeping your licensure, you don’t learn about stuff that’s just as important as practicing dentistry. Running a practice is like running a business, and there’s a lot more to it than fixing teeth.Two of the most important CE credits you can get are also some of the easiest courses to find in which you can enroll in. So, what are those types of CE credits?

Some Interpersonal CE Credits

If you learn about interpersonal relationships through CE courses focused on interpersonal skills, you can make your patients huge fans of your practice. You can show them how much you care about them and develop better relationships with them. Getting along with your patients more will bring about a noticeable increase in case acceptance.Why? You won’t be speaking jargon to them that only confuses them and makes them feel like you’re speaking a foreign language. When you speak in layman's terms and converse with them in a way that helps them to relate to you, they’ll be more likely to see the value in the treatment you’re offering rather than the price. And they’ll be confident that you can deliver that value when you build trust with them. Interpersonal CE courses will tell you all about communicating with your patients in such ways.Learning about how to develop your interpersonal skills can also help you to better lead your team. You’ll be able to gauge different personality types and you’ll know just how to interact with them, approach them, and work in tandem with them from day to day. Teamwork can either make or break a dental practice, so it’s important to be a good leader who everyone is on board with so you can direct your team to be as productive as it can be without any qualms being voiced.

Some Business CE Credits

You don’t learn how to run a business in dental school. Learning about the business side of things is super important.For example, medical billing can completely transform your practice. If you learn how to go about it, you can figure out how to set up the right system so you bill your patients in a way that makes treatment plans easier on both sides.Learning marketing strategies can bring lots of patients through your doors and you’ll change more lives than ever. The list goes on and on. The point is, when you become savvy about the business side of things, your practice will see some serious growth.

What CE are you taking as a dentist?

No matter how amazing you are as a dentist, there’s always room for improvement. If you’re only taking the bare minimum needed in order to keep your licensure, then you should consider going above and beyond.Look to take some interpersonal skills CE courses so you can lead your team better and interact with your patients better. Think about taking some business CE courses to learn how to manage the behind-the-scenes parts of your dental practice.One of the best places to receive any type of CE, especially CE about dentistry, business, and interpersonal relationships, is on the Smiles at Sea cruise. If you’re interested in enjoying a refreshing drink or exploring sandy shores while overlooking the Caribbean seas in between your CE courses, then click here.