Final report 2010

MARINELLA HOLZHAUSEN - SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL

The Summerschool for Clinical Periodontology and Implantology took place from July 26th until August 6th. 2010 at the University of Heidelberg in Germany, and was organized by the Section of the Periodontology, Department of Operative Dentistry. I will try to resume in the next paragraphs the wonderful experience I had.
At the 1st day, there was an introductory lecture about the course, the city and the university, and the presentation of the participants who came from several countries (12 from European countries, and 2 from Brazil).
During the period of 2 weeks, several topics were ministered by experienced professors and clinicians. They were excellent to remind the basics of periodontology: epidemiology, etiology, diagnosis, treatment planning, therapy (non-surgical/ surgical) and prognosis. In addition, lectures and seminars on periodontal medicine and implants were also provided. However, the following lectures were outstanding in my point of view:

“Classification of Periodontal diseases” ministered by Dr. Baeumer.
“Anti-infective therapy at the University of Heidelberg” ministered by Dr. Kim.
“Debridement: by hand or by machine” ministered by Dr. Eickholz.
“Non-surgical or surgical periodontal therapy” ministered by Dr. Eickholz.
“Is periodontal regeneration possible” ministered by Dr. Kim.
“Periodontal Medicine” ministered by Dr. Kim.
“Long-term results after periodontal treatment” ministered by Dr. Kim.
“Prognosis of teeth” ministered by Dr. Kim.
“Evidence based role of oral hygiene control in therapy and prevention” ministered by Dr. Schlagenhauf.

I also enjoyed the interactive learning seminars, especially the following ones:
“Diagnosis of periodontal disease- seminar”. During this seminar, Dr. Kim presented several clinical cases and interactively discussed with the class their correct diagnosis.
“The principle of full-mouth disinfection- seminar” ministered by Dr. Cosgarea who taught the principles, goals, advantages of full- mouth disinfection, and interactively discussed with the class the papers of Quirynen et al, 1995, and Apatzidou et al, 2004.
“Periodontal Medicine- seminar” ministered by Dr. Kim.
“Treatment planning/ prognosis of teeth- seminar” ministered by Dr. Kim.

It was also great to have the opportunity to see and learn about modern diagnostic tools in periodontology, like kits for microbiological (shown by Dr. Frank), immunological and genetic diagnosis. In addition, the hands on courses were perfect to remind how to perform the basic periodontal surgical procedures, and to learn how to use different new regenerative materials. During these practical classes the professors also clarified with excellence and patience all the critical steps for the success of more sophisticated surgical therapies. Moreover, I think that this Postgraduate program experience at the University of Heidelberg, allowed me to get in touch with modern teaching methods, such as interactive learning seminars and hands-on courses, which will certainly help me to provide a more comprehensive learning experience for my students. Furthermore, I also would like to point out the organized structure of the course. These 2 weeks were marked by a series of lectures, seminars, and hands on courses that strictly followed a programmed time to begin and to end. And, several breaks were provided in between these activities and were essential for socializing and discussing personal clinical experiences with the other members of the group. In conclusion, I strongly believe that the Summerschool for Clinical Periodontology and Implantology was a unique opportunity to improve my professional skills and to gain a lot of experience and much more confidence. This experience in such an extremely prestigious international program of the University of Heidelberg, which is the oldest university in Germany, was perfect to meet teachers and students from different nationalities and to exchange experience in periodontology. Finally, it was wonderful to learn about the German culture, and to spend some time in the motherland of my beloved grandparents!