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It was back when Dr Lena Lejmanoski was coordinating the final year dentistry program at UWA that she wanted to include a practical oral surgery component for the final year students. It was not possible at the time to include that due to funding and protocol issues, but she saw the opportunity through her involvement with UCDEC (the University Continuing Dental Education Committee). She wanted to create a course that dental students could potentially attend on graduation, as well as for the wider dental community (the course later became part of the WA Dental CPD program).

Lena and Dr David Booth collaborated to put the course together.

“David and I were involved with a lot of projects together at the time, and I spoke to him about the idea for this course and we found that the most appropriate venue for our purposes was CTEC, which was in its infancy,” she recalls. Then began the process of working out the details to bring it to fruition.

“The process of organising the course was challenging as it was proving to be an expensive course to run and we didn’t have a lot of funding, so I had to source things cheaply,” Lena says. “I found a taxi driver who sold dental instruments from the boot of his car,” she laughs. “We bought the original set of instruments for the course from him because they were so cheap. We had to make do.”

David sought the approval of the course content from the local group of oral and maxillofacial surgeons, and initially starting with small attendee numbers, David would present the lectures, conduct the demonstrations and then, along with additional oral and maxillofacial surgeons and registrars, would work with attendees for the hands-on component, while Lena took care of everything behind-the-scenes and coordinated during the sessions.

“We ran a few sessions and although we did not advertise widely, interest grew and we had to increase the number of participants and the number of sessions,” Lena says.

The course continued to develop and evolve to what we know it as today – a hands-on course allowing dentists to update their basic oral surgery skills, with advice on procedures including flap design, bone removal, surgical removal of a tooth, suturing and biopsy.

“I am extremely passionate about this course,” Lena adds. “It is a very unique course, and I don’t know of any other like this in Australia that gives participants one-on-one tutelage. I want participants to get as much out of the course as they possibly can.

“It is informal so attendees can ask questions and interact with all of the surgeons, and have a network available to them if they need support and guidance with any future patient queries.”

When David retired, Dr Carolyn Stulner took over the reins as the lecturer and now Lena has a core group of oral and maxillofacial surgeons participating in the course, with usually four to five oral and maxillofacial surgeons attending each course. Lena sings the praises of the surgeons. “Carolyn is gifted in delivering the lectures and all the surgeons are so approachable and incredibly generous in the sharing of their knowledge and expertise,” she says.

Carolyn says the course was in about its second year when David Booth asked if she would help out in one of the courses. “I was a Senior Registrar finishing up my training, and whilst I didn’t know much about the course when I initially signed up for it, was happy to be working with David and Lena, and involved in a dental course being held in such a highly regarded and world-renowned high quality surgical facility,” she recalls. “I thought I was signing up for a single course, so I cannot believe it is nearing its 20-year anniversary!

“Whilst the CTEC facilities are amazing, I believe what truly makes this course so special is the small number of participants with a high ratio of facilitators, which enables so much one-on-one direct feedback in real time,” Carolyn says. “Going back to my student and surgical training days, I definitely gained more from direct feedback whilst completing a practical or surgical task whilst supervised. Through this style of learning you are able to confirm exactly what you are doing correctly, identify errors in your technique and learn alternative methods, and make refinements in your technique which ultimately allow you to perform better surgery and then get better outcomes for your patients. All the OMS Surgeons involved in the course are approachable and very supportive in their guidance, so it really is a fabulous and non-intimidating learning environment for all participants regardless of experience.”

Lena says the course attendees are from various stages of their careers and from a range of locations. “I have had participants from interstate, overseas, and new grads through to those who have been in practice for 35 years,” she says. “I have had a wide range of participants including different age groups, those from the country, metropolitan, public and private sectors – it has been a diverse mix of people coming through to complete the course.”

She adds the feedback from attendees has been overwhelmingly positive.

She says she always acknowledges David for being such an integral part of this course since its inception. “The course would not have eventuated in the form it did without David,” she says. “David is an oral and maxillo-facial surgeon, a specialist in oral medicine and oral pathology, he was a previous Dean of the WA Dental School and has a degree in education as well,” she says. “He is a man of great intellect, integrity, compassion who has achieved so much yet so extremely humble; a remarkable human being. I always pay my respect to him before we start each course.”

Lena has been voluntarily overseeing and organising this course for its entirety.

After an impressive 20 years, Lena hopes Practical Oral Surgery is a sought-after course for many years to come.

Carolyn adds she thinks the fact the Practical Oral Surgery Course is nearing its 20th year and is still booked out, is a true testimony as to how valuable it has been to so many participants over the years. “I think the course does a great job of emphasising clinically relevant and up-to-date theory, but then immediately follows it with a very hands-on and non-intimidating practical component with a high level of supervision and feedback,” she says. “Ultimately, regardless of previous background or experience, it is an environment which allows every participant to gain a little more clinical skill, understanding and confidence which they can then apply to their daily practice.”

To enrol in upcoming Practical Oral Surgery courses, visit the ADAWA website, adawa.com.au/cpd

We are sad to advise David Booth passed away in January. We will feature a tribute to David in a future edition of the Western Articulator.

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