Pediatric Dentistry Symposium 2026

Please note: This hands-on course runs for 4 hours.

Abstract

This pre-congress workshop offers a comprehensive, hands-on introduction to digital and intraosseous (osteocentral and transcortical) anaesthesia for participants at every level of experience, with one objective throughout: zero pain during treatment. The session opens with a focused theoretical foundation: the physiological rationale for intraosseous delivery, the mechanics of digital flow and pressure control, and the clinical evidence supporting predictable onset, reduced anaesthetic volume, and improved patient comfort compared with conventional infiltration and block techniques.

The majority of the workshop is dedicated to hands-on practice. Working directly with digital intraosseous devices, participants manipulate the equipment, rehearse injection protocols on training models, and troubleshoot common technique challenges under expert guidance, building the confidence needed to apply the technique from their first cases back in practice.

Particular attention is given to technique selection by clinical situation, from routine restorative care and paediatric management to complex or previously difficult to anaesthetise cases, and to integrating the technique into everyday appointment flow without disrupting practice efficiency. Participants leave with a working command of the devices and a clear protocol for their first cases.

Learning Objectives

• Demonstrate correct handling and setup of digital intraosseous anaesthesia devices, including needle placement for osteocentral and transcortical delivery.
• Perform a supervised digital intraosseous injection protocol on a training model, adjusting flow and pressure settings appropriately.
• Select the appropriate anaesthesia technique, digital intraosseous versus conventional, based on clinical scenario and patient profile.
• Troubleshoot common technical challenges encountered during digital intraosseous injection, such as needle positioning and flow resistance.
• Design a practical plan for integrating digital intraosseous anaesthesia into their own appointment workflow, starting with their first cases in practice.

Agenda

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Abstract

Molar Incisor Hypomineralization (MIH) presents a significant clinical challenge in pediatric dentistry due to its variable severity,  hypersensitivity,  breakdown, and aesthetic impact. Successful management requires accurate assessment of lesion characteristics and selection of treatment strategies appropriate to the individual child and tooth.

This lecture provides a comprehensive, clinically focused overview of MIH management. Particular attention will be given to identifying MIH lesions suitable for resin infiltration and using transillumination as an adjunctive diagnostic tool to assess lesion depth and extent. 

The lecture will also address management of hypersensitivity, restorative options, and treatment planning according to disease severity and patient needs. Clinical examples will illustrate decision-making and demonstrate how minimally invasive approaches can be incorporated into comprehensive MIH care.

Learning objectives

By the end of this lecture, participants will be able to:

• Explain the clinical characteristics, diagnosis, and severity assessment of MIH.
• Identify MIH lesions that may be suitable for resin infiltration.
• Demonstrate how transillumination can support assessment of lesion depth and treatment selection.
• Discuss the indications, expected outcomes, and limitations of resin infiltration in MIH.
• Explain evidence-based approaches for managing hypersensitivity associated with MIH.

Abstract

Children today face a caries risk profile shaped less by neglect than by the pace of modern family life. Added sugar intake among children ages 2 to 19 averages roughly 17 teaspoons per day, nearly triple the 6 teaspoon ceiling recommended by the American Heart Association. That sugar now arrives in a fundamentally changed pattern of eating. National dietary surveillance shows that 93 percent of children consume at least one snack on a given day, that snacks supply about 27 percent of total daily energy, and that 42 percent of all added sugar is taken in at snacking occasions rather than at meals. Frequency, not quantity alone, drives demineralization, and the contemporary child absorbs more acid challenges per day than any prior generation.

Primary enamel is poorly equipped for that burden. It averages approximately 1.1 mm in thickness compared with 2.6 mm in permanent enamel, carries lower calcium and phosphorus content, and overlies a proportionally larger pulp chamber. Lesions can advance from the outer enamel surface to the dentinoenamel junction in under a year.

Meanwhile the supervising adult is stretched thin. Only 64 percent of parents report that their child brushes twice daily, and more than one in three cite competing daily demands as the reason plaque removal is skipped or rushed. Effective mechanical plaque control depends on an adult with time, and time is the resource families have least.

