Detailed SSC Info

The Seattle Study Club is recognized as one of the most advanced and exciting dental continuing education groups today. In fact, many doctors regard it as a true “university without walls.”

That’s because Dr. Cohen is one of the few practitioners in the country to have constructed a successful bridge between didactic and clinical programming. Building on the traditional study club model, he has added original and more powerful programming to maximize member interest. Clinical treatment planning sessions, problem-solving workshops, hands-on demonstrations and panel discussions will engage and challenge the doctors in your club, all in a safe, non-threatening educational environment. The following article probably describes it best:

Voice: Sandy Roth
Founder
Prosynergy Dental Communications

I am often asked to give people the “inside scoop” about the Seattle Study Club. For some reason, people seem to think that I have an unbiased opinion and will tell them the truth. Well, that is only partly so. I will tell them the truth, but I am not unbiased. While I have no financial investment in the Seattle Study Club, I do have a vested interest, so I’ll begin with that disclaimer. Over the past seven years, I have personally benefited greatly from my association with the SSC. I have been given the opportunity to present to many clubs and SSC programs have become a significant portion of my work. I have attended or participated in all of the National Symposia and several smaller meetings like Show & Tell and Think Tank. While I have done each of these without honoraria, I have always been wel­comed to participate and contribute. For this I am very grateful.

But my personal benefit in the non-economic arena has been substantial. The good news is that anyone who becomes a part of the SSC can receive this very same dividend. And clinicians benefit even more significantly than a lay person such as myself.

First, I have met some of the finest people I have ever met in my life, and my life experiences have taken me in many directions over the years. The Directors, Coordinators, members, presenters, staff and others are inspiring and collectively form the most powerful confluence of wisdom, insight and information mod­ern dentistry has to offer. Because my professional path takes me in many directions and my work is not limited to Seattle Study Clubs, I have many opportuni­ties to observe other study clubs, dental associations and societies (on local, regional and national levels), and both privately-owned and non-profit organizations focusing on dental learning. I can say without exception that the SSC is miles ahead as you measure on almost any yardstick. There are some reasons why this is so, and one must understand Michael and Suzanne Cohen and the SSC staff to get the full picture.

While many people strive for excellence, few actually achieve it and fewer still achieve it consistently. The hallmark of the Seattle Study Club is their attention to the details that matter (not just fluff) and their ability to consistently deliver services that both exceed the expectations of their members but also surprise and inspire. While the gospel choirs inspire, the treat­ment planning structure and emphasis provide the substance that benefits the individual member, his or her practice and every patient they serve. As Symposia participants enjoy the social events in the evenings at spectacular venues, they leave with substance and professional guidance that is on the level of priceless. The best and finest clinicians vie to be included in the SSC programming, and they see these opportunities as the most challenging in their professional lives. From there, everything else is a bit of a step down.

How does this happen? Most significantly, the vision of Michael Cohen is ever-present. He has been influenced by the finest and he now influences the finest. His in­sights about how to create learning opportunities and growth experiences is unparalleled in dentistry. He is a deeply compassionate person and one of the most giving people I have ever known. He counts his own success through the success he nurtures in others. His ideas are honed and sharpened by those he respects and admires, not the least of whom is Suzanne Cohen, one of the most remarkable women I have ever known. To say Suzanne is smart is a shallow description. I am continually amazed at her capacity for information, the depth of her knowledge about an amazing array of subjects, her political instincts and her sensitiv­ity to the feelings of others. She is a dear friend to many, and I count myself in that group. Suzanne keeps Michael tethered while permitting him to freely fly with ideas which are among the most creative I have known. Together, they create an unbeatable team par­ticularly when joined by the remarkable staff they have assembled.

So, what does the SSC stand for? What is it about? Learning. Growth. Striving to improve. Honesty. In­tegrity. Sincerity. Self-evaluation. Personal challenge. Eschewing complacency for action. The SSC operates itself under these guidelines and sets the standard for each of its components and their operations. The SSC has raised the bar on dental continuing education throughout the English-speaking world and beyond. No longer is it acceptable to sit in a dark room, doodle on a handout while awaiting a number to submit for credits. SSC continuing education requires active participa­tion, risk, involvement, contribution and shedding egos at the door. The greatest contribution is the SSC’s em­phasis on collaboration between generalists and spe­cialists. No longer is it acceptable to simply use a study club as a self-serving referral network. The SSC not only provides an opportunity for collaborative treatment planning and care, it also creates a safe environment for members to learn in these environments. From this, everyone benefits: the specialists, the generalists, the patients and the dental community as a whole.