Continuously updating your skills and knowledge is non-negotiable as a dental professional, and it can be an arduous process to find courses that will most benefit you, your practice and your patients. And in addition to finding the best quality content, making learning sustainable means being able to fit it around the demands of life and work – not to mention finding an option that suits your budget.
With all this in mind, online learning is an option that can be a valuable addition to attending other traditional in-person courses.
In this article we will take a look at some of the best online dentistry learning platforms available to help you explore your options and decide which one might be right for your current goals and needs.
Online dentistry course providers: which dentistry learning platforms are we comparing?
Though there are a huge variety of dental e-learning platforms available, we have chosen to look at nine great platforms that are comparable in terms of the type of teaching, course speakers and learner goals.
The following comparison table sets out the most important features of each platform:
Platform | Main features | Price |
---|---|---|
DSD Online | Unlimited access to courses, new courses added regularly, experienced DSD speakers, huge additional content library | Monthly subscription - $35/month |
Spear Online | Huge library of courses for all team members, annual membership, access to patient education platform and clinician’s forum, CE credits | Annual subscription - $270/month |
iDD | Library of free training, paid course bundles, structured topic bundles, CE credits | Pay per training - prices start from around $300 |
Kois Center Virtual Courses | Library of online lectures and training, variety of topics, CE credits | Pay per training - from $25 to $750 |
OHI-S | Library of free content, variety of topics, option to purchase standalone lessons, four levels of OHI-S Premium Club subscription, CE credits | Premium access levels from €99 to €1999 per year |
ADA | Over 300 ADA CE online courses, variety of topics, CE credits | Individual subscription for $179 per year |
The Dawson Academy | Live, virtual sessions and on-demand courses, purchase standalone courses or buy a subscription, variety of topics, CE credits | Subscription from $135/month for one year |
RipeGlobal | 250 hours of content, subscriptions to suit different career stages, variety of topics, CE credits | Subscription options starting from free to $109/month |
DentalXP | Courses, videos, articles and dental forum, library of free content, variety of topics, CE credits | Three subscription options from free to $499.94/year |
Criteria to take into account when choosing an online dentistry course platform
How do you start when it comes to knowing which dental learning platform is the right fit for you? We’ve taken a few criteria into consideration when comparing the nine platforms listed here.
Ease of use
Do you need to go through a long sign-in process every time you want to watch a video? Is there an app so you can easily pick up where you left off while you’re out, or between patients?
An-easy-to-use platform maximizes learning time while minimizing the effort required.
Content types
Are you looking to up-skill clinically, improve your patient communication or implement new business know-how? Before choosing a platform, it’s worth looking at their catalog of online dental courses to ensure that it meets your current needs and goals. And if it’s not just you who will be learning, check whether there is content that’s right for your team members - whether that’s your front desk staff, your dental assistant or your hygienists.
Checking how often new content is added will also give you an idea of how long an online dentistry learning platform might be useful to you. Will there be new courses and certifications to choose from on a regular basis?
Finally, think about the speakers who feature in the videos. One of the advantages of attending courses is being able to benefit from the expertise of renowned speakers and trainers. Will you get this same benefit from the videos on your chosen platform?
Price
Does the cost of the platform fit in with your current budget and will it be sustainable for the foreseeable future? Depending on how much time you want to dedicate to learning, it’s helpful to consider whether it would suit you to pay individually for each course you complete or opt for a monthly subscription that offers unlimited access to an entire content library.
CE credits
Are you looking for online dentistry courses to meet your yearly CPD needs or is there training you want to pursue outside of this quota? While the absence of CE credits doesn’t mean that learning will not be highly beneficial to you, your dental office and your patients, it’s an important consideration if completing these credits is your goal.
A closer look at the online dental course providers
DSD Online
DSD Online is DSD’s dedicated online dentistry learning platform which aims to help dental professionals address three common pain points: achieving more consistent results from your dental lab, making treatment planning easier and attracting more of your ideal patients.
The courses currently available include topics such as smile design, guided dentistry, the treatment planning process and running a highly successful first patient appointment.
There are also courses that will introduce you to the DSD workflows and how successful implementation can significantly benefit your dental office and your patients.
Read more about everything you can expect from DSD Online here.
Good for
Low-cost entry point to learn the DSD workflows and start driving real change in your dental office. Access to DSD Founder Christian Coachman’s best thinking on smile design and DSD implementation without needing to commit to a course right now. Huge video library available in addition to core courses.
Pros
Only platform that teaches full DSD implementation
Content developed by DSD Founder, Christian Coachman
Top DSD trainers
New courses added monthly
Huge content library of masterclasses, lectures and webinars organized by topics
Option to purchase standalone courses
Access to entire platform for one subscription price
Low-cost rolling monthly subscription of $35
Quick assessments within courses
Cons
Courses do not offer CE credits
No access via an app
Access available only for as long as your subscription is active
Spear Online
Spear Online offers an extensive library of video lessons and other materials on topics ranging from clinical skills to managing your dental office. There are a huge variety of courses for your whole practice team. Spear Online membership also gives you access to the patient education video platform.
Good for
There is a huge amount of content for different team members and following curriculums keeps the learning process organized. The platform allows you to meet your CPD requirements with CE credits. Access to patient education resources is also highly valuable for a dental office.
Pros
Extensive content catalog of over 1,500 resources
Organized learning - choose individual courses, defined pathways or an entire curriculum
Content available for different team member roles
Access to Patient Education platform, Speak Talk Forum clinician forum and other discounts as a Spear Education Member
Earn CE credits
Mobile app for on-the-go learning
Cons
Requires the purchase of an annual Spear Online Membership
iDD
The institute of Digital Dentistry’s online learning platform offers a range of digital dental courses in a variety of topics: from smile design to digital implantology to radiography interpretation. There is a small free library which provides access to webinars and PDFs and then the option to purchase course bundles focused on different areas of digital dentistry.
Good for
Access to a free library of varied content. Being able to follow a structured bundle of courses on a specific topic that you want to master.
Pros
Small library of free webinars and PDFs on a range of digital dentistry topics
Free content added every month
Paid course bundles to focus your learning on key topics
Lifetime access to course bundles you purchase
Earn CE credits
Affordable pricing plus discounts for emerging markets
Cons
Purchase bundles of courses rather than standalone courses
No access to a large additional content library
No monthly subscription option
No access via an app
Kois Center Virtual Courses
Kois Center is viewed as a gold-standard institution when it comes to dental training. In addition to their internationally renowned in-person courses, they also offer a library of virtual courses in a variety of topics: from building a profitable practice, to how to implement Kois Center systems, to clinical topics.
Good for
On-demand training from an internationally renowned institution. Pay for the training of your choice and get a year’s access to it.
Pros
- Internationally renowned institution
- Earn CE credits
- Variety of topics from clinical to retirement planning
- One-off payment gives you a year’s access to the training you purchase
- Prices ranging from $25 to $750
Cons
- Smaller library than other platforms
- No monthly subscription option
- No access via an app
OHI-S
OHI-S offers access to online courses, webinars, workshops and congresses, with free videos and online courses covering a variety of fields.
There is also the option to purchase standalone courses or you can select from four levels of Premium access to gain access to over 750 lessons in the Premium library, and choose from additional premium lessons.
Good for
Huge library of free content. Choose from four levels of Premium access to suit your budget. 30-day free trial available.
Pros
Large free library
Over 750 lessons in the Premium library
New content added each month
Unlimited access during your subscription
Premium subscriptions give discounts on courses and other benefits
Earn CE credits
Different Premium pricing options
Cons
Premium access requires an annual subscription
No access via an app
ADA
ADA’s online learning options include live webinars and online courses, and you can choose to purchase standalone courses or subscribe for full access to over 300 courses covering clinical topics and practice management.
Good for
Choose an individual or group subscription. Purchase standalone courses or subscribe for full access. CE credits recorded in a transcript.
Pros
Large library of courses
Purchase standalone courses or subscribe for full access
Low-cost annual subscription
Unlimited access during your subscription
Browse by topic, year and content type
Earn CE credits
Cons
No monthly subscription option
Access available only as long as your subscription is active
No access via an app
The Dawson Academy
The Dawson Academy is a postgraduate educational and clinical research facility. Its online learning offering includes live virtual dental CE sessions as well as on-demand online content.
Good for
Access to livestream sessions (with Q and A) as well as on-demand online learning.
Pros
Option to purchase standalone courses
All Access subscription gives unlimited access to online learning
Additional resources such as case studies, videos and webinars
All Access+ subscription gives access to livestream sessions in addition to online learning catalog
Option to sign up for free webinars
Option to access a free career pathway tailored to you
Earn CE credits
Cons
Subscription is for a minimum of one year
No access via an app
Ripe Global
RipeGlobal tailors courses to suit your career journey with 250 hours of content covering all clinical disciplines as well as team and practice management.
Good for
Different access options which suit different career stages such as ‘starter’ or ‘student’. Support from career advisors. Keep track of CE credits.
Pros
Over 10 hours of content added per month
Four subscription options depending on career stage
Watch free webinar and masterclass replays
Earn CE credits
Keep track of all CE credits you have earned on other platforms
Cons
Payment made annually or quarterly with only student membership offering a monthly payment option
No access via an app
Dentalxp
Dentalxp is an online dental community which provides over 1000 videos in addition to CE courses and a dental forum. There are three membership levels to choose from according to your budget and how much you would like to use the platform.
Good for
A Basic subscription offers access to a library of free online dentistry courses, videos and articles, as well as the forum. Content in a variety of dental disciplines.
Pros
Choose Basic, Basic Plus or Premium access depending on your budget
Library of free content
Content covers a huge range of dental disciplines
Earn CE credits
Access to dental forum
Cons
No monthly subscription option
No access via an app
Which online dental course platform is right for you?
Choosing the ideal dental e-learning platform depends on your personal and professional goals, needs and budget– and is likely to change over time.
When it comes to the variety of topics and online dental courses, platform features and subscription options, taking some time to consider what would be essential versus a ‘nice to have’ can be helpful when it comes to narrowing down your choices to the platforms that will really work for you.
If you are interested in learning the DSD workflows, and how implementing them in your office can help you to address some of the main challenges facing dental practices today, DSD Online is your starting point. Get started for just $35 a month.