The Associate Fellow and Fellow examinations are for credentialed membership in the AAID, not for licensure to practice dentistry in the United States. These prestigious memberships indicate that the dentists voluntarily participated in and passed an examination by their peers during which their knowledge of and proficiency in surgical and prosthetic dental implant treatment were evaluated.

To maintain Associate Fellow membership in the AAID, the dentist must pay annual dues. The current annual dues for Associate Fellow and Fellow members are 600 USD, the rate that has been in effect since 1996.

The application fee for the Associate Fellow examination, which has two parts, is 950 USD. The application fee includes both parts of the examination.

Part 1, which is a written examination, may be taken in either a print or computer-based format. The computer-based format is given at Pearson Vue Testing Centers, which are located throughout the world. Both formats are available in the United States and only the computer-based format is available in other countries.

After passing Part 1, candidates may apply to take Part 2, which includes an oral examination and the defense of three cases as specified in the Requirements for the Associate Fellow Membership Examination. Part 2 is given in the United States only. Both parts of the examination must be completed successfully within four years after passing the written examination.

Part 2 (oral/case) of the examination is given in Chicago, Illinois, USA once a year, usually in late April or early May. The application deadline each year is February 1.

No. The Course only fulfills educational requirements for the AAID Associate Fellowship. These credentials can be gained only by success in the examinations that have to be passed after completing educational requirements.

An Associate Fellowship is gained after success in the examination following completion of educational requirements stipulating 300 hours of implant dentistry education. In addition, the participant has to fulfill requirements for an oral examination and a case presentation of three cases - a single tooth replacement, a restoration of an edentulous segment of two or more teeth with implants and a completely edentulous case restored with implants.
The AAID Fellowship requires additional criteria to be fulfilled including success with another examination, case presentations of several cases and additional educational stipulations. Details are available on the AAID website at www.aaid.com

No. A participant may take the MaxiCourse® sheerly to broaden his education in the field of implantology. The Associate Fellowship examination is a must only for those who wish to pursue this credential. Also, one can also take the Associate Fellowship examination at some other point in the future as the educational requirements continue to be fulfilled, unless of course the AAID redefines criteria.

The members of the AAID Admissions and Credentials Board, which is appointed by the AAID Board of Trustees, conduct the oral/case examination.

The Course Director along with the AAID, will help every candidate to pursue fulfillment of the requirements for visa grant in an individual case and help the participant as far as possible. Nevertheless, it is the candidate's responsibility to satisfy requirements of the United States Government in this regard.

Yes. In several parts of the world the Associate Fellowship or Fellowship of the AAID is an acknowledged credential that represents quality training in implantology and skill in the art and science of implant dentistry. In Abu Dhabi the maxicourse is recognized by the Health Authorities-Abu Dhabi (HAAD) and a unique ID # has been assigned for credits

Clinical sessions

The course is not system oriented. As such several systems will be taught during the course. Generally, the participants will be allowed the opportunity to use a variety of implant systems available in Asia during the clinical sessions. Participants will be provided with the implant kit for all systems available in Asia. In addition, equipment such as physiodispensers and surgical kits will also be provided.

The clinical sessions will begin soon after the completion of the modules teaching the surgical curriculum. This will ensure that the participants understand surgical principles prior to their first experience with implant placement.

The Clinical Demonstrations will be held at state of the art Clinical Centers in Abu Dhabi, New Delhi, and Penang, which are suitably equipped with projection and multimedia facilities for the same. Clinical Demonstrations are not be confused with Clinical Sessions. Clinical demonstrations will be performed by Course Faculty and will include implants of different types. Patients for the clinical demonstrations will be selected carefully and will reflect mainstream implant cases.

There would be a total of 10 participants who will simultaneously operate and an equal number who will assist. The team will then switch where the assistant will do the surgery.

The MaxiCourse® is an Educational Requirement for the Associate Fellowship of the American Academy of Implant Dentistry and is not to be understood as a Diploma or Degree Course. The Curriculum is an elaborate scientific spread that covers various aspects of the science and art of implant dentistry and is aimed at providing clinical acumen and proficiency for its participants.