This session reframes our clinical response around what remains achievable. Anticipatory guidance, delivered at the right developmental moment and in language a tired parent can act on, positions the family to succeed. Fluoride delivered through products formulated for children supplies a chemical defense that does not depend on flawless technique or unlimited time. Together these tools let us protect children whose daily circumstances we cannot fully control.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this session, participants will be able to:

• Discuss the epidemiologic trends in pediatric added sugar consumption and snacking frequency that have reshaped caries risk over the past three decades.
• Explain the structural and compositional properties of primary enamel that render it more vulnerable to acid challenge and more rapid lesion progression than permanent enamel.
• Describe how contemporary demands on caregiver time affect the consistency, duration, and quality of supervised mechanical plaque removal in the home.
• Apply anticipatory guidance at developmentally specific milestones to help caregivers build oral hygiene routines that are realistic, sustainable, and matched to the family circumstance.
• Evaluate the role of fluoride delivered through products formulated for children as a caries preventive strategy that reduces dependence on ideal brushing technique and unlimited caregiver time.

Abstract

What should we tell a patient who asks whether it is going to hurt? "Maybe a little" is prudent, but it installs the fear before the needle is out. "No" is the answer we would rather give, but only if we can keep it. Everything then rests on one question: can we be sure of our anaesthesia? This lecture is about what it takes to be sure, in a child.

Pain in a child is not measurable, and reported pain is not proportional to stimulus intensity. Fear, pain and behaviour reinforce one another: a child who has hurt once behaves differently at the next visit, and the difficulty we attribute to behaviour often began as an anaesthetic failure. The lecture reviews the ways local anaesthesia fails in paediatric practice, separating what is decided before the appointment, site, solution and volume, from what is decided during it, speed, needle, instrument and gesture.

Computer-controlled delivery has changed the injection itself, and the evidence for reduced pain and better cooperation is consistent. But controlling how the solution is delivered does not answer where it should go. The lecture then examines what actually governs the result in a child: how close the solution is delivered to the target, the concentration it reaches there, and how little reaches the surrounding soft tissue.

Intraosseous delivery in children is presented within that framework: a single injection site per sector, reduced volume, full onset as the injection ends, no soft tissue anaesthesia, and no bitten lip afterwards, with the paediatric protocol, needle length and injection speeds. Molar incisor hypomineralisation is the test case where the difference is largest. Contraindications and limits are stated. Participants leave able to plan a paediatric anaesthesia rather than repeat one, and to give an appropriate answer to that first question.

Learning Objectives

• Explain why reported pain in a child is not proportional to stimulus intensity, and how fear, pain and behaviour reinforce one another across successive visits.
• Identify the anaesthetic decisions taken before the appointment (site, solution, volume) and those taken during it (speed, needle, instrument, gesture), and the type of failure each one produces.
• Appraise the evidence for computer-controlled delivery on pain perception and cooperation in children, and state what it does not determine.
• Explain how proximity to the target, concentration at the target and soft tissue exposure govern the choice of injection site in the child.
• Apply a paediatric intraosseous protocol, including site selection, needle length, volume and injection speed, and state its contraindications.

Abstract 

Restoring children’s oral health often requires a multifaceted approach that integrates prevention, rehabilitation, and the promotion of optimal growth and development. While establishing healthy habits is foundational, many pediatric cases present complexities that demand creative strategies and thoughtful compromises to achieve the best possible outcomes.

This course explores the hidden culprits that negatively impact children's smiles, along with contemporary preventive strategies and restorative materials designed specifically for pediatric patients. Participants will gain insight into treatment planning that balances disease management, functional rehabilitation, and guidance of craniofacial growth.

Through clinical discussion and practical application, this program will highlight how early intervention and well-planned treatment can positively influence a child’s oral health, development, and long-term outcomes. 

Learning Objectives

• Identify hidden factors that negatively impact children's oral health and smile development.
• Review contemporary preventive strategies and tools used in pediatric dentistry.
• Evaluate the risks, benefits, and clinical indications of current restorative materials for children.
• Understand approaches to full mouth rehabilitation, including appliance therapy, to support optimal growth and development.

