Dentist Continuing Education Courses North Carolina: Train at SIDE in Durham, NC
- Local Start Dental
- Mar 1
- 7 min read
Dentists in North Carolina looking to advance their skills have a standout option close to home. The Southeast Institute for Dental Education (SIDE), located at 370 Jackson Street in Durham, NC, offers dentist continuing education courses North Carolina dental professionals can trust. SIDE delivers hands-on implant training inside a state-of-the-art, 5,000-square-foot clinic, with expert instructors guiding participants through real procedures on live patients.
SIDE is a division of Local Start Dental, a nonprofit clinic in Durham, NC that serves underserved patients in the community. That mission-driven foundation shapes every course. When dental professionals train at SIDE, they work on actual patient cases, which creates an environment where learning and service happen at the same time. The result is a training experience that goes well beyond a classroom.
Finding quality providers who offer meaningful, skill-building training, not just credit accumulation, is where SIDE separates itself from the field.
What Makes SIDE One of the Top CE Providers for Dentist Continuing Education Courses in North Carolina?
SIDE was founded by Dr. Mahmoud Serag, a specialist in dental implants and prosthodontics with years of clinical and educational experience. Dr. Serag built SIDE around a straightforward conviction: dentists learn best by doing, not by watching. That philosophy drives the curriculum design, the instructor selection, and the decision to train inside an active patient care clinic rather than a standalone training center.
SIDE operates as an ADA CERP recognized CE provider, meaning courses meet the standards set by the American Dental Association for continuing dental education. The institute is also a Nationally Approved PACE Program Provider for FAGD/MAGD credit through the Academy of General Dentistry. Dentists pursuing Fellowship or Mastership in the AGD can apply eligible SIDE courses toward those certification paths. All dentists holding a valid license and malpractice insurance in the United States are welcome to enroll.
The training facility is a purpose-built 5,000-square-foot clinic with 10 fully equipped operatories, two Carestream CBCT imaging units for 3D treatment planning, and in-house 3D printing technology. Every operatory runs the same technology participants will use in their own dental practice, so the transition from training to implementation is direct. Instructors are practicing specialists in implants and prosthodontics, not classroom-only educators. That combination gives participants clinical insight grounded in current, real-world dentistry.
Did you know? SIDE's training model connects course participants directly with Local Start Dental's patient population, so the hands-on experience involves real treatment outcomes, not simulated procedures.
Dental Implant Training Courses at SIDE: What Courses Are Available?
SIDE offers a focused curriculum built around dental implants and surgical procedures. Each course targets a different experience level, so whether a dentist is just starting with implants or looking to master advanced full-arch cases, there is a course designed for that stage.
Here is the current course catalog:
Beginner Single Implant Placement Course - A two-day surgical introduction for professionals beginning their implant journey
Surgical and Restorative Single Implant Course - For practitioners with existing experience who want to expand their range of implant and implant-related procedures
Surgical and Restorative Overdenture Course - A surgical and prosthetic course covering implant prosthetics for professionals experienced in oral surgery
Surgical and Restorative Fixed-Hybrid Course - An advanced course focused on full arch implant placements
Small-Group Single Implant or Overdenture Case - Ideal for practitioners with limited implant experience or those who want to build confidence through more focused, small-group instruction
Extraction and Socket Preservation - An intensive program for practitioners who want to integrate advanced extraction and socket preservation techniques into their practice
How Do Dental Implants Factor Into Continuing Dental Education?
Dental implants have become one of the most sought-after treatments in modern dentistry. Patients ask about them regularly, and practices that can offer in-house placement often see stronger retention and case acceptance. For dental professionals who trained in an era when implant placement was referred out, adding this skill through structured dental implant training courses is one of the highest-return investments in continuing education available.
SIDE's program structure ensures that participants do not just learn the theory. Every course includes live surgery components, so students are performing or directly assisting with actual procedures under specialist guidance. This model of live patient, hands-on training is what builds genuine clinical confidence.
Quick tip: Socket preservation training matters more than many general dentists realize. Integrating this technique after extractions can protect ridge volume and improve implant placement outcomes for patients down the line.
What Should Dental Professionals Expect From the Training Experience?
How Is the Hands-On Training Structured?
Participants in SIDE courses train in the actual operatories used for patient care at Local Start Dental. Instructors guide each step of live surgery from planning through placement and restoration. Participants interact with the full scope of procedures, not just isolated segments of the treatment chain.
The small-group course format is particularly valuable for dentists who have completed didactic training elsewhere but want more supervised repetitions before treating patients independently in their own office. SIDE keeps group sizes intentional so each participant gets meaningful time with instructors.
What Skills Will Participants Walk Away With?
