3 Ways to Relax & Enjoy on Key Biscayne

December 3, 2017 Pankey Gram

Pankey just so happens to be located on a beautiful island off the coast of Miami: Key Biscayne. For many, the Key is an ideal tropical escape. It’s small enough to walk around on foot, but large enough to accommodate many cuisine and activity options.

There are gorgeous beaches, world-class restaurants, stunning mansions, and luxury resorts spread along a five mile stretch of palm-tree dotted land. Connected to mainland Miami by the Rickenbacker Causeway, you’ll feel yourself entering a different world as you leave congested city streets for the laid back island vibe.

We’ve already given you some ideas for the best Cuban food to sample while you’re attending a CE course at Pankey. Now, we’ve put together a simple guide you can take advantage of to get the most out of your trip.

3 Things to Do in Key Biscayne

1. Go to the Beach

When we say go to the beach, there really are a hundred different ways you could do this on Key Biscayne alone. One of the best is to extend your stay at Pankey into a mini-vacation and book a room at the local Ritz-Carlton. They have a delightful beach to lounge on for a relaxing getaway.

2. Visit Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park

This state park is gorgeous and fascinating, along with having a great beach. You can explore the historic lighthouse and learn more about the area’s thriving wildlife. You can also go kayaking, snorkel, hike, and much more.

3. Shop in the Sunshine

There are multiple locations on Key Biscayne to shop for upscale clothing or unique items. On top of that, stores tend to be nestled right next to incredible restaurants like Origins Asian Bistro. Key Colony Plaza is one example of the intimate, classy shopping centers scattered around the island.

What do you love about traveling for CE courses? Please leave your thoughts in the comments! 

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E3: Restorative Integration of Form & Function

DATE: October 5 2025 @ 8:00 am - October 9 2025 @ 2:30 pm

Location: The Pankey Institute

CE HOURS: 41

Dentist Tuition: $ 7400

Single Occupancy with Ensuite Private Bath (per night): $ 345

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The Technique for the Carolina Bridge

December 2, 2017 Harald Heymann

The Carolina bridge is an all-porcelain bonded pontic that can be used as an interim prosthesis and for many other valuable purposes.

In my last blog, I discussed why I love the Carolina bridge and its many applications as a restorative alternative. Now, I’ll provide an overview of the design and how to begin a case using the bridge.

Carolina Bridge Design

The design of the Carolina bridge bypasses problems found in Maryland bridges and adhesion bridges. The all-porcelain Carolina bridge is very esthetic because there is no metal substructure. There is also incredible light penetration.

Maryland bridges, on the other hand, are not esthetic due to the the graying created by metal wings. All-porcelain pontics, such as the Carolina bridge, often can be used when tooth anatomy comes before or restricts the prep and placement of a Maryland-type bridge. Also, it is easier to repair the proximal resin composite retaining connectors of Carolina bridges.

Carolina Bridge Case Technique

A case that illustrates a Carolina bridge technique is one where an adolescent patient presented with a missing maxillary right lateral incisor. A team consisting of a periodontist, an orthodontist, an endodontist, and a restorative dentist determined that a dental implant would be the best treatment once the patient reaches maturity.

The team decided to orthodontically submerge the endodontically treated root to best preserve the bony site for implant placement. They selected a Carolina bridge as the best interim prosthesis because the occlusal relationship was favorable and there was sufficient crown length of the abutment teeth.

At the first appointment, shade selection was determined and an elastomeric impression was made of the anterior segment. A working case, an impression of the opposing arch, and a bite registration were created. An all-porcelain pontic was fabricated of feldspathic porcelain by the laboratory. At the second appointment, the involved abutment teeth were fully cleaned and rinsed.

The pontic was trial positioned to assess the shade accuracy and the adaptation of the pontic to the residual ridge. Once the accuracy of the shade and fit was verified, the pontic was readied for cementation.

A silane coupling agent was placed on the etched proximal surfaces of the porcelain pontic to improve the bond strength. Preparation of the abutment teeth was done by lightly roughening the proximal surfaces with a coarse, flame-shaped diamond stone. At this point, the pontic was ready for bonding into the edentulous space.

Dr. Heymann will be a featured lecturer at the Pankey 2018 Annual Meeting in Nashville, TN.

