Institutional Syllabus
Practice Management 1
A 20-hour continuing education course covering the business fundamentals of running a modern dental practice: ownership economics, team leadership, operational systems, and patient flow. Built for clinicians who want the business education dental school did not provide.
- Delivery:
- Online, self-paced
- Credit hours:
- 20
- Modules:
- 10
Cusp Media is a provider of continuing dental education. Accreditation approvals from ADA CERP and AGD PACE are in process as of this publication. Upon approval, PM1 will be offered for twenty (20) hours of Category 1 continuing education credit. The current accreditation status and credit hour designation will be reflected on the course completion certificate issued to each learner.
Program Overview
PM1 is structured as ten self-paced online modules, each combining expert-authored lecture content, learning objectives mapped to CODA competencies, illustrative clinical and business exhibits, a study guide, and a competency assessment. The curriculum is authored and maintained by a three-person founding team of practicing general dentists, supported by an editorial and engineering staff. Curriculum is reviewed on a rolling basis; revisions are version-controlled and learners receive notice of material changes.
Course Description
Practice Management 1 (PM1) is a twenty-hour, ten-module online continuing education course in the business of dentistry. The curriculum covers ownership and transition economics, operational workflow, team leadership, financial literacy, and patient experience. PM1 is delivered fully online in a self-paced format and is designed for licensed general dentists and advanced dental students.
Instructors
Bill Brachvogel
DDS, FAGDDr. Bill Brachvogel is a Fellow of the Academy of General Dentistry and cofounder of Cusp Media. He has spent decades building teams, mentoring associates, and refining the leadership habits that separate a practice that survives from one that endures.
Nick Wall
DDSDr. Nick Wall is a practicing general dentist and cofounder of Cusp Media. His clinical focus is practice acquisition, transition planning, and the financial mechanics of owning and scaling a dental practice. He teaches the business side of dentistry the way he wishes it had been taught to him in school.
Thom Caspers
DDSDr. Thom Caspers is a practicing general dentist and cofounder of Cusp Media. His work centers on clinical operations, team workflow, and building the systems that let a practice run without the owner in the chair every day.
Prerequisites
PM1 has no formal prerequisites. The course is designed for licensed general dentists, dental residents, and advanced dental students. No prior coursework in business, finance, or management is assumed; foundational concepts are introduced within the curriculum as needed.
Modules
Module 1: TBD
Learning Objectives
- Understand practice ownership models
- Describe PPO vs fee-for-service economics
- Calculate operatory capacity
Key Concepts
- informed consent documentation· I
See Also
- Module 2 — TBD: Builds on informed consent principles
Module 2: TBD
Learning Objectives
Learning objectives not yet drafted.
Module 3: TBD
Learning Objectives
Learning objectives not yet drafted.
Module 4: TBD
Learning Objectives
Learning objectives not yet drafted.
Module 5: TBD
Learning Objectives
Learning objectives not yet drafted.
Module 6: TBD
Learning Objectives
Learning objectives not yet drafted.
Module 7: TBD
Learning Objectives
Learning objectives not yet drafted.
Module 8: TBD
Learning Objectives
Learning objectives not yet drafted.
Module 9: TBD
Learning Objectives
Learning objectives not yet drafted.
Module 10: TBD
Learning Objectives
Learning objectives not yet drafted.
CODA Competency Coverage
2 of 22 competencies currently addressed across the curriculum. 20 open for mapping.
| Code | Domain | Description | Modules |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-1 | Biomedical Sciences | Apply foundational biomedical science knowledge (anatomy, physiology, microbiology, pharmacology) to clinical decision-making. | — gap — |
| 1-2 | Biomedical Sciences | Evaluate the impact of systemic disease on oral health and treatment planning. | — gap — |
| 1-3 | Biomedical Sciences | Interpret laboratory findings relevant to dental diagnosis and patient management. | — gap — |
| 3-1 | Clinical Sciences | Perform comprehensive oral evaluations including medical, dental, and psychosocial history. | — gap — |
| 3-2 | Clinical Sciences | Diagnose and manage caries, periodontal disease, and common oral pathologies. | — gap — |
| 3-3 | Clinical Sciences | Plan and execute restorative, endodontic, and prosthodontic treatment appropriate to patient needs. | — gap — |
| 3-4 | Clinical Sciences | Recognize indications and contraindications for surgical and implant procedures. | — gap — |
| 6-1 | Community and Population Health | Assess social determinants of oral health and access-to-care barriers in diverse populations. | — gap — |
| 6-2 | Community and Population Health | Apply epidemiologic principles to interpret oral health trends and public health interventions. | — gap — |
| 2-1 | Dental Materials | Select appropriate dental materials based on clinical indication, biocompatibility, and mechanical properties. | — gap — |
| 2-2 | Dental Materials | Apply knowledge of bonding, cements, and impression materials in restorative procedures. | — gap — |
| 5-1 | Ethics and Professionalism | Apply core ethical principles (autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, justice) to clinical practice. | — gap — |
| 5-2 | Ethics and Professionalism | Obtain and document informed consent appropriate to procedure and patient capacity. | M1 |
| 5-3 | Ethics and Professionalism | Recognize and respond to professional boundary, confidentiality, and conflict-of-interest issues. | — gap — |
| 7-1 | Patient Management | Communicate effectively with patients across cultural, linguistic, and cognitive differences. | — gap — |
| 7-2 | Patient Management | Manage dental anxiety, pain, and behavioral considerations in pediatric and adult patients. | — gap — |
| 7-3 | Patient Management | Coordinate interprofessional care for medically complex patients. | — gap — |
| 4-1 | Practice Management | Understand practice ownership structures, partnerships, and associate agreements. | — gap — |
| 4-2 | Practice Management | Analyze practice financial statements, overhead, and key performance indicators. | — gap — |
| 4-3 | Practice Management | Apply principles of staff recruitment, retention, and team leadership in a dental practice. | — gap — |
| 4-4 | Practice Management | Navigate student loan repayment programs (PSLF, IDR) and financial planning for early-career dentists. | M1 |
| 4-5 | Practice Management | Understand insurance participation, fee schedules, and third-party payer dynamics. | — gap — |
Assessment
Learner mastery is assessed through module-level competency checks aligned to the course learning objectives. Each module assessment consists of multiple-choice and free-response items mapped to one or more CODA competencies. Learners must achieve correct response on every item in a module for the module to be recorded as complete. Course credit is issued only upon successful completion of all ten module assessments. Assessment data is retained for the period required by the relevant accrediting bodies.
Total Questions
1
Multiple Choice
1
Free Text
0
Bibliography
References are managed in Zotero. Live integration into the syllabus is scheduled for a future phase.
Revision History
This section will be auto-generated from dashboard version history in a future phase.