Depending on the course, participants leave with a stronger command of:
Implant placement planning and surgical execution
Restorative and prosthetic workflows for single and full-arch cases
Extraction and socket preservation protocols
Overdenture and fixed-hybrid prosthetic procedures
New techniques in emerging dental technology
Quick tip: Adding implant placement to a dental practice gives patients a reason to stay in-house for treatment they would otherwise be referred out for. That keeps case acceptance higher and strengthens the patient relationship over time.
Continuing Education Credit Hours: How Does SIDE Fit Into NC License Requirements?
How Do SIDE Courses Qualify for CE Credit?
SIDE courses are approved for CE credit through both ADA CERP and the AGD PACE program (Provider ID #413951). For specific credit hour details for any course, contact SIDE or Local Start Dental directly at 919.569.5533. That combination of recognized accreditation and clinical depth is what separates SIDE from online-only CE providers.
Why Do Dental Professionals Travel to Durham, NC to Train at SIDE?
Durham sits at the center of the Research Triangle, with easy highway access for dental professionals traveling from across North Carolina and neighboring states. The location matters less than what is inside the building. SIDE's facility at 370 Jackson Street is an active patient care clinic, not a converted conference room or a simulation lab. The patient volume that flows through Local Start Dental means course participants work on a consistent, diverse caseload. That kind of access to live patient cases is difficult to find at most continuing education programs, and it is what makes the training stick.
Local Start Dental and SIDE: A Partnership Built Around Oral Health
Local Start Dental's nonprofit mission is to provide oral health care to patients who otherwise lack access to dental services. SIDE's training model funds and supports that mission. When course participants treat Local Start patients during live surgery sessions, they are simultaneously advancing their skills and expanding access to quality dental care for underserved people in Durham.
This structure adds meaning to the training that goes beyond CE credit acquisition. Dentists who have attended SIDE courses consistently note that treating real patients in a structured, supervised setting builds a different kind of confidence than simulation-based programs. The program demonstrates that continuing education and community service do not have to be separate endeavors.
Frequently Asked Questions About Dentist Continuing Education Courses North Carolina
Is SIDE an ADA CERP Recognized CE Provider?
Yes. SIDE holds ADA CERP recognition, which means its courses meet the standards established by the American Dental Association to help dental professionals identify quality providers of continuing dental education. ADA CERP recognition does not imply acceptance of CE credit hours by all state boards of dentistry, so dentists should verify applicability with the North Carolina State Board of Dental Examiners.
Who Can Attend SIDE Dental Implant Training Courses?
Any dentist holding a valid dental license and current malpractice insurance in the United States is eligible to attend SIDE courses. Courses serve beginning, intermediate, and advanced practitioners, so prior implant experience is not required for entry-level programs.
Do SIDE Courses Include Live Patient Procedures?
Yes. All SIDE courses include live surgery components where participants work with actual patients under the supervision of specialist instructors. This is a core feature of the SIDE model and one of the primary reasons dental professionals choose SIDE over lecture-only or simulation-only programs.
How Does SIDE Handle Course Registration?
Registration is handled through the SIDE website at side-dental.org/courses. Each course page includes details on dates and how to contact the institute for registration assistance. For questions about CE credit hours for a specific course, contact Local Start Dental at 919.569.5533 directly.
What Happens If a Dentist Needs Continuing Education in a Specific Area Like Socket Preservation or Implant Prosthetics?
SIDE offers targeted courses for specific clinical areas. The Extraction and Socket Preservation course addresses extraction and ridge management protocols. The Surgical and Restorative Overdenture Course covers implant prosthetics for removable solutions. Dentists can review the full course catalog and contact SIDE to identify the best fit for their current knowledge level and clinical goals.
Are SIDE Courses Only for Dentists, or Can Other Dental Professionals Attend?
SIDE's primary audience is licensed dentists, but the institute's broader continuing education offerings through its partnership with Local Start Dental are designed for dental professionals across the field. Contacting SIDE or Local Start Dental directly is the best way to confirm eligibility for a specific course.
How Often Does SIDE Offer New Course Dates?
SIDE runs courses on a rolling schedule throughout the year. Interested dental professionals should check side-dental.org/courses or contact the institute for the most current schedule. Signing up for the SIDE newsletter is also a practical way to stay informed about new course dates, emerging technologies training, and updates to the comprehensive program.
Ready to Advance Your Dental Practice?
Dentist continuing education courses in North Carolina do not get more hands-on or mission-driven than what SIDE offers in Durham, NC. From beginner single implant placement to advanced fixed-hybrid cases, the curriculum covers the full range of modern implant dentistry with live surgery experience built into every program.
To explore available courses, visit side-dental.org/courses or the Local Start Dental CE Credits page. To ask questions, discuss registration, or find the right course for your skill level, call Local Start Dental at 919.569.5533. The team is ready to help you take the next step in your continuing education and your dental practice.
