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Clinical Occlusion: Diagnosing and Treating the Most Overlooked Aspect of Our Practice

Saturday, April 10 - Sunday, April 11, 2027
08:00 a.m. - 05:00 p.m.

Add to Calendar 2027-04-10 08:00:00 2027-04-11 17:00:00 Clinical Occlusion: Diagnosing and Treating the Most Overlooked Aspect of Our Practice This two-day hands-on workshop focuses on diagnosing and managing occlusal problems and understanding when referral to a TMD specialist is appropriate. Dr. Stevenson will examine why restorations fail, how wear patterns develop and when VDO should be restored or maintained.Using a systematic, risk-based approach, participants will learn to perform functional diagnoses, record centric relation accurately and integrate aesthetically derived facebow records into restorative treatment planning. Hands-on exercises include CR records, deprogrammers, equilibration, mounted cast evaluation and the five-step occlusal check.TopicsOcclusal diagnoses: acceptable vs. unacceptableFunctional diagnosis and risk assessmentAesthetically derived facebow recordsRepeatable centric relation recordsDeprogrammers and equilibrationWhen MIP works and when it does notAesthetic risk factors and VDO managementOcclusal guards and restorative material considerationsMinimizing ceramic fractures through occlusal understandingYou Will LearnTo identify restorative risk factors using comprehensive occlusal diagnosticsTo record centric relation accurately and determine when CR is indicatedTo assess VDO and determine when to restore or maintain itTo develop risk-based restorative treatment plansTo sequence complex restorative treatment into simplified clinical stepsTo utilize facebow records, deprogrammers and equilibration appropriatelyTo improve restorative predictability through occlusal analysisTo recognize when referral to a TMD specialist is appropriateWho Should AttendThis workshop is designed for general dentists and prosthodontists seeking improved predictability in restorative dentistry through better occlusal diagnosis and treatment planning.Early Bird Tuition: $2,395 (for registrations received by March 10)Regular Tuition: $2,495Program: 8:00 am – 5:00 pm each dayLocation: Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry, 155 Fifth Street, SFCredits: This activity is designated for 16 units of continuing education credit.Workshop is limited to 20 participants; includes lunch and light breakfast each day.PresentersRichard G. Stevenson III, DDS, earned his DDS degree and AEGD certificate from UCLA School of Dentistry and is board certified by the American Board of Operative Dentistry. After a 26-year academic career at UCLA, he founded Stevenson Dental Solutions to bridge the gap between traditional dental education and real-world clinical dentistry.Cristina D. Lopez, DMD, is a lecturer in restorative dentistry at UCLA School of Dentistry and has presented internationally on restorative dentistry and dental materials. She has taught alongside Dr. Stevenson since 2008. 155 5th St, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA Arthur A Dugoni School of Dentistry Arthur A Dugoni School of Dentistry America/Los_Angeles public

This two-day hands-on workshop focuses on diagnosing and managing occlusal problems and understanding when referral to a TMD specialist is appropriate. Dr. Stevenson will examine why restorations fail, how wear patterns develop and when VDO should be restored or maintained.

Using a systematic, risk-based approach, participants will learn to perform functional diagnoses, record centric relation accurately and integrate aesthetically derived facebow records into restorative treatment planning. Hands-on exercises include CR records, deprogrammers, equilibration, mounted cast evaluation and the five-step occlusal check.

Topics

Occlusal diagnoses: acceptable vs. unacceptable
Functional diagnosis and risk assessment
Aesthetically derived facebow records
Repeatable centric relation records
Deprogrammers and equilibration
When MIP works and when it does not
Aesthetic risk factors and VDO management
Occlusal guards and restorative material considerations
Minimizing ceramic fractures through occlusal understanding

You Will Learn

To identify restorative risk factors using comprehensive occlusal diagnostics
To record centric relation accurately and determine when CR is indicated
To assess VDO and determine when to restore or maintain it
To develop risk-based restorative treatment plans
To sequence complex restorative treatment into simplified clinical steps
To utilize facebow records, deprogrammers and equilibration appropriately
To improve restorative predictability through occlusal analysis
To recognize when referral to a TMD specialist is appropriate

Who Should Attend

This workshop is designed for general dentists and prosthodontists seeking improved predictability in restorative dentistry through better occlusal diagnosis and treatment planning.

Early Bird Tuition: $2,395 (for registrations received by March 10)
Regular Tuition: $2,495
Program: 8:00 am – 5:00 pm each day
Location: Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry, 155 Fifth Street, SF
Credits: This activity is designated for 16 units of continuing education credit.

Workshop is limited to 20 participants; includes lunch and light breakfast each day.

Presenters

Richard G. Stevenson III, DDS, earned his DDS degree and AEGD certificate from UCLA School of Dentistry and is board certified by the American Board of Operative Dentistry. After a 26-year academic career at UCLA, he founded Stevenson Dental Solutions to bridge the gap between traditional dental education and real-world clinical dentistry.

Cristina D. Lopez, DMD, is a lecturer in restorative dentistry at UCLA School of Dentistry and has presented internationally on restorative dentistry and dental materials. She has taught alongside Dr. Stevenson since 2008.