Office News
Dr. Huff is proud to be proceeding through a multi-course continuum
in higher dental education at the prestigious Pankey
Institute, in Key Bisquayne, Florida. His training there involves
study of advanced techniques in occlusion, anatomy of the TMJ, sociology,
psychology, and business administration.
Please be sure to read Dr. Huff's bi-weekly publication, "Ask
Dr. Huff," in the Bargain Hunter. He addresses actual questions
that patient's ask him. Plain-language answers to questions on a
wide range of topics have proven to be of great interest to our
patients and to the community at large. Some of his most popular
and unusual topics have been about the history of porcelain, headache
therapy, and motorcycle helmet safety. If you have a question that
you would like to ask Dr. Huff, please send and e-mail to him at
dr@doctorhuff.net.
Dr. Huff has earned the Fellowship and Mastership in the
Academy of General Dentistry. Below is information officially provided
by the AGD about these credentials.
 FactSheet
Your dentist is a Fellow or Master of the Academy of General Dentistry
What does FAGD or MAGD stand for after your general dentist’s
name?
Your dentist is a member of the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD),
an organization of general dentists who are dedicated to professional
development and continuing education. All AGD members must remain
current with advances in the profession to provide quality patient
treatment. A general dentist who is a “Fellow” in the
Academy of General Dentistry (FAGD) has been recognized by other
general dentists as a leader and an example to other dentists of
the importance of quality continuing dental education to patient
care. A general dentist who has earned the designation “Master”
of the Academy of General Dentistry (MAGD)—a big step up from
Fellowship—has completed a structured and rigorous set of requirements
involving all the dental disciplines. Both Fellows and Masters have
accepted the charge to keep abreast of advances in dentistry for
the benefit of patients and the betterment of dentistry. They serve
as mentors and leaders to other dentists pursuing continuing dental
education. They set examples in their communities with their hard
work, concern and involvement.
What are the steps to Fellowship in the Academy of General Dentistry?
To earn a Fellowship Award, your dentist must earn a minimum of
500 approved continuing dental education credits and pass a comprehensive
400-question examination. Your dentist must also be an Academy of
General Dentistry member for five continuous years. While attaining
Fellowship is a challenge, it allows dentists to remain current
with what is new in dentistry, and to incorporate the latest techniques
into their practices.
What is the requirement for Mastership in the Academy of General
Dentistry?
To attain Mastership, members must first be Fellows in the Academy
of General Dentistry. Then they must earn an additional 600 approved
continuing education credits, meeting minimum requirements in certain
dental disciplines, of which 400 hours are hands on courses. Thus,
a Master of the Academy of General Dentistry has taken a total of
1,100 hours of continuing education. A Master has studied 16 disciplines
in dentistry, such as periodontics, orthodontics and implants.
What’s special about a dentist who has an award from the
Academy of General Dentistry?
Fellows and Masters of the Academy of General Dentistry follow
a lifelong pursuit of continuing education to provide the highest
quality of dental care to patients. The award symbolizes the professional
responsibility of general dentists to remain current in their profession
and reminds each member of the dental profession to continue to
learn new techniques for their dental practice. These are awards,
however and should not be confused with post-graduate degrees or
certification. Every dentist who applies for the Fellowship or Mastership
award has their application reviewed by the AGD Council on Dental
Education to assure that the high standards of the Academy of General
Dentistry are met.
How many dentists have achieved Fellowship or Mastership?
To date, more than 10,000 members of the Academy of General Dentistry
have become Fellows and more than 1,000 have gone on to receive
Mastership. The Academy is proud of all of its members who must
take at least 75 hours of continuing dental education every three
years, and especially proud of its members who have made the commitment
to pursue these awards. When your dentist has achieved the Fellowship
Award or Mastership Award, you can be assured that they are dedicated
to providing the finest care in general dentistry.
This information was compiled for you by the Academy
of General Dentistry. Your dentist cares about long-tern dental
health for you and your family and demonstrates that concern by
belonging to the Academy of General Dentistry. As one of the 35,000
general dentists in the United States and Canada who are members
of the Academy, your dentist participates in an ongoing program
of professional development and continuing education to remain current
with advances in the profession and to provide quality patient treatment.
Visit the AGD's web site at www.agd.org.
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