The SSOP (Swiss School of Prosthetics by Candulor) is the first manufacturer-owned training institution to be ISO 21001:2018 certified
With its special concept of a comprehensive continuing education program on removable dentures, the SSOP has always had the aura of a quality brand among manufacturer-owned offerings. A reputation that has now been confirmed by an independent body: with a quality management certification specifically for educational institutions in accordance with ISO 21001:2018. For participants in the SSOP prosthetic courses, this certification confirms the strong focus on learning by the participants and the high-quality standard in terms of curriculum, didactics and staffing of lecturers and experts.
Continuous progress in dental technology and treatment methods as well as advancing digitization make lifelong learning an issue for dental technicians and dentists more than ever before. Different levels of know-how among laboratory staff due to training acquired in different countries poses particular challenges for dental laboratories.
From a series of courses to a certified continuing education concept
This is where the SSOP fills an important gap in the continuing education offering when it comes to fundamental, comprehensive knowledge transfer on the subject of "Removable Dentures". A global network of teachers with many years of practical experience and outstanding expertise passes on their skills within a didactically sound training concept consisting of course modules which build on one another. This opens up very interesting options for course graduates to specialize or position themselves in the dental market.
"By doing this, we offer a continuing education series which endows both dental technicians and dentists with a high level of excellence for the individualization of dentures," explains Alexander Ewert, Director Marketing & Education at Candulor. "In addition, we reinforce the success of treatment for the patient by promoting a holistic approach to therapy and communication at eye level between two 'prosthetic experts': in the dental laboratory and the dental practice. Whereby it does not matter whether the dental technician works in an analog or increasingly digital manner. Our experience shows that analog tooth set-up concepts in particular sharpen the understanding of the interrelationships between support, chewing stability and functionality, phonetics and esthetics, thus also adding more finesse to the digital solution. This special training concept made it logical for us to qualify for the demanding audit as part of an ISO 21001:2018 certification. For the benefit of our participants: They place their trust in a further education institute which is tasked with continuous improvement as part of its management system, and which is also put to the test every three years through a renewed audit."
What are the benefits of a certification for course participants?
The focus of the special certification for educational institutes is on those learning. In practice, this means that the certified educational institute must ensure an optimal and motivating learning environment in terms of infrastructure, facilities, teaching materials and teaching methods that meet the needs of the participants. A further aspect is the establishment of a state-of-the-art knowledge management system and a modern concept for conveying learning content, based on defined standards and lecturers with a high level of expertise and continuous commitment to further development.
This requires mechanisms which include support adapted to the participant, individual coaching and customized learning plans. This is to ensure that the objectives of the participants are achieved. For one, this is ensured in the SSOP through various seminar modules which allow entry at different levels of knowledge, from professionals/career changers and returnees to advanced proficiency. SSOP Coaching is a particularly individualized training format under the motto: Bring the Swiss School of Prosthetics to your laboratory or dental practice! Here, it is not only possible to provide training specifically tailored to the team and the practice/laboratory, but also genuine management consulting in the sense of "Best Practice" to increase productivity, efficiency and quality.
Alexander Ewert concludes: "With the QM certification specifically for educational institutions according to ISO 21001:2018, many advantages that already distinguished the SSOP previously, have now been confirmed by an independent body with regard to its high, qualitative orientation. Thus, the SSOP offers significant added value in terms of sound knowledge transfer, learning environment, individual support, recognition and continuous improvement. In addition, we are engaging even more closely with practice and dental laboratories that have already established a quality management system in accordance with ISO 9001, by offering a training concept and a coaching program for employees with the SSOP, which ensures QM-certified continuing education."
A continuing education program which compares internationally
As the SSOP has an international orientation and is currently already present in 7 countries, one also wanted to set an example with this internationally recognized standard in terms of comparability of the training offered. An issue that is very important to Alexander Ewert: "When I, as a participant, am looking for a training course, I can rely on an institute which, like the SSOP, is ISO21001:2018 certified and implements strict quality controls. This ensures that the continuing education programs offered comply with defined standards. Course graduates can be confident that they are receiving high-quality education and, therefore, that their certificate comes from an accredited and credible institution."