The curriculum content of the MaxiCourse® is not system based but a minimum of 4 accepted and available root form systems as well as other modalities of implant therapy includes root form as well as other modalities of implant therapy.

The MaxiCourse® is a 300 hour educational curriculum that fulfils educational requirements for the Associate Fellowship of the AAID. Missing a module or session results in a loss of credit hours that fulfill this requirement. In exceptional cases, such absence and the extent of loss will be evaluated by the Course Director at his discretion. Attending participants may go to other venues in Asia to fulfill the requirements or may come to future maxicourse for making up the lost credit hours.

The course is tailored for those starting out on implantology as much as it will cater to the thirst of the most discerning learner. MaxiCourse® attendees are constituted by both, mature implantologists as well as beginners. By the second module, standardization of the teaching format will ensure a live knowledge of Implantology for everyone.

The certificate is awarded by the sponsoring institution and the AAID with the name of the sponsor appearing first, followed by the AAID as the co-sponsor.

Yes. A course completion certificate as described above will be awarded to you. This certificate will specify that you have undergone will specify that you have undergone 300 Credit Hours of didactic training in oral implantology. This certificate is recognized as fulfilling the quality training criteria, even if you do not choose to pursue the Associate Fellowship of Fellowship Examinations. However completion of a library dissertation on a given topic is one of the requirements for course completion. The topic will be given during the second module and the participants will have ample time to submit their assignment before the conclusion of the course.

The MaxiCourse® is available in distinguished Universities in the United States and details are available on www.aaid.com. These courses vary from the MaxiCourses® in Asia in terms of structure and schedule. To be approved by the Education Committee as an AAID MaxiCourse®, each MaxiCourse® must meet the AAID Guidelines for MaxiCourses®

Each MaxiCourse® sets its own tuition. In the United States, the tuition varies from 10,500 USD to 14,500 USD.

Case Based Learning or Problem based learning is a teaching method based on using clinical examples to underline the application of theory. It has sound scientific basis and has been proved to provide enhanced retention of delivered information and dramatically improve the grasp of scientific principles by students. It is widely employed across the globe in the form of Evidence Based Research and Teaching.

The entire objective of the AAID MaxiCourse® is to provide adequate clinical and theoretical training for all participants to pursue the practice of implantology. You are encouraged to practice and place implants even during the course and bring your own cases for discussion with the faculty. Implant placement on the same patients may also be done during the MaxiCourse®.

Yes. Nevertheless the ability to teach is individual and based on your ability to harness the curriculum of the course for use in teaching . It is also possible that the MaxiCourse® will choose faculty for future MaxiCourse®s in India from amongst the participants of the MaxiCourse®.

Course Fees

The participant will incur cost towards travel and accommodation during the course. In addition, the participant may incur cost towards purchasing and the restorations. If one chooses to undertake clinical sessions. He will also incur costs towards possible travel, accommodation and examination fee, if he should choose to pursue the AAID Associate Fellowship or Fellowship credentials.

Course Faculty

A complete faculty list is provided as a centerspread of the MaxiCourse® Brochure and reads as the “Whos’ Who” of Implant Dentistry in the world. Each of the speakers mentioned is an accomplished researcher or clinician and is internationally recognized as a much sought after keynote Speaker. The experience of the speakers spans several decades and extends across various areas of implant dentistry. Many of them have individual websites and these can easily be located by an internet search.

Clinical faculty will continue to help you with treatment planning of all your cases even after you complete the MaxiCourse®. Relevant diagnostic and clinical data must be provided by email to the concerned faculty.

Miscellaneous

Yes, you can. Dr. Shankar Iyer can be contacted on his email is drsiyer@aol.com. A telephonic session can also be arranged if the participant is interested.

You receive a free one year membership in the AAID and a subscription to the Journal of Oral Implantology by virtue of enrolling into the MaxiCourse® . You may continue this membership and subscription by paying annual dues directly to the AAID. The dues for general membership in the AAID is 295 USD, which includes a subscription to the Journal of Oral Implantology. The AAID Board of Trustees has approved a reduced dues rate for general members who live in some countries. The current annual dues for all Associate Fellow and Fellow members are 600 USD, the rate that has been in effect since 1996.

Comparisons