General Article

How To Complete Continuing Education In Dentistry

Depending on where he or she is licensed to practice, dentists will be subject to different requirements for continuing education in dentistry. The courses are required to be completed before the license will be renewed. There is a wide variety of courses available.

In some places, not only do dentists have to take classes to stay current on the latest developments in their work, but the people who provide the instruction must also meet certain requirements. For example, it is standard in some regions for the course provider to have on hand for inspection the instructor’s resume, an outline of the course content, clearly stated educational objectives, a description of the teaching methods, and attendance records.

Just like the education undertaken prior to obtaining a licence, these after-licensure classes are intended to directly enhance the knowledge, skill, and competency of the dentist. While there may be a broad spectrum of course offerings that will satisfy the governing body’s specifications, usually there are a few areas that must be studied. Those include infection control, basic life support, and coverage of the related laws in the jurisdiction where the license was issued.

Sometimes the offerings are categorized into two areas: those that primarily benefit the licensee and those that pertain to the actual delivery of dental services to the patient. Topics that fall into the first category are things like human resource management, peer evaluation and case studies, leadership and team development, teaching methodology and curriculum development, and dental practice organization and management. Some licensing agencies will put a limit on the number of courses in this category that a licensee is allowed to take toward the total required course unit credits.

Courses that pertain to the actual delivery of dental services might focus primarily on topics such as preventive services, diagnostic protocols and procedures, and comprehensive treatment planning; patient nutrition; the role of dentistry in community health emergencies, disasters, and disaster recovery; and the selection, incorporation, and use of new technologies in dentistry.

Other common course topics in the dental services category include the evaluation, selection, and use of dental and sterilization instruments; anesthesia; legal requirements related to delegation of responsibility to employees and compliance with patient privacy; and cultural competency. Some course providers offer classes related to working with special needs populations; chemical dependency and substance abuse issues that affect a practitioner’s ability to provide appropriate patient care; and working with insurance companies and billing requirements.

In regions where continuing education is required for license renewal, the licensing authority very often maintains a list of courses it will accept as credit toward the requirement. Dentists can check with the licensing agency before taking a course to make sure that he or she will receive credit toward satisfying the requirement.

The requirements for continuing education in dentistry can be met with a good amount of work, but it’s also possible to combine the work with enjoyment. Often times, course providers will arrange their courses over a weekend at a higher end hotel or resort. This way, dentists have the possibility of socializing and networking while ensuring that he or she is up to date on the latest information.…

Trauma: Continuing Education For Psychotherapists

When it comes to psychologists and psychiatrists, few things are as important as keeping up with advancements in the field of trauma. Continuing education means seeking out the latest available literature, taking classes, and learning at the feet of those at the head of the research. As with any science, psychotherapy is a growing field. New knowledge becomes part of the tapestry every day and those professionals who fail to keep up with that knowledge do so at their own peril, and the peril of their patients.

With issues such as trauma, continuing education can help mental health professionals find new and more effective ways to treat their patients. While it is important that any psychotherapist finds his own philosophy and his own methodology when it comes to both treatment and research, it shouldn’t be done at the exclusion of an open mind. Science loses its power when it is not continually built upon, with new ideas and contested old ideas paving the pathway to the future. For instance, a doctor can have a Freudian approach to his practice, but that shouldn’t mean sticking strictly to the teachings of Dr. Freud exclusively.

There are a number of ways a mental health professional can continue to learn following their primary education. Classes are given in every state and district, encouraging any professional to not only expand their knowledge for their own sake, but for the sake of getting re-licensed according to the laws of their area. For those workers for whom attending classes is a hardship, there are a number of online learning programs available, many of them offering the same opportunities when it comes to getting credit for a licensing program. Some people learn better this way, with the opportunity to read the material at their own pace and at a time that is convenient to them.

There are also sites online that host lectures and post the latest writings from some of the masters in the field of psychotherapy, letting doctors and other mental health professionals listen in on new and advanced concepts. There are sometimes online communities built around these sites, which can provide an even greater opportunity to learn and share new information with other professionals. A wise man once said, “The day you stop learning is the day you start dying.” To ward off this untimely death, find as many sources of information as you can and drink deeply from each of them.…

Adoption Has So Many Benefits – Why Not Taxes As Well?

