Educator Requirements, Responsibilities, and Benefits

Catapult Educators are dental industry professionals committed to both education, and to providing useful feedback and evaluations of new/emerging technologies, materials, techniques, products, services, and management/practice-growth strategies.

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Three Groups of Catapult Educators

1.     Catapult Reviewers

2.     Catapult Speakers Bureau Members

3.     Catapult Hygiene Members

All Speakers Bureau Members are also Reviewers, but not all Reviewers are Speakers Bureau Members.  All Hygiene Members are Reviewers of hygiene products and are Speakers.

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• Catapult Reviewer -

This Educator group is currently composed of members who engage in a minimum of three Product Reviews during each membership year. Of course, educators may choose to be involved in additional product reviews should they feel they have the time and expertise to do so. Each educator must commit to completing all associated Review documents by their commitment dates. Additionally, these educators are also asked to write Product Review Reports.

One of the greatest benefits of being a member of this group is access to new products prior to their official release. In most cases, educators who participate in Product Reviews receive products free of charge. Occasionally, for larger products or equipment evaluations, manufacturers offer substantial discounts, should an educator desire to keep tested products. Additionally, educators receive substantial discounts from other Catapult Product & Service Providers on commonly used dental materials, supplies and services. These discounts range from 10–50% of retail pricing and are exclusive to Catapult Educators.

The one-time, annual membership fee for this educator type is $1,500.

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•  EDUCATOR TYPE - Speakers Bureau Member

This Educator group is also currently composed of members who engage in a minimum of three Product Reviews during each membership year. Of course, educators may choose to be involved in additional product reviews should they feel they have the time and expertise to do so. Each educator must commit to completing all associated Product Review documents by their commitment dates. Additionally, these educators are also asked to write Product Review Reports.

These educators also have access to new products prior to their official release. In most cases, educators who participate in Product Reviews receive products free of charge. Occasionally, for larger products or equipment evaluations, manufacturers offer substantial discounts, should an educator desire to keep tested products. Additionally, educators receive substantial discounts from other Catapult Product & Service Providers on commonly used dental materials, supplies and services. These discounts range from 10–50% of retail pricing and are exclusive to Catapult Educators.

One of the greatest benefits for these educators is that they are assigned a “primary mentor” from the Catapult Speakers Bureau membership. This mentor provides guidance and feedback on presentations, course outlines, learning objectives, etc., and answers questions that arise as this educator develops his or her speaking style and niche. Mentors also help prospective future speakers develop relationships with corporate sponsors who will potentially be asked one day to contribute honorarium support for his or her eventual speaking engagements.

Speakers Bureau members must meet these seven (7) requirements:

1.     Dentists, hygienists, and dental assistants must have participated as a Reviewer for a minimum of two years or is asked by a Board Member to join.

2.     Educator has secured a commitment from at least one major corporate sponsor willing to provide a minimum of $2,000 of support per lecture.

3.     Educator has secured commitments from at least four minor corporate sponsors willing to provide a minimum of $750 of support per lecture.

4.     Educator has delivered a minimum of 15 continuing education programs at local, regional, state, or national meetings.

5.     Educator has published at least one article in a dental-related journal during the previous four years.

6.     Educator contributes unique CE value that is not redundant to Catapult Education’s current offerings but is complimentary and helps broaden the value that Catapult Education provides to the dental industry.

7.     Dentists, hygienists, and dental assistants must meet 3 of the following 5 criteria. Non-dental professionals must meet 2 of the following 5 criteria:

I.      One presentation delivered to a regional or state meeting during the previous four years.

II.     One presentation delivered at a national or international meeting during the previous four years.

III.    Has been an active member in one or more of the following professional organizations during their time as an Educator:

o      American Dental Association

o      State Dental Association

o      Academy of General Dentistry

o      Academy of Operative Dentistry

o      American Academy of Fixed Prosthodontics

o      Academy of Laser Dentistry

o      Academy of Sports Dentistry

o      Academy of Osseointegration

o      American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry

o      American Academy of Esthetic Dentistry

o      American Academy of Implant Dentistry

o      American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry

o      American Academy of Periodontology

o      American Association of Endodontists

o      American Dental Hygienists' Association

 IV.    Obtained Fellowship in one of more of the following organizations:

o      Academy of General Dentistry

o      American Academy of Esthetic Dentistry

o      American Academy of Prosthodontics

o      American Academy of Periodontics

o      American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry

o      American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry

o      Omicron Kappa Upsilon

o      Pierre Fauchard Academy

o      American College of Dentists

o      International College of Dentists

V.     Holds, or has held, a faculty appointment at an accredited dental school or residency program in the U.S. or Canada.

Once the seven requirements above have been met, the Educator is eligible for Speakers Bureau membership. If the Educator desires to be considered, he or she must submit a Letter of Intent to the Board of Directors along with a CV outlining the completed requirements. Additionally, the Educator’s primary mentor must provide a letter of support to the Board of Directors.

Speakers Bureau prospects will be asked to deliver a presentation to the Board of Directors via webinar or live format. This presentation is designed to highlight the speaker’s area(s) of expertise and to demonstrate the speaker’s style and stage presence.

Following this presentation, the Board of Directors will discuss and vote on Speakers Bureau membership. The outcome of that vote will be communicated to the Educator within 30 days. If a spot is available immediately, and the vote is affirmative, an invitation for membership will be extended. If a position is unavailable, the Educator will be placed on a waiting list until a membership position becomes available.

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There are currently 30 Speakers Bureau members. The Catapult Speakers Bureau includes many of dentistry’s most respected and influential key opinion leaders with expertise in one of more of the three Catapult Education Learning Categories:

1.     Clinical Expertise

2.     Management Effectiveness

3.     Growth Strategies

These clinicians, researchers, advisors, and educators speak on leading-edge topics making headlines in dentistry today including new products, materials, clinical techniques, advanced technologies, finances and management, and practice growth.

Every Catapult Speakers Bureau member is asked to sign and adhere to the following Speakers Bureau Member 11-Point Pledge:

1.     I will disclose all industry relationships and any potential conflict(s) of interest to each audience at the beginning of every presentation in the form of a discloser slide in my presentation.

2.     In the case of clinical presentations, every effort will be made to use original clinical Images generated by me for my presentations. If I include images from other sources, I will give those sources the appropriate acknowledgement.

3.     No slides in my presentation will be from Product or Service Provider origin—rather, I will adapt the Product or Service Provider’s information and product images into my own personal backgrounds and slide designs.

4.     I will make every effort to ensure that my presentations are evidence based, sighting current, peer-reviewed literature when possible and appropriate. When I present data generated by a Product or Service Provider that is not peer reviewed, I will disclose that.

5.     I will cross-promote other Catapult Speakers Bureau members and Catapult Education by including a slide(s) in my presentations referencing Catapult Education.

6.     I will seek feedback from other Catapult Educators on the quality and effectiveness of my presentations with the explicit intent of improving the quality of my material, and my presentation skills.

7.     I will participate in at least one formal assessment of another Speakers Bureau member annually. I will fill out the Catapult Speaker Evaluation Form and review my observations with the Board of Directors if asked to do so.

8.     I will respond to requests from Catapult Education’s management team, and from the organizations I am working with, within 72 hours.

9.     I will actively seek new partnerships for Catapult Education by networking with companies and individuals with whom I am affiliated.

10.   I pledge to work with no more than three sponsors for an evening program, five sponsors for a half-day program, and seven sponsors for a full-day program.

11.   In accordance with Catapult Education’s value proposition to the dental industry, I will make every effort to focus my presentations as much on practical application as I do on education and theory. I will do this with the goal of helping every attendee create a more thriving practice.

(The Board of Directors is charged with monitoring and enforcing strict adherence to the Speakers Bureau Member Pledge. Each Speakers Bureau member’s individual reputation is tied to the other speakers, to our Reviewer’s reputation, and to Catapult Education’s reputation. If a Speakers Bureau member violates the letter (or spirit) of the Speakers Bureau Member Pledge, