Dentsply Sirona has completed its 2026 Ultrasonic Scaling Teaching Institute (USTI), bringing dental hygiene, dental, and periodontal faculty from the United States and Canada to the Dentsply Sirona Academy in Charlotte, North Carolina, for training in ultrasonic instrumentation and digital dentistry.
The institute was held in two sessions, July 23-26 and July 27-30. Participants included clinical faculty members responsible for teaching ultrasonic instrumentation at their institutions.
The curriculum combined lectures and hands-on instruction focused on periodontal debridement and biofilm removal and disruption. Topics included the principles and clinical applications of magnetostrictive and piezoelectric ultrasonic technologies; ultrasonic instrumentation techniques in preclinical and clinical laboratory settings; incorporation of digital dentistry into dental hygiene workflows and its role in patient communication and education; and instructional strategies, curriculum development, and implementation approaches.
Faculty also participated in breakout sessions addressing aerosols and ergonomics, clinical scenario discussions, and a guest panel. Presenters included Dani Botbyl on ultrasonic instrumentation, Marianne Dryer on ergonomics, and Dr. Volinder Dhesi on digital scanning, DS Core, and AI partnerships involving 2D imaging.
“Digital scanning and partnerships for AI-supported workflows aren’t just new tools, they’re part of a larger movement toward connected dentistry, where data flows seamlessly among the entire practice team and also helps engage with the patient,” said Dr. Volinder Dhesi. “Helping educators to bring that perspective into their classrooms means their students graduate ready for where the profession is headed.”
Dr. Devin Christiansen, a periodontist from the University of Utah who participated in the program, also discussed his experience with the institute. “Thanks to the quality and focus of the USTI program, the days in Charlotte gave me a new level of confidence and knowledge that I'm excited to bring back to my own students and other colleagues,” Dr. Christiansen said.
Dentsply Sirona established USTI in 2008 to provide dental hygiene faculty with training, clinical experience, and educational resources for teaching ultrasonic instrumentation from theoretical and practical perspectives. According to the company, the program has reached more than 700 dental hygiene and dental faculty members and more than 51,000 dental hygiene and dental students over the years.
“Today, advances in technology and an expanding body of evidence have redefined the role of ultrasonic instrumentation as an essential solution for the disruption and removal of oral biofilm,” said Dani Botbyl, lead subject matter expert for the ultrasonic curriculum component for USTI. “With appropriate instrument selection and clinical technique, modern ultrasonic technology provides a comprehensive, patient-centered approach to periodontal care—a triple threat for the disruption and removal of biofilm, calculus, and stain. Ultrasonic Scaling Teaching Institute (USTI) is purposefully designed to accelerate the translation of research into dental hygiene education. As technology and research continue to evolve, educators need accessible opportunities to continually refine their knowledge, skill and teaching approaches.”
More information is available at https://www.dentsplysirona.com/en-us/explore/preventive.html.
