Dr. Leonard Hess began teaching continuing education courses in 2005, and the topics include occlusion, smile design, treatment planning, preparation design, and practice integration of complete dentistry.
He’s taught full-day continuing education courses at the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry’s national meeting, The Greater New York Dental Meeting, AACD National Meeting, Pacific Dental Conference, Ontario Dental Association meeting, and The Yankee Dental Conference.
Dr. Hess also has taught courses in Japan, Germany, Poland, China, and Canada.
Dr. Hess is currently serving as the Senior Clinical Director at The Dawson Academy. He also owns Union County Center for Comprehensive Dentistry in Charlotte, North Carolina.
How to Discover Occlusal Muscle Disorders
By: Dr. Leonard A. Hess, DDSClinical Director, The Dawson AcademyThe Article Originally Appeared on TheDawsonAcademy.comLearn about Occlusion…
Considerations of Treatment Planning a Maxillary Implant Prosthesis
By: Dr. Leonard A. Hess, DDSClinical Director, The Dawson AcademyThe Article Originally Appeared on TheDawsonAcademy.comLearn about Occlusion…
How to Stabilize the Joints
By: Dr. Leonard A. Hess, DDSClinical Director, The Dawson AcademyThe Article Originally Appeared on TheDawsonAcademy.comLearn about Occlusion…
How Do You Know If You Achieved Centric Relation?
By: Dr. Leonard A. Hess, DDSClinical Director, The Dawson AcademyThe Article Originally Appeared on TheDawsonAcademy.comLearn about Occlusion…
Dentists: Why Should You Load Test the TMJs?
By: Dr. Leonard A. Hess, DDSClinical Director, The Dawson AcademyThe Article Originally Appeared on TheDawsonAcademy.com Properly loading…
Changing Vertical Dimension: When is it Safe?
By: Dr. Leonard A. Hess, DDSClinical Director, The Dawson AcademyThe Article Originally Appeared on TheDawsonAcademy.com If you…
How Does the Occlusal Plane Relate to the Anterior Teeth?
By: Dr. Leonard A. Hess, DDSClinical Director, The Dawson AcademyThe Article Originally Appeared on TheDawsonAcademy.com One of…
Why Do I Keep Having to Adjust the Anterior Teeth When Restoring?
By: Dr. Leonard A. Hess, DDSClinical Director, The Dawson AcademyThe Article Originally Appeared on TheDawsonAcademy.com One of…
How to Use Splints in Your Treatment Plan
By: Dr. Leonard A. Hess, DDSClinical Director, The Dawson AcademyThe Article Originally Appeared on TheDawsonAcademy.com Hi, everybody,…
Why am I Experiencing Clinical Failures?
By: Dr. Leonard A. Hess, DDSClinical Director, The Dawson AcademyThe Article Originally Appeared on TheDawsonAcademy.com If we’ve…
Enhancing Doctor & Dental Lab Communication in the Digital Age
By: Lee Culp, CDTThis article originally appeared on PankeyGram.org. Dr. Culp granted permission for igniteDDS to share with our readers. The collaboration between doctors and dental labs has undergone a seismic shift with the rise of digital dentistry. Historically, communication between these two essential players in restorative dentistry was limited—often reduced to written instructions and…
Link AI for A-dec+™: A Smarter Way to Manage Your Future Dental Practice
By: A-dec® Thinking about your future practice? With all the decisions ahead, here’s an easy one. Your Focus Right Now vs. Your Future Practice Right now, your focus is on clinics, competencies, labs, and exams. When you imagine owning a practice someday, you’re probably excited about: What you may not be so excited about is…
The Start-Up Ownership Illusion: Part 1
Start-Ups & Dentistry’s Manpower Crisis – Your First Hire Will Break Your Practice By: Dr. David Rice Why most future owners are building teams backwards—and don’t even know it. The Word on the Street Every dentist I meet who’s planning a startup says the same thing: “I just need a great team.” No, you don’t….
Preventing Tooth Wear and Color Loss When Adjusting Zirconia
By: Lee Ann Brady, DMDThis topic originally appeared on Pankey.org. Dr. Brady granted permission for igniteDDS to share with our readers. Zirconia restorations have become a go-to solution in modern dentistry due to their durability, aesthetics, and biocompatibility. However, adjusting zirconia requires a precise approach to maintain its integrity and prevent complications. Whether you’re fine-tuning…
Silence Fuels Negativity, Leadership Requires Communication
Learning to Communicate Is Learning to Lead By: Candy Velez, CRDH, BSDH, IgniteDDS Dental Hygiene Coach In dentistry, and honestly in most professions, we are often told that leadership flows from the top down. But some of the most meaningful leadership does not come from a title. It comes from how we handle the conversations…
Preparing Your Patients for Removable Prosthodontics
By: Ronda Holman For many patients, transitioning to removable prosthodontics, whether partial dentures or full dentures, can feel intimidating. As dental professionals, one of our most valuable roles is helping patients understand what to expect and guiding them through the adjustment period with clear explanations and supportive coaching. When patients are properly prepared, their confidence…
Hope Isn’t on the Menu: Planning a Profitable Dental Year
By: Dawn Patrick, COO and Dental Business Strategy Coach, IgniteDDS It’s almost the end of the first quarter of 2026. How’s “hope” working for you? At this point, you’ve either planned a successful year and had an amazing first few months, or you are winging it and hoping for the best each month. Think about…
Going From Conventional to Digital Denture Fabrication
By: Lee Culp, CDTThis article originally appeared on PankeyGram.org. igniteDDS was granted permission to share with our readers. For years, creating dentures was a time-consuming process, requiring multiple patient visits, manual wax-ups, and trial-and-error adjustments. However, the rise of digital dentistry has revolutionized denture fabrication. From AI-assisted design to dental 3D printing, digital workflows have…
6 Strategies to Lead an Old Team as a New Dentist
By: Dr. David Rice Imagine this … or maybe you don’t need to because you’re already living it … you’re a new dentist … passionate … skilled … and ready to crush it in practice. But the team that’s been there for 10… 15… 20 years … they know the patients … the systems (or…
Why Dental Photography Is Essential in Modern Dental Practice
By: James Wanamaker, DDS – IgniteDDS Clinical Coach In my private practice centered on esthetics and function, dentistry is never just about restoring teeth. It’s about restoring confidence, improving function, and creating harmony between the teeth, lips, and face. When you approach dentistry at that level, one tool that becomes absolutely indispensable is dental photography….