Aspen Dental Management, Inc. Receives Brandon Hall Group Excellence in Learning Gold Award for Best Use of a Blended Learning Program

Implant education program available to dental professionals in the Aspen Dental network shines as best-in-class

CHICAGO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The Brandon Hall Group Excellence in Learning Awards recognized Aspen Dental Management, Inc. (ADMI) and its implants education program with a Gold Award for the Best Use of a Blended Learning Program. ADMI, the dental support organization (DSO) providing practice management and non-clinical support to independent practitioners in more than 830 Aspen Dental offices in 42 states, launched the implant education program, inclusive of web-based, didactic and surgical level courses, in February 2020, to support practice professionals who want to offer implant treatment as an attractive option for denture patients and those missing some teeth.

In 2019, across the Aspen Dental network, implant treatments grew by double digits, yet only one in eight care teams in the independent dental offices offered the services as a treatment option. The growing viability of implant treatments and need for robust provider education is supported by research that shows more than 150 million people in the U.S. are missing at least one tooth (partial edentulism) and over one million of these cases go untreated annually. In addition, over 37 million Americans suffer complete edentulism, a condition linked to serious health, social and psychological issues.

ADMI partnered with Roundtable Learning to create a blended learning program with instructor-led courses, eLearning, and virtual reality video modules, so independent Aspen Dental practice professionals have on-demand access to interactive learning at their convenience. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March accelerated ADMI’s on-line instructor led course availability, giving participants safe access to the development offering as many dental professionals turned to continuing education when local and state guidelines limited practice operations to emergency dental care only.

“ADMI wants Aspen Dental practice professionals at all levels, from office managers, to dental hygienists, to doctors—to have meaningful access to expertise and skill building programs, so they can provide their patients the most up-to-date and relevant treatment options,” said Dr. Sundeep Rawal, ADMI Senior Vice President, Implant Support Services. “Dental care is a hands on profession, so we felt it crucial to use a blended approach that respects provider time with flexibility in completing the learning, without compromising on instructor led time when interaction is important.”

The program, the first to be scaled across a national dental network of this size, is role-based. E-learning, self-led modules, and consultative and role play scenarios in 360 video format are designed to support each professional in mastering the skills they contribute to implant treatments. The program kicked-off with train-the-trainer sessions, held monthly by region, and ADMI is on track to complete the rollout nationwide by the end of 2020.

“Learning and development are fundamental to the Aspen Dental culture and we always intended to build a blended model to bring Dr. Rawal’s expertise to professionals across the network, but we could not have anticipated how valuable the approach would be during a pandemic,” said Kim Kavala, ADMI Senior Vice President, Learning and Development. “Participants overwhelming appreciated an option to learn outside office hours, to view procedures up close while connecting instantly with peers in virtual classrooms, and having an interactive, risk-free environment to apply learning.”

About Aspen Dental

The Aspen Dental network includes more than 830 offices, in 42 states, owned and operated by independent dentists who share a commitment to creating access to care for those who need it most. These highly skilled dental professionals supported 5.5 million patient visits in 2019, championing the belief that every patient has the right to quality, affordable oral health care. Each dental care team offers patients a safe, welcoming, judgment-free environment to address their unique dental challenges. For more information or to schedule an appointment, visit https://www.aspendental.com/ or to explore career opportunities, visit https://www.aspendentaljobs.com.

About Aspen Dental Management, Inc. (ADMI)

ADMI is the Dental Support Organization (DSO) that offers a full range of essential business support services to the independent dental practice owners in the 830 plus offices, in 42 states, across the Aspen Dental network. Expert support from the talented teams across ADMI — whether it’s real estate and location services to integrated patient marketing and practice management support, allows the dental care teams to deliver the high-quality patient care that patients expect in today’s changing healthcare landscape.

About Brandon Hall Group Excellence in Learning Awards

The Excellence Awards feature two annual programs, one in spring and fall, that recognize the best organizations who have successfully deployed programs, strategies, modalities, processes, systems, and tools that have achieved measurable results. The awards attract entrants from leading corporations around the world, as well as mid-market and smaller firms. The category of Best Use of a Blended Learning Program for the Learning and Development is for a workplace-learning program using two or more delivery methods. Blended learning combines traditional instructor-led training (ILT) with a mix of computer-based activities. For more information: https://www.brandonhall.com/excellenceawards/

About Roundtable Learning

Roundtable Learning is a full-service learning and development company that partners with clients to drive measurable business results for every stage of the employee lifecycle. From setting objectives, instructional design, content creation, and delivery to data tracking and reporting, Roundtable Learning has the solutions and experts to support your team. For more information: http://roundtablelearning.com/

Contacts

Kerry Hendry

kerry.hendry@ketchum.com