Inaugural Dental Implant and Digital Dentistry Symposium: Innovations in Prevention and Rehabilitation

Inaugural Dental Implant and Digital Dentistry Symposium: Innovations in Prevention and Rehabilitation is organized by University of Kentucky (UK) College of Dentistry Continuing Education and will be held on Feb 13, 2026 at Bill Gatton Student Center, Lexington, Kentucky, United States of America.

Theme: Innovations in Prevention and Rehabilitation

Description:
This year's symposium will focus on using technology and data to improve dental implant treatment outcomes through early intervention, personalized care, and efficient rehabilitation processes, aiming for better patient experiences and outcomes. Attendees will become familiar with the most current and advanced techniques to manage dental implant restorations, minimize complications, and help simplify treatment predictably to provide outstanding esthetic clinical results. Every lecture focuses on a clear and crisp “take-home” solution for the general practitioner or specialist that can immediately benefit patient care. 

World-renowned Dental Implant and Digital Dentistry experts and internationally recognized speakers will share their knowledge and expertise in prosthetic connection, which may be a contributing factor to peri-implant disease, among many other factors, innovation in rehabilitation implant cases, and CAD/CAM technology, opening new restorative treatment techniques for optimizing predictable restorations and minimizing complications. 

Learning Objectives:
With the increased use of dental implants and digital technology in dentistry, the rate of biological complications is expanding, including the incidence of peri-implant disease. As we strive to develop effective strategies to manage peri-implant disease, it is critical to understand the mechanisms underlying the etiology. The program will discuss emphasize the need for a collaborative approach to achieve the most predictable outcomes for our patient population, from single tooth replacement to full arch reconstructions. Particular emphasis will be directed to avoiding errors that can have a detrimental effect on treatment.

'Prosthesis Connection and Design: Prosthetic Factors Contributing to Peri-Implant Disease,' by Radi Masri, DDS, MS, PhD

• Explain how prosthetic design contributes to biological complications and peri-implantitis around dental implants.
• List the differences between foreign-body induced mucosal inflammation and peri-implantitis.
• Discuss methods to prevent and manage peri-implant disease.

'Implant Dentistry for the 21st Century: Where are we in 2026?' by Robert Faulkner, DDS

• Discuss the ever-evolving nature of implant dentistry.
• Explain how to establish an implant team.
• Explain how potential errors which can have a negative effect on implant treatment outcomes.

'Beyond the Chairside: Expanding Digital Technology into Comprehensive Patient Care,' by Rodrigo Fuentealba, DDS

• Identify the current clinical applications and limitations of chairside digital dentistry.
• Explain how design software can be used beyond restorations to support appliance fabrication, surgical guide design, and complex treatment planning.
• Demonstrate strategies for keeping restorative, surgical, and appliance workflows in-house to improve efficiency, quality control, and profitability.
• Evaluate the clinical and operational benefits of integrating in-house digital fabrication with laboratory and interdisciplinary collaboration.

'Digital Dentures Unveiled: Essential Lab Tech Secrets for Providers,' by Samela Pereira, DDS, MBA

• Identify common issues and communication breakdowns that occur between providers and dental lab technicians during digital denture fabrication.
• Explain how providers can optimize case submissions to streamline the digital denture workflow.
• Implement collaborative strategies to improve the quality of digital dentures and reduce remakes.

'Innovation to Minimize the Impact of Dental Implants on Surrounding Teeth,' by Ahmad Kutkut, DDS, MS, PhD

• Review factors to avoid complications after dental implant restorations.
• Indicate factors associated with dental decay and tooth condition changes after dental implant restorations.
• Learn how innovative technology can minimize the impact of dental implants on the surrounding teeth.