UT Health San Antonio Continuing Dental Education UT Health San Antonio Continuing Dental Education

Bench Prep/Hand Skills Course

Preparing You For Admission To An International Dentist Education Program

January 26, 2024 - January 29, 2024

Course Overview & Mission

Four day CE course designed towards developing the psychomotor skills to obtain optimum results per American practice standards. This course will enable you to earn 32 credit hours towards continuing education. Bench tests are one of the criteria by which an applicant will be evaluated as they apply for an IDEP program. Hand skill course will explore basic concepts required by most US dental schools during their admission. There will be a mock exam held on the last day of the course.

Course Logistics

This program includes a low faculty-to-student ratio and detailed review of the requirements. The mock exam held on the last day will help trainees assess their level of competence.

Curriculum

32 credit hours of didactic and hands-on experience towards continuing education will be provided

It includes structured practice time under the guidance of faculty in a simulation lab

An extensive review of the fixed and operative psychomotor skills

Wax drip exercise

Learn the challenges of bench test

Tour UT dentistry, San Antonio

Schedule

8:00 AM - 5:00 PM daily

Instruction and practice session 3 full days

Mock test and feedback 1 full day

Eligibility

DDS/DMD/BDS degree, or its equivalent, from an International Dental School

Registrants may be foreign national, US citizen, or permanent resident

Attire

Business casual

Disposable gowns will be provided during hands-on course

Closed-toed shoes

Identification badges are to be worn so that the name on the badge is visible at all times

Presenter(s)

Poornima Mensinkai, BDS, MS, PhD
- Dr. Mensinkai currently serves as Director for South Asian Academic Initiatives, Assistant Director of the International Dentist Education Program (IDEP), and Clinical Associate Professor at the UT Health San Antonio School of Dentistry. She also represents the School of Dentistry as a Member-at-Large on the Faculty Senate, advocating for academic and institutional excellence.
  
  In recognition of her professional achievements and commitment to education, Dr. Mensinkai was inducted into Omicron Kappa Upsilon (Mu Nu Chapter) in May 2025 and honored as a Fellow of the International College of Dentists in October 2025.
  
  Deeply passionate about mentoring and training internationally trained dentists pursuing careers in the United States, Dr. Mensinkai directs the Hand Skills Continuing Education Course at Continuing Dental Education at UT Health San Antonio. She is an active contributor to institutional service through her participation on the DDS and IDEP Admissions Committees, the Dental Education Outreach Committee, and the Dentistry Enhancement for Clinical Opportunities (DECO) Task Force for Patient Screening.
  
  In service to her profession, Dr. Mensinkai maintains active membership in the Indian Dental Association (IDA), the American Dental Education Association (ADEA), and the International Association for Dental Research (IADR).
  
  You may contact this speaker at mensinkai@uthscsa.edu
Scott G. Stafford, DDS, MBA
- Dr. Stafford, DDS, MBA, is a 1996 graduate of UT Health San Antonio School of Dentistry. He has owned and operated four dental practices, simultaneously, in and around the San Antonio area. He has lectured and written on the topic of Practice Management and Ownership for the last 15 years. He has served as guest faculty at UNLV, and Roseman dental schools and authored the Practice Management programs at these and several other dental programs. He co-developed a practice management curriculum software that has been utilized at Howard University, UMKC, University of Kentucky, UNLV, Roseman, UT Health Houston, VCU, ECU, Univ. of Pittsburg, UNC, CU, and UMN, and UT Health San Antonio. He earned his MBA from Texas Tech University with an emphasis in Healthcare management in 2007. He left full-time private practice in 2017 and became Director of Continuing Dental Education and Practice Management at UT Health San Antonio. He continues patient care in faculty practice on a part-time basis, while lecturing and scouting for new CE topics and speakers. He has two children, currently in college, and is married to his wife, Rhonda, of 31 years. You may contact this speaker at staffords@uthscsa.edu
Karen Troendle, BA, DDS, MPH
- Dr. Karen B. Troendle, BA, DDS, MPH, professor, Distinguished Teaching Professor, Department of Comprehensive Dentistry. Dr. Troendle received her D.D.S. from the UTHSCSA, and her M.P.H. from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. Dr. Troendle has over 40 years of teaching experience in the disciplines of prosthodontics and restorative dentistry. She has directed numerous courses in Fixed Prosthodontics and Operative Dentistry and has received awards for the creation and dissemination of innovative educational materials including the Health Science Center’s Presidential Excellence in Teaching award as well as The University of Texas System Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Award. You may contact this speaker at troendle@uthscsa.edu
Marianela Villarreal, DDS
- Dr. Marianela Villarreal Garza, DDS, is currently a full-time Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Comprehensive Dentistry at the University of Texas Health San Antonio (UTHSCSA) School of Dentistry. She earned her D.D.S. degree in 2006 from Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon in Monterrey, Mexico. She then earned her Certificate in Prosthodontics from University of Rochester in 2010. Dr. Villarreal is currently the Fixed Prosthodontics Module Course Director in the DS I and DS II Foundations of Restorative Dentistry Courses. She is also a Course Director in the DS III Fixed Prosthodontics Lecture Series, and a Co-Course director in the DS III Clinical Fixed Prosthodontics Course. She maintains an active faculty practice limited to Prosthodontics. She is a member of the Interview Admissions Committee for the International Dentist Education Program (IDEP), a member of the DS I and DS II Curriculum Committee, and a member of the Student/Faculty Relations Committee. Dr. Villarreal is also a member of the American Dental Education Association, in which she served as a Chair for the Comprehensive Care and General Dentistry Section, and a member of the American Prosthodontics Society. You may contact this speaker at villarrealga@uthscsa.edu

