The CMS Dental CE Courses: What Order Should You Take Them In?
As you make your way through the Clinical Mastery Series (CMS) curriculum, you will inevitably grow and deepen your learning. That part’s a given. But what’s the best order to take courses in—and why?
Every clinician’s path is unique, yet there are strong reasons certain CMS courses are most impactful when taken in a thoughtful sequence. Below is a practical framework to help you maximize the value of your continuing education—not just in what you learn, but in how confidently and predictably you apply it in practice.
Ultimate Occlusion Series
Ultimate Occlusion 1: Mastering Functional Dentistry (UO1)
Style: Hands-on
Pre-reqs: None
Length: 2 days
If you’ve never taken a CMS course before, UO1 is the foundation. It teaches the core principles of occlusion, function, and stability, and—just as importantly—what not to treat.
UO1 is highly tactical and practical. You learn how to diagnose, how to think differently about function, and how to move from single-tooth dentistry toward comprehensive care. This course establishes the clinical language, decision-making framework, and fundamentals that every other CMS course builds upon.
Without UO1, clinicians often experience failures they can’t explain—and when dentistry fails without clarity, it becomes harder to diagnose, harder to recommend treatment, and harder to move forward confidently.
Anterior Aesthetics: Live in the Op
Style: Live patient with Dr. Low & Dr. Parkhurst
Pre-reqs: None
Length: 2 days
Anterior Aesthetics is best understood as UO1 in action.
While UO1 teaches the principles of occlusion and functional stability, Anterior Aesthetics is where you see those principles applied—live, on a patient, in real time.
Think of it like learning to scuba dive. You can study pressure tables, safety protocols, and physics in a classroom, but until you’re in open water, you don’t truly understand how to apply what you’ve learned. The live-patient format bridges that gap.
In Anterior Aesthetics, clinicians observe:
- How to follow clinical checklists
- How to select and handle materials
- How to manage isolation, tissue, and moisture
- How to respond when conditions aren’t ideal
- How to handle complications as they arise
Blood, underlying tooth structure, time constraints, and imperfections are all part of the learning—things that can’t be fully addressed in a foundational occlusion course.
Because this is a demonstration-based course, there’s no pressure to perform. Instead, participants can get up close, ask questions in real time, glove up, check preparations, and see exactly how experienced clinicians execute predictably.
For dentists who want to truly understand how UO1 principles come together clinically, there is no substitute for Anterior Aesthetics.
Ultimate Occlusion 2: Mastering Complex Cases (UO2)
Style: Hands-on
Pre-reqs: UO1
Length: 2 days
UO2 builds directly on the foundation of UO1 and introduces complexity.
This is where clinicians learn why treating two arches is different from treating one, how occlusion changes as cases become more comprehensive, and how to think through sequencing and stability when multiple teeth—and both arches—are involved.
UO2 is still structured learning, but the lens shifts from straightforward cases to patients who have all their teeth yet are worn, breaking down, or losing stability. It’s the bridge between principles and large-scale application.
Full Mouth Rehabilitation: Live in the Op (FMR)
Style: Side-by-side learning with Dr. John Nosti
Pre-reqs: None (UO2 strongly recommended)
Length: 4 days (2 weekends)
Full Mouth Rehabilitation is the clinical manifestation of UO2.
In UO2, clinicians learn the why behind complex, two-arch dentistry. In FMR, they see that complexity executed live. Instead of restoring six teeth in a relatively straightforward case, participants observe the diagnosis, sequencing, and execution of approximately 20 units in a full-mouth rehabilitation.
This course highlights how function, esthetics, and stability are managed simultaneously when the margin for error is smaller and the stakes are higher. It allows clinicians to experience the difference between conceptual understanding and real-world execution—without the pressure of performing on their own patients.
Ultimate Occlusion 3: Treatment Planning & Case Presentation (UO3)
Style: Hands-on
Pre-reqs: None (UO1 recommended)
Length: 2 days
UO3 can be taken at many points in the CMS journey, but it plays a critical role in unlocking implementation.
By this stage, clinicians often know what they’re looking for diagnostically and how to plan comprehensive care—but UO3 teaches how to present it, how to communicate value, and how to gain patient acceptance.
In a practical sense, UO3 teaches you how to sell the dentistry—ethically, clearly, and confidently. Many clinicians benefit from taking UO3 after UO2, once the complexity is understood, but before or alongside live-patient courses, so they can translate clinical confidence into case acceptance.
