The ITI cooperates with Touch Surgery to provide didactic simulations of clinical procedures

The International Team for Implantology (ITI) teamed up with Touch Surgery, an app-based technology company that specializes in cognitive medical training, to provide a digital learning aid to entry-level clinicians with an interest in implant dentistry. Based on protocols and evidence-based findings delivered by the ITI, Touch Surgery is producing animated visualizations of validated workflows made up of individual clinical procedures. The first module on "Bone Level Implant Placement" was launched on July 5, 2017 and a second on "Tissue Level Implant Placement" is scheduled for release in late summer 2017. All modules are available at no cost via the free Touch Surgery mobile app for iOS and Android devices.

With this project, the ITI and Touch Surgery provide clinicians new to implant dentistry with a vital transitional link between theory and clinical practice. The Touch Surgery mobile app enables clinicians to train specific treatment workflows interactively before actually treating patients. It allows them to become entirely familiar with the basics of procedures, including methodology and instruments. As well as teaching through animated simulations, the app also features a test mode in which users answer questions and make decisions within the workflow before they can move on to the next phase.

"Virtual learning has an increasingly important role to play in education and the ITI is proud to be pioneering this young field in the area of dentistry," said ITI President Stephen Chen. "This project also testifies to the ITI's leadership role in continuing education and quality assurance in implant dentistry."

The learning content of the Touch Surgery app will also be part of the soon-to-be-launched ITI Curriculum, a globally standardized and universally accessible program of structured learning for dentists to manage clinical implant cases at different levels of case complexity.

Dr Andre Chow, Co-founder of Touch Surgery, said "We have long dreamt of expanding what we have learnt in surgery to other medical fields. We are honoured to be partnering with the ITI to create the next generation of training tools for the field of dentistry and we hope that this partnership will be able to affect the lives of patients around the world".

To access the first ITI module, download the Touch Surgery app free of charge on your iOS or Android device by going to www.iti.org/touchsurgery.

About the ITI

The International Team for Implantology (ITI) is an academic association that unites professionals around the world from every field of implant dentistry and related disciplines. It actively promotes networking and exchange among its membership of currently more than 15,000. ITI Fellows and Members regularly share their knowledge and expertise from research and clinical practice at meetings, courses and congresses with the objective of continuously improving treatment methods and outcomes to the benefit of their patients.

In 37 years, the ITI has built a reputation for scientific rigor combined with concern for the welfare of patients. The organization focuses on the development of well-documented treatment guidelines backed by extensive clinical testing and the compilation of long-term results. The ITI funds research as well as Scholarships for young clinicians, organizes congresses and continuing education events, and runs more than 630 Study Clubs around the globe. The organization also publishes reference books such as the ITI Treatment Guide series and operates the ITI Online Academy, a peer-reviewed, evidence-based e-learning platform with a unique user-centric approach.

About Touch Surgery

Touch Surgery is a technology platform that enables global surgery. Founded by surgeons, Touch Surgery has an academically validated training platform with a community of over 1.8 million global users. Touch Surgery is installed in 42 residency programs; including Harvard, Stanford, Johns Hopkins and NYU.

Touch Surgery blends a world class team of over 100 experts from diverse backgrounds including computer vision, mobile, data, VFX, robotics and medical disciplines. The goal of the app is to help clinicians rehearse complex clinical procedures straight from their smartphone or tablet.