Abstract 

Enamel hypomineralization and white spot lesions are frequently encountered in children and adolescents, yet similar clinical appearances may reflect different etiologies, biological behavior, and treatment needs. Accurate diagnosis is therefore essential before any preventive or therapeutic approach is selected. This lecture will present a practical diagnostic pathway for the assessment of enamel alterations in young patients, with particular attention to molar-incisor hypomineralization (MIH), fluorosis, post-traumatic enamel hypomineralization, and early carious white spot lesions. Patient history, lesion distribution, clinical appearance, caries activity, and individual risk factors will be discussed as key elements in differential diagnosis and treatment planning. Particular emphasis will be placed on prevention and early intervention, including caries-risk control, remineralization strategies, monitoring, and preservation of affected enamel within a minimally invasive philosophy. Resin infiltration will be presented as a micro-invasive treatment option for appropriately selected lesions, with discussion of its principles, indications, limitations, and potential role in improving both lesion management and esthetic appearance. Through clinical cases, the lecture will illustrate how diagnosis, prevention, and minimally invasive treatment can be integrated into a structured approach aimed at preserving dental tissues and reducing the need for conventional restorative procedures in young patients. 

Learning Objectives

• Discuss the differential diagnosis of enamel hypomineralization and white spot lesions. 
• Explain the role of caries risk assessment and prevention. 
• Identify appropriate preventive and remineralization strategies. 
• Explain the indications and limitations of resin infiltration. 
• Discuss minimally invasive treatment options in young patients

Abstract

Dental professionals have a unique window into a child’s development. You see your young patients repeatedly during years of rapid growth, yet attention is naturally drawn to what you have been trained to see: teeth, gums, occlusion and disease.

Room to Grow invites you to widen that perspective. Through the lens of breathing, oral function and growth, this session explores what else the developing mouth and face may be telling us — and why recognizing subtle signs early can matter.

Combining scientific evidence with practical clinical observations, the session will help participants develop a better “radar” for everyday practice: what to notice, what to ask, when to look further and when another professional may need to become part of the conversation.

The goal is not to turn dental professionals into specialists in another field, but to make better use of the unique opportunity that arises every time a child sits in the dental chair.

Learning objectives

By the end of the session, participants will be able to:

• Understand why breathing and oral function deserve attention during a child’s growth and development.
• Recognize selected signs in the mouth and face that may warrant a closer look.
• Apply simple observations and questions during routine pediatric dental appointments.
• Identify when further evaluation or interdisciplinary collaboration may be appropriate.

Abstract

Children with autism and other Special Health Care Needs (SHCN) may experience significant barriers to accessing dental care. These barriers may include sensory sensitivities, communication differences, anxiety, difficulty with predictability and transitions, challenging behaviors, long waiting times, unsuitable clinical environments, and limited caregiver engagement. Consequently, successful dental care requires more than traditional clinical skills — it requires an individualized and patient-centered approach.

A successful dental journey begins before the child reaches the dental chair. Visual preparation, predictable routines, sensory-adapted environments, individualized behavior guidance, effective communication, and family collaboration can reduce anxiety and build trust. Understanding behavior as a form of communication allows clinicians to identify the child's needs rather than simply labeling the child as "uncooperative."

Team training and autism-accessibility programs can transform awareness into practical skills across the entire patient journey, from reception to treatment. Consistent care and dedicated Special Needs sessions can help establish familiarity, trust, and continuity.

Ultimately, special needs dentistry is not simply about treating teeth — it is about creating an environment where every child can receive safe, accessible, compassionate, and continuous care.

 This course is not available for individual purchase. It is an integral part of the Pediatric Dentistry Symposium (PDS). If you wish to attend the course on 14 November 2026 (limited seats available only), you have to register for the full day of lectures on 13 November 2026. The registration fee covers both days.

Abstract

Providing comprehensive care for children often requires balancing efficiency, precision, and predictable outcomes. In cases requiring full-mouth rehabilitation, clinicians must be prepared to deliver treatment effectively, regardless of the clinical setting, whether performed conventionally in the dental chair, with conscious sedation, or under general anesthesia.