Adoption Tax Benefits: Credits & Deductions

The last thing on a future parent’s mind of an adopted child is what benefits, beyond the impact on a child’s life, might be available. However, with the rising need for adoption, coupled with the rising costs associated with the process, it’s nice for individuals to know there is some monetary relief out there. This relief comes in the form of federal and a state tax credits as well as various deductions designed specifically for taxpayers who adopt. As CPAs, enrolled agents and any other registered tax agent know, these credits and deductions can save taxpaying parents a significant amount of money come tax time.

One of the most significant changes this season involved the Affordable Care Act, which recently increased and expanded the adoption tax credit to go up to $13,170 for qualified expenses resulting from adopting a child. Additionally, there are many details about the credit that can make an impact on how a taxpayer can make it work to their benefit.

Adoption Credit: Five Quick Tips

Below are five key elements of the adoption credit, including some of the new expansion rules that will help maximize the potential benefit to taxpayers.

Income Limits – There is a tiered structure for qualifying income levels based on the modified adjusted gross income (MAGI):

If modified AGI is less than $182,520, taxpayers should be eligible for the full credit

If greater than $182,520, the credit allotted is reduced

If modified AGI is $222,520 or greater, taxpayers will not be eligible for the credit

Refundable – One large change is that starting in 2010, even if taxpayers owe little to no taxes, the credit is refundable to the taxpayer.

Expenses – Adoption expenses that qualify are considered “reasonable and necessary expenses” and must be directly related to the child’s adoption

Child Eligibility – Child eligibility is measured in two ways: Either the child is under the age of 18, or medically determined to be incapable of caring for themselves.

Paperwork – Unlike most credits, which are standard line items that can be part of an electronic filing, starting in 2010, the adoption credit form must be completed on paper with attached supporting documentation.

Adoption Deductions

State Benefits – In addition to the credits available, 15 states actually give a fairly substantial tax deduction allotment for parents of adopted children. For example, the state of Massachusetts allows residents to claim a large exemption for adoption agency fees that the taxpayer incurred. Tax professionals should check for similar state benefits for clients

When To Claim – It is important to remember that deductions are not as big a savings as tax credits when looking into the total benefits of filing. With that said, taxpayer deductions (in many cases) can be claimed even if the adoption is not finalized until the following year as long as the child is placed with parent.

For tax preparers, uncovering information about the new expansions and new rules in advance can be as easy as signing up for the many tax CPE courses and tax continuing education classes that cover this material as part of the effort to help tax professionals stay on top of their game. In addition, there are now a host of enrolled agent course guides and enrolled agent books that specifically focus on unique credits and allowances such as the ones highlighted above. Although the adoption process and can overwhelming for many parents, getting the tax benefits doesn’t have to be.

IRS Circular 230 Disclosure

Pursuant to the requirements of the Internal Revenue Service Circular 230, we inform you that, to the extent any advice relating to a Federal tax issue is contained in this communication, including in any attachments, it was not written or intended to be used, and cannot be used, for the purpose of (a) avoiding any tax related penalties that may be imposed on you or any other person under the Internal Revenue Code, or (b) promoting, marketing or recommending to another person any transaction or matter addressed in this communication.…

Pros and Cons of Online Education

There are many things to consider when deciding to go back to school. What school should you attend? What degree should you seek? How am I going to balance my family, work, and school all at the same time? These are just a few. Above all, one must decide whether to attend a traditional campus program or an online degree program. There are some major differences between the two, but there are also some similarities. It is recommended to first check your daily schedule. Do you have time to drive to campus once or twice a week and attend a lecture? How far is the school from your house? These are important questions, because the answers may eliminate on campus programs right away.

