Soft Tissue Management and Impression Technique

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Michael DiTolla, DDS, FAGD
Soft Tissue Management and Impression Technique

Course Objectives

1 CE Credit

Dr. Gordon Christensen once estimated that “80% of the impressions received by a dental laboratory do not have clear, visible margins around the entire periphery of the impression.” It might just be a small area on the distolingual where there is a bubble on the margin, but the fact remains that the dental technician is now forced to do some guessing as to where the margin is.

In this course, Dr. Michael DiTolla presents the rationale for gaining the maximum amount of lateral retraction of the gingival tissues without damaging the patients’ biology, in order to provide the technician with an unobstructed view of the prep margin. Many examples of acceptable and unacceptable impressions will be shown as well.

Learning Objectives

  • Understand how to utilize a retraction cord, for successful tissue retraction
  • Identify strategies for successful conventional and digital impression techniques, and the six criteria necessary for an ideal impression


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Recognition & Approval

Pace Approval

Glidewell Education Center
Nationally Approved PACE Provider for FAGD/MAGD credit
Approval does not imply acceptance by any regulatory authority, or AGD endorsement. 3/1/2024 to 2/29/2028.
Provider ID# 216789

NBC CE Approval
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Michael DiTolla, DDS, FAGD

Dr. Michael DiTolla is a graduate of the University of the Pacific Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry, and he is a fellow of the AGD. After working in private practice for 15 years, he became director of clinical education and research at Glidewell, where he gained an intimate knowledge of U.S. dentists’ crown & bridge habits. From 2006 to 2009, Dr. DiTolla led the clinical team at Glidewell that developed and brought BruxZir® Zirconia to market. In 2011, he received the “Most Effective Dentist Educator” award in a nationwide survey of dentists. Four years later, he became the director of clinical affairs at Dentsply Sirona, and in 2017 he was named the vice president of clinical affairs and communications at AEGIS Communications. Dr. DiTolla has given over 1,000 lectures to dentists worldwide, and his online videos have been viewed more than 10 million times by clinicians.


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