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DATE: March 6 2025 @ 8:00 am - March 8 2025 @ 2:00 pm

Location: The Pankey Institute

CE HOURS: 16

Dentist Tuition: $ 2795

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Harald Heymann

Dr. Heymann is particularly active in the clinical research of esthetic restorative materials and participates in a dental practice devoted largely to esthetic dentistry. He is a member of the Academy of Operative Dentistry, the International Association of Dental Research, and is past-president and a fellow of the American Academy of Esthetic Dentistry. He is also a fellow in the International College of Dentists, the American College of Dentists, and the Academy of Dental Materials. He also serves as a consultant to the ADA. The author of more than 190 scientific publications, Dr. Heymann is co-senior editor of Sturdevant's Art and Science of Operative Dentistry and the editor-in-chief of the Journal of Esthetic and Restorative Dentistry. He has given more than 1,400 lectures on various aspects of esthetic dentistry worldwide and has received the Gordon J. Christensen Award for excellence as a CE speaker. Dr. Heymann graduated from the University of North Carolina School of Dentistry. He is past chair and graduate program director of the department of operative dentistry and currently is the Thomas P. Hinman Distinguished Professor of Operative Dentistry at the UNC School of Dentistry

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The Dental Sleep Medicine Evolution

December 1, 2017 Steve Carstensen DDS

Dentists make thousands of choices during their careers. From practice style to how to shape retirement plans, we get to decide how to do things. No matter what style of practice the dentist chooses, the mix of services the involved dentist gets to pick from is ever expanding. Dental sleep medicine is one of the newest services we have added to the list and many dentists are curious about adding it into what they already do.

Practicing Dental Sleep Medicine

Dental sleep medicine may be the closest thing to practicing medicine any non-oral surgeon dentist will get. Managing a chronic disease – sleep disordered breathing – is much like managing another one, periodontal disease. More and more dentists every day are taking up the challenge of helping their patients breathe better during sleep.

Membership in Dental Sleep Medicine organizations, like American Sleep and Breathing Academy, has grown by double digits each year. The calendar is crowded with courses on how to make oral appliances. Dentists are finding the rewards that come with this area of practice energizing and fun. Whole office teams are being reshaped to learn new skills.

Dentists are taught some medical basics during professional school, but years of concentrating on what we do for oral health can dilute the attention paid to patient health history, pharmacology, and medical comorbidities.  

Since every sleep disorder is a medical diagnosis, collaboration with medical professionals requires the dentist to revisit whole body health and recover the ability to communicate with physicians with appropriate detail. Patients certainly expect their dentist to understand their diagnosis and treatment strategies.

Once the person is diagnosed with sleep disordered breathing, treatment choices include positive air pressure masks, surgery, and oral appliances (mostly mandibular advancement devices). Dentists must have a working knowledge of each of these strategies, especially as we are relied upon for expert application of the third choice. Advancing the mandible to open the airway is the description of what we do, but the implications of that choice involve every bit of scientific based health knowledge dentists know. Incorporating sleep dentistry into your practice can bring new learning and new energy to your practice at the same time that you significantly improve the health and quality of life of your patients.

For more information join Steve at the Dental Sleep course.

Related Course

E3: Restorative Integration of Form & Function

DATE: July 25 2025 @ 8:00 am - July 29 2025 @ 2:30 pm

Location: The Pankey Institute

CE HOURS: 41

Dentist Tuition: $ 7400

Single Occupancy with Ensuite Private Bath (per night): $ 345

Understanding that “form follows function” is critical for knowing how to blend what looks good with what predictably functions well. E3 is the phase of your Essentials journey in which…

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Steve Carstensen DDS

Dr. Steve Carstensen, DDS, is the co-founder of Premier Sleep Associates, a dental practice dedicated to treating obstructive sleep apnea and snoring. After graduating from Baylor College of Dentistry in 1983, he and his wife, Midge, a dental hygienist, started a private practice of general dentistry in Texas before moving to native Seattle in 1990. In 1996 he achieved Fellowship in the Academy of General Dentists in recognition of over 3000 hours of advanced education in dentistry, with an increasing amount of time in both practice and classwork devoted to sleep medicine. A lifelong educator himself, Dr. Steve is currently the Sleep Education Director for The Pankey Institute. As a volunteer leader for the American Dental Association, he was a Program Chairman and General Chairman for the Annual Session, the biggest educational event the Association sponsors. For the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine he’s been a Board Member, Secretary Treasurer, and President-Elect. In 2006 he achieved Certification by the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine. In 2014, he became the founding Editor-in-Chief of Dental Sleep Practice magazine, a publication for medical professionals treating sleep patients. He is a frequent contributor to webinars and other online education in this field.

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