Some of the benefits of attending class in person include: face to face interaction with the professor, live discussions, ability to ask questions on a specific subject, and it is usually easier to work in a group setting. Remember, online education offers many of the same features; they are just implemented a little differently. Questions, chats, and group work are done entirely online through chat rooms and emails. Some consider this a disadvantage of online learning since they prefer to work with their classmates in person. Other students are visual learners and need to be in a lecture hall watching and listening to the professor. This could pose a problem for online learners.

A couple major benefits of online degree programs are the flexibility and convenience you receive while in a class. Most of the time a student does not need to log in and complete their work at any specific time. A student can email their professor their assignment at either 5 a.m. or 5 p.m. This is very important when it comes to full-time working adults with families. Another benefit of doing an online classes is being able to complete your work from anywhere in the world. You do not have to drive to campus, park, or walk to class. This saves time and money.

Time management is important whether you are taking classes online or in a classroom. One major difference is if you are attending a campus based program you have a schedule for when you need to be on campus to sit for a lecture. Online courses do not typically have such a schedule. Online students have to manage their own time and log in throughout the week to complete their assignments. This could become tedious for some.…

The Bunk Surrounding Massage Continuing Education

Let’s get clear about the fiction laying siege around massage continuing education. Why do the massive majority of massage therapists take continuing education courses? To make more money? To further their learnedness? To satisfy the State’s regulations where they practice? Or to improve their skills, or just add to the appearance of their business cards? Its unfortunate but, in this day and age, the majority of massage practitioners are quite unskilled.

Sorry if I have annoyed you, nothing personal here. As a matter of fact, legions of the graduates from massage schools never cultivate a sustainable practice. Statistically, only about 10 per cent of massage graduates are still persevering and bankrolling themselves and their families 5 years after graduation from massage school. Now that’s morbid. Many massage therapists are roped into the industry because of the proclaimed amount of money that they will gain when they “graduate” from their perspective schools. Just finish school and the money will begin showering in. I wish it were that painless. Hey, if you are generating 10 bucks and hour, 60 bucks and up looks real exciting once you graduate from massage school. Many graduates of massage schools are muddling about these days as a result of demanding economic times, and part of the reason is the ripoff surrounding massage continuing education accreditation.

For 22 years I have polished my skills in massage therapy. It has been my unique source of wealth. I am a graduate of the Rolf Institute in Boulder, Colorado and the Karuna Institute in Devon England. I have had a prosperous practice in both Structural Integration and Craniosacral Therapy. I have traveled and reviewed 17 other techniques to “add to the soup” including Neuromuscular Therapy, the Bowen Technique, Hypnotherapy, Reiki, Core Zero Balancing, and The Reconnection to name a just a few. But, the predominant amount of my studies has been the work of Dr. Ida Rolf (Rolfing) and Dr. William Garner Sutherland (cranial sacral therapy). I have also been honored to have taught at The Utah College of Massage Therapy as their Deep Tissue Instructor, the Virginia School of Technology as their advance technique instructor and The Cayce Reilly School of Massotherapy as an Anatomy and Palpation teacher. I have taught classes in massage continuing education in Structural Integration and Cranial Sacral Therapy since 1996. I have also developed two comprehensive, home study courses in Structural Integration and Craniosacral Therapy as a provider of massage continuing education for the NCBTMB.

Let me emphasize a point. I certainly wouldn’t hire a farrier to put shoes on my horses or find a contractor to build my home that had only 32 hours of training! And yet, the concept of massage continuing education advocates that level of superficiality. We ask our clients to pay us 60 dollars and more per hour with very little training. I have known massage therapists who have just graduated from their massage school programs only 9 months earlier, who are running the massage program of the same school they just attended. These schools had “just hit town” due to a flourishing market. And to outshine that, those department heads had never developed an outside practice before becoming the top instructor of a particular discipline! This is the reality. I have nothing to gain from being dishonest. I have seen over and over again recent graduates who print 7 or 8 different therapies on their business cards, even spelling them incorrectly. This in my opinion is fallacious advertisement and impoverishes our industry. Look, you can’t get to the top by sitting on the bottom. It has been said that, “Money grows on the tree of persistence”. So, why do so few persevere? Because no one told them the poop about massage continuing education. There is a lot of hogwash out there, and with a little integrity many failing therapists head to the finish line and realize their original dream. The dream that brought them to massage schools in the first place. Its called intensive training!

