Dr. Robert Kacmarcik has been honored by the Academy of General Dentistry for his commitment to continuing his dental education.
Kacmarcik received the academy’s Mastership Award at a ceremony in Orlando, Fla., on July 19. He is one of seven dentists in Delaware who have earned the award.
To earn the Mastership award, Kacmarcik completed 1,100 hours of continuing education courses, including 400 hours of hands-on training, in the 16 fields of general dentistry. Kacmarcik has studied every aspect of dentistry, from oral surgery to orthodontics, during five years of seminars and lectures.
While attending the classes was time consuming and costly, Kacmarcik said, it was worth the work to stay updated on cutting edge technologies.
Kacmarcik, 39, who has been practicing in Hockessin for 12 years, said he has kept new techniques and technologies at the core of his practice.
“In dentistry, like anything else, you don’t know what you don’t know,” he said. “Continuing education keeps you on the cusp of the very best.”
New dental technologies are constantly being discovered, he said, like tooth implants, which were unheard of 20 years ago, but are now commonplace nationwide.
The hours of seminars were beneficial, he said, because they exposed him to new products, like hi-tech bonding agents, and different techniques, like better ways to polish composites.
The Mastership Award is an acknowledgement of his devotion to being the best dentist he can be, Kacmarcik said, and he is proud to have been honored by the Academy of General Dentistry, a professional association of 35,000 dentists.
The Mastership Award is the highest honor from the academy, but Kacmarcik said he plans to continue expanding his knowledge. He is currently pursuing accreditation from the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, a process of continuing education that could take up to five years, he said.
“Anything that makes me a better dentist is going to translate into patients getting better care,” he said.