Disclosures & Policies

No Recording and Transcription Policy
To protect the privacy, security, and integrity of our programs, meetings, and events, recording of any kind is strictly prohibited unless expressly authorized in writing by the department director. This includes, but is not limited to:
- Video recordings (camera, phone, webcam, or other devices)
- Audio recordings (phone, microphone, digital recorders, etc.)
- Screen captures or screen recordings
- AI-based or automated transcription tools (e.g., apps or software that convert speech to text)

Guidelines: All participants are expected to respect this policy at all times. If recording is necessary as an accommodation, or for education or administrative purposes, prior approval must be obtained in writing. Unauthorized recording or transcription may result in removal from the session and/or further administrative action. Exceptions may only be granted by the department director in advance. Taking detailed notes is encouraged, and participants are welcome to take pictures of the presentation slides for personal use.

Purpose: This policy ensures a safe and respectful environment, protects sensitive and proprietary information, and upholds the confidentiality of all participants.

Course Refund Policy
Please review the Course Refund Policy by clicking here. This policy includes information regarding requirements that attendees must comply with to remain eligible to receive CE, cancelling your registration, course transfers, etc.

Financial Disclosure Statement
It is the policy of the UT Health San Antonio Office of Continuing Dental Education to ensure balance, independence, objectivity, and scientific rigor in all of its sponsored educational activities. All participating speakers, course directors, and planning committee members are required to disclose to the program audience any financial relationships related to the subject matter of this program. Relationships of spouse/partner with proprietary entities producing health care goods or services should be disclosed if they are of a nature that may influence the objectivity of the individual in a position to control the content of the CDE activity. Disclosure information is reviewed in advance in order to manage and resolve any possible conflicts of interest. Specific disclosure information for each speaker, course director, and planning committee member will be shared with the audience prior to the speaker’s presentation.

This educational activity is free from commercial bias. The planning committee, presenters, and authors have disclosed all financial relationships with commercial interests relevant to this content, and any potential conflicts have been identified and mitigated according to ADA CERP standards. No commercial entities have influenced the content, selection, or presentation of materials, and no product endorsements or promotional activities are included in this presentation. Any mention of products, services, or companies is solely for educational purposes and does not imply endorsement.

There is nothing to disclose for this course.

Location

UT Health San Antonio School of Dentistry
7703 Floyd Curl Dr
San Antonio, TX 78229

Tuition

Individual: $3600

(HAND SKILLS REFUND POLICY: Payments are to be received in full, electronically, by the deadline listed. Cancellations made up to 7 days prior to course start will receive a refund minus a $500 administrative fee. No refund will be provided if a participant cancels less than 7 days prior to course start.)

Specialty/AGD Code

550 - Practice Management
770 - Self-Improvement

Tuition Includes:

Lunch each day

Reference guide material

Luncheon Seminar

Use of simulation unit

Kilgore typodont, hand instrument

Burs and hand instruments will be provided to use during the course

Certificate of completion

Closing ceremony

Disclaimer

This course is not a prerequisite nor does it guarantee admission to any dental school.

Registration and Cancellation Policy

Payments are to be received in full, electronically, by the deadline listed. Cancellations made up to 7 days prior to course start will receive a refund minus a $500 administrative fee. No refund will be provided if a participant cancels less than 7 days prior to course start.

Registration closed

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Contact/Social

If course is full or for additional information, please write to IDQuery@uthscsa.edu

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Course Offerings

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For help or questions about this program, you can contact us at:
Phone: 210-567-3177
Email: smile@uthscsa.edu

Business hours are Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Central Time

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The UT Health San Antonio, School of Dentistry is an ADA CERP Recognized Provider. ADA CERP is a service of the American Dental Association to assist dental professionals in identifying quality providers of continuing dental education.
ADA CERP does not approve or endorse individual courses or instructors, nor does it imply acceptance of credit hours by boards of dentistry. UTHSCSA designates the number of credit hours for each course individually. Concerns or complaints about a CE provider may be directed to the provider or to ADA CERP at www.ada.org/cerp.

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