Clinical skills required for providing periodontal therapy most effectively and efficiently may be enhanced and strengthened by viewing all instruments as a total unit rather than as separate entities. This workshop presents innovative instrument designs and solutions driven approaches to meet the inevitable challenges of mechanically treating “invisible” root surfaces and examine the design characteristics of a variety of hand instruments and are listed for appropriate skill levels. Participants will be able to review current clinical instrumentation practice in a safe environment, review working posture and hand positioning and for optimal clinical technique and reduction of stress injuries, and be able to “test drive” a variety of instruments that will be available and be shown the correct clinical technique for their use. This workshop will provide practical principles for confronting clinical complications with dexterity, skill and confidence. The appropriate selection of hand and ultrasonic instruments will help to maximise performance, minimise stress, and increase the clinician’s professional satisfaction level.

Topics to be covered

• Review of calculus detection
• Review of graceys & ultrasonics
• Introduction to various debridement scalers.

Learning Outcomes

• Be able to recognise components of working posture and adapt hand and body positioning for healthy and safe clinical practice
• Understand the advantages and limitations of various explorer designs for optimal calculus detection
• Demonstrate proper grasp, fulcrum adaptation, insertion, angulation and activation of a variety of periodontal instruments
• Discuss the factors influencing the selection of instruments including the nature, location and extent of deposit to be removed, the accessibility of the deposit or stain, the topography of the tooth surface, the size, contour, consistency and position of the free gingiva, and the design, size and function of the instrument.