This course focuses on practical techniques that improve clinical efficiency without compromising quality of care. Participants will learn strategies to streamline restorative procedures, including proper handpiece positioning, bur selection and sequencing, and key preparation principles that enhance both speed and accuracy. Key principles of vital pulp therapy will also be addressed to ensure optimal and timely treatment delivery. Common clinical habits that unintentionally delay care or compromise outcomes will also be discussed.

By refining operative techniques and workflow, clinicians can deliver high-quality, predictable results while minimising treatment time, an essential component when managing complex pediatric cases.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to: 

• Optimise the efficiency of a diamond football bur.
• Ensure pulp access is adequate, and that pulp placement seals MTA against vital pulp tissue.
• Master keeping the diamond flame, but on the cervical third of the tooth, with only minor smoothing of any points at the end of the prep cycle.
• Capture all the benefits of RMGI to ensure retention of crowns.
• Optimise space maintainer placement to support optimal growth and development.

Agenda

Supported by

Please note: This hands-on course runs for 3.5 hours. Participants may choose morning session.

Abstract 

Predictable management of enamel defects and discolorations begins with correct diagnosis and careful case selection. Differences in etiology, lesion depth, color, and optical characteristics can significantly influence both treatment choice and the final esthetic outcome. This workshop will provide a comprehensive clinical pathway from diagnosis to treatment, with particular emphasis on resin infiltration and its integration within contemporary minimally invasive esthetic dentistry. The theoretical component will review the differential diagnosis of enamel defects and discolorations and the clinical parameters that influence treatment planning. Participants will learn how to identify cases suitable for resin infiltration, understand its biological and optical principles, and recognize its indications and limitations. Particular attention will be given to challenging esthetic situations and to the combination of different minimally invasive procedures. Clinical cases will illustrate how resin infiltration can be integrated with tooth bleaching, superficial microabrasion or macroabrasion, and, when necessary, selective direct composite restorations in order to progressively manage lesions of different depth and appearance. The resin infiltration protocol will be presented step by step, including case selection, operative sequence, common difficulties, and strategies for improving treatment predictability. 

During the hands-on component, participants will perform the resin infiltration procedure on quartz crystal simulators, allowing direct visualization of the infiltration process and practical reproduction of the operative steps. The objective is to provide participants with a reproducible decision-making and clinical workflow that connects diagnosis, treatment planning, and practical execution while preserving the maximum amount of healthy dental tissue. 

Learning Objectives 

• Discuss the differential diagnosis of enamel defects and discolorations. 
• Explain the principles and indications of resin infiltration. 
• Identify appropriate cases for resin infiltration. 
• Discuss combined minimally invasive treatment strategies. 
• Demonstrate the step-by-step resin infiltration protocol. 
• Demonstrate the correct handling and practical use of resin infiltration materials during the hands-on exercise.

Agenda Session

Supported by

Abstract

This clinical micro-residency in Paediatric Dentistry will cover clinical comprehensive pediatric dentistry. The session will begin with a review lecture on vital pulp therapy, crown preps and space maintainers. The hands-on session will include vital pulp therapy covering clinical keys to precision caries removal for indirect pulp cap medicaments as well as steps to successful pulpotomies for primary anterior and posterior teeth. Restorative techniques covered will include stainless steel crowns, zirconia crowns, and state-of-the-art full resin polymer crowns. The day will conclude with “extracting” typodont teeth and the adaption of bands and fitting of chairside unilateral space maintainers to include band and loops and distal shoes. Techniques to prevent cement washout and band debonding will be covered.

Course Objectives

• Understand the optimal placement of medicaments for vital pulp therapy to promote healing.
• Develop efficient techniques for accessing the pulp chamber and proper adaptation of MTA to promote dentinal bridging.
• Master efficient preparation techniques for all primary crowns.
• Develop expertise in the fitting back-to-back zirconia and cementation of primary crowns.
• Learn how to fit chairside fixed unilateral space maintainers for optimal retention.

Agenda

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