Let me make a proposition to reignite your fire for a prosperous massage practice. We are existing in an marvelous time where authentic teachers have designed stunning tools for truly increasing your understanding in a multitude of craniosacral therapy techniques. The DVD, and software is an incredible tool of technology to be studied in the comfort of your home until you comprehensively understand the techniques and can implement them with a high degree of capability, which translates to money honey! Find a direction that interests you, buy the dvd home study course and check out a few of them out completely. Or go receive as many sessions from the different methodologies in your town.. And then, when you resonate with a few of the disciplines and their …

Mental Health Continuing Education – Explore What It’s All About

Benefits

As a psychotherapist, many people rely on you for assistance in treating their issues. Whether it’s emotional, sexual, substance abuse or more, you need the necessary skills and experience to help you be the best at what you do. Pursuing mental health continuing education is an essential part of any professional’s career. When deciding to get as much information and knowledge as possible, you can improve how you work in your field. Also, you will be equipped with necessary tools to help you help others in a more effective manner. Best of all, getting educated is easy to do and allows you to stay up to date on the latest developments in psychotherapy. Read on to learn more about becoming more knowledgeable in this field.

Areas of study

There is an assortment of sections in which you can focus on. For instance, if you have a specific interest in helping couples get over their problems and become the best they can possibly be in their relationships, you may want to study more on couples. Or on the other hand, you may decide to focus on people that are dealing with matters associated with grief and depression. While everyone goes through ups and downs in life, it’s not healthy for them to be utterly consumed by it. By getting mental health continuing education, it’s easier to learn more about the various ways to help those that are suffering with depression. In addition, some people battle everyday with anxiety and worry. While it’s okay to have a little bit of apprehension or excitement about certain things, it’s another thing to be paralyzed with fear of the unknown or things that don’t really require such worry. You may have some experience in an area like this, but it never hurts to get a bit more training and knowledge when trying to help others deal with their situation. Taking the time to learn more about your specific area of study will go a long way.

Methods of study

People learn in a variety of manners. And what works for you may not work for the next person. When deciding on obtaining more mental health continuing education, you may find it easier to work online as opposed to having to go into a classroom. Also, some people do better when listening to material than reading it. That’s why there are audio resources available to help you get much-needed information. Furthermore, some people enjoy attending live events where they can interact with instructors as well as other students. Whatever the case, the possibilities are endless when it comes to ways you can expand your knowledge.

Get better at your job

Bottom line, participating in mental health continuing education is a great way to help you be a better psychotherapist because you take your job seriously. Getting more education will be beneficial in allowing you to provide patients with the best service and solutions as it relates to their problems. And best of all, you won’t be worried about being behind in your field.…

What Is a Graduate Degree?

If you have your undergraduate degree and are looking to take your career to the next level, you may consider getting a graduate degree. There are many different universities and programs you can choose from. Some are even 100 percent online! So, what is a graduate degree and why is it important?

Graduate degrees consist of master’s and doctorate degrees. You must have an undergraduate degree in order to participate in a graduate program. Whereas, undergraduate coursework is typically general in nature, graduate coursework is very specific and particular to one field of study. The length of the program varies by institution, but most can be completed in two to three years.

There are many reasons to get your graduate degree. It is important to stay marketable. While a this degree is not a necessity for many entry level positions, in certain industries it is a must to obtain higher level positions with more authority. Going back to school can ensure you keep your training and skills up to date with current trends.

Another benefit is compensation. Those with these degrees typically earn more than those with a bachelor’s degree. On average, those with a master’s degree earn $62,000, and those with a doctorate earn $89,500. This varies by industry and position, however.

Whether you are just completing your undergraduate degree or have been in the workplace for many years, getting a graduate degree can help you advance your current career or begin a new one. With a little motivation and ambition, remember you can attain this level of degree in as little as two years and have a larger impact on your future earnings.…