Microscope First Dentistry · First Intake

Diode Laser Competency

for Periodontal & Preventive Practice, with Photobiomodulation

Dr Jason Pang and Sue Rusalen bring you a course built on one promise: you will leave knowing exactly which patients are appropriate for diode laser therapy, where it fits in the appointment, what clinical endpoint you are working toward, how to move the fibre safely, and when to stop.

Presented by Dr Jason Pang & Sue Rusalen

Diode laser unit and handpiece — Hands-on training on the unit you will use

Course Details

Date: Saturday 10 October 2026
CPD: 8 hours face to face
Location: Sydney
Format: In-person lecture and hands-on competency
Assessment: Practical competency and certificate
Cohort: First intake, places limited

Diode laser fibre treating a periodontal pocket — Laser-assisted decontamination of a periodontal pocket

$1,295$995

First cohort price, AUD, inclusive of GST

Strictly limited places · hands-on training requires small groups

Why This Matters

Lasers are arriving faster than the training.

Diode lasers are showing up in general practice faster than formal training is keeping pace. Using one without structured competency means guessing at case selection, risking thermal injury, and treating outside your documented scope. This course closes that gap, so you leave able to defend your case selection, your technique and your clinical notes.

What You Will Walk Away With

Competence you can use on Monday.

Diode laser physics, tissue interaction and periodontal case selection
How to integrate laser therapy with Airflow, scaling and root surface debridement
Periodontal pocket treatment protocols, fibre preparation and handling
Laser parameter selection and prevention of thermal injury
Supportive periodontal maintenance and retreatment
Treatment sequencing, clinical endpoints and documentation
Foundations of photobiomodulation and selected soft-tissue applications
Recognition of when a case falls outside your scope and needs referral
Real technique, practised hands-on under direct guidance
Practical competency assessment and certificate of completion

What We Cover On The Day

One day. Six areas.

Assess, disrupt biofilm, debride, laser, reassess, maintain. Everything on the day is built around that workflow.

Diode Laser Fundamentals

Laser-tissue interaction
Wavelengths, power, energy, pulsing
Absorption and thermal effects
Cutting versus decontamination versus PBM
Why the settings are what they are

Periodontal Biology and Laser Rationale

Periodontal dysbiosis and inflammation
Subgingival biofilm
The role of the diode laser as an adjunct
And its limitations
Phase-contrast microscopy to show the biology

Assessment and Case Selection

Charting, bleeding, pocket depth
Biofilm burden and radiographic findings
Risk factors
Indications and contraindications
Recognising cases that need referral

Diode Laser Periodontal Therapy

Treatment sequencing
Fibre preparation, initiation and insertion
Controlled movement and parameters
Thermal control and clinical endpoints
Retreatment, maintenance and documentation

Photobiomodulation and Soft-Tissue Applications

PBM principles and dose considerations
Healing and pain modulation
Applications relevant to everyday practice
Non-thermal PBM versus higher-power thermal use

Hands-On Competency Workshop

Equipment setup, fibres, initiation
Power selection
Simulated periodontal pockets
Scenario-based clinical decision making
Practical competency assessment

Meet Your Trainers

Taught by two people who actually do this.

Dr Jason Pang

BDS, BSc (Hons, University Medal), Master in Laser Dentistry (LA&HA, Slovenia; UCSC, Rome). Practising laser dentist for over 15 years, Australian Master Trainer for Fotona and Pioon lasers, and an international educator in laser dentistry and photobiomodulation.

Sue Rusalen

Award-winning Dental Hygienist with over 40 years in dentistry across Australia and internationally. Founder of Microscope First Dentistry and co-founder of My Gum Coach. Recipient of a Distinguished Recognition Award at the 17th World Federation for Laser Dentistry Congress, 2023.

Who This Is For

Dentists, oral health therapists and dental hygienists.

No prior laser experience required. What matters is that you already work in periodontal care and want to add a laser to it properly.

This course is for you if

You want structured, hands-on competency in non-surgical, laser-assisted periodontal therapy
You already provide periodontal assessment, scaling, root surface debridement or supportive maintenance within your current scope
You want to know when a diode laser is clinically appropriate, how to integrate it safely, and how to document it defensibly
You are prepared to confirm your own state's licensing requirements and your individual scope before using a laser clinically

This course is not for you if

You are looking to learn surgical or excisional laser procedures such as gingivectomy, frenectomy or operculectomy. Those sit outside hygienist and OHT scope and are not the clinical focus here
You have no current involvement in periodontal assessment or treatment and want a general introduction to lasers in dentistry
You are seeking your primary laser safety certification. That is separate training you arrange yourself, not something this course provides
You are not prepared to confirm and comply with your own state's licensing and scope requirements before clinical use

Scope Of Practice

Scope of practice and regulatory requirements.

Please read before booking

The clinical use of diode lasers and photobiomodulation must be consistent with each participant's professional scope of practice, education, training, competence, registration requirements, workplace policies and applicable state or territory requirements. Participants are responsible for confirming any requirements applicable to their own practice before providing laser treatment clinically. Completion of this course provides structured education and hands-on competency training but does not override regulatory, registration or workplace restrictions.

Requirements differ by state. Queensland, Western Australia and Tasmania each operate a laser use licence with a dental-specific pathway, separate from the cosmetic one most online guidance describes. Confirm your own requirements directly with your state radiation authority, using your professional title: Dentist, Dental Hygienist or Oral Health Therapist.

A full scope and regulation guide, covering each state, is available to participants. Read the guide.

You will also need laser safety training

Laser safety training sits alongside this course, and you need it before using a diode laser clinically. It is not part of this course, it is not included in the fee, and arranging it is up to you.

Bravura Education (bravura.edu.au) teaches a Dental Laser Course covering laser physics, hazards and safe use, benchmarked to AS/NZS 4173:2018 and IEC 60825-1:2014. It has no prerequisites and can be completed entirely online in your own time, before or after our course, in either order.

Approximately $329 AUD, with a 4-instalment payment option. A separate cost, not included in this course fee. Microscope First Dentistry has no commercial relationship with Bravura Education. Pricing accurate as at September 2026, confirm current pricing directly with Bravura before enrolling.

First Intake

Take a place in the first cohort.

Saturday 10 October 2026 in Sydney. Hands-on training requires small groups, so places are strictly limited and confirmed in order of payment.

$1,295 $995

First cohort price, AUD, inclusive of GST