Ultimate Occlusion 4: Mastering Full Mouth Reconstruction (UO4)
Style: Hands-on
Pre-reqs: UO1, UO2
Length: 2 days
UO4 is best taken after Anterior Aesthetics, UO3, and FMR and focuses on a different level of complexity altogether.
While UO2 and FMR address patients who still have their dentition—albeit worn or unstable—UO4 addresses failed dentistry. This includes partial edentulism, missing posterior support, natural teeth opposing dentures, implant-supported restorations, and cases where existing dentistry has broken down.
UO4 is about reconstruction, not rehabilitation. It teaches clinicians how to manage occlusions that cannot simply rely on UO1 and UO2 principles because the foundation itself is compromised. Dentists learn how to diagnose, sequence, and execute when rebuilding someone else’s dentistry often under far less ideal conditions.
Airway, TMD & Sleep-Focused Education
U05: Sleep & Airway
Style: Hands-on
Pre-reqs: None
Length: 3 days
U05 Sleep & Airway becomes most relevant once clinicians move beyond straightforward restorative cases and into more complex dentistry—particularly after UO2 and Full Mouth Rehabilitation (FMR).
As doctors begin treating comprehensive and full‑mouth cases, it becomes clear that sleep, airway, and TMD can no longer be ignored. In reality, sleep-disordered breathing and joint issues are contributing factors in many of the very cases clinicians are taught not to treat early on. These conditions often explain why dentistry has failed in the past and why some cases carry significantly higher risk.
U05 helps clinicians understand and manage what CMS often refers to as green‑light, yellow‑light, and red‑light patients. Yellow‑ and red‑light cases frequently involve airway compromise, sleep issues, or temporomandibular disorders that must be identified and addressed before restorative care can begin.
This course focuses on what dentists can physically and predictably do in their own offices—from screening and diagnosis to appliance selection, sequencing, documentation, and communication. It provides the clinical tools needed to safely move complex cases forward rather than avoiding them altogether.
For many clinicians, U05 pairs naturally with UO4, as both courses address higher‑risk cases where traditional occlusal principles alone are not enough. Together, they equip dentists to manage complexity with confidence while protecting long‑term outcomes.
Team Courses: A La Carte, When You Need Them Most
Team Training
Style: Team-focused
Length: 2 days
Team Co-Diagnosis
Style: Interactive course for dentists & hygienists
Length: Typically 1 day
Team Training and Team Co-Diagnosis are intentionally a la carte. They can be added at any point—and are often most valuable when a doctor understands comprehensive dentistry clinically but struggles with case acceptance.
If a clinician has completed UO1, UO2, and even UO3, yet isn’t getting consistent yeses, it’s often a team alignment issue. These courses help teams co-diagnose, communicate effectively, move beyond insurance-driven thinking, and support comprehensive care with confidence.
A Practical Sequence (If You Had to Choose)
If given the ideal progression:
UO1 → Anterior Aesthetics → UO2 → UO3 → FMR → UO4
with Team Training and Team Co-Diagnosis added anytime support is needed
Every CMS journey looks different and that’s the strength of the program. Whether your focus is occlusion, full-mouth rehabilitation, airway dentistry, or team leadership, CMS provides a clear, intentional path for long-term clinical growth.
Let us know which courses you’ve taken or what advice you’d share with clinicians considering joining the CMS family.
Dr. Lee Gary on the Occlusion Series
“I started with UO1 and after the first day knew that I would be signing up for UO2 as soon as it was available. I took UO2 within approximately two months of UO1 and was really glad I did. From there I branched into over-the-shoulder courses and photography the following year. I then repeated UO1 and UO2 before proceeding to Treatment Planning and taking my team through Team Training.
What surprised me most was how much value I got out of repeating those courses. Hearing the information a second time after implementing it in my practice allowed me to absorb it much more deeply.”
Perspective from Dr. Chris Kerns
“First and foremost, I recommend taking the courses as quickly as possible in any order rather than waiting for the perfect sequence. Action always wins over intention. That said, a logical foundational path would be UO1, UO2, Photography, then Team Training.
From there, I would move into Full Mouth Rehabilitation and UO3. After that, airway and TMD-focused education can be added based on the clinician’s interests and patient needs.”
Let us know which courses you’ve taken—or any advice you’d share with clinicians considering joining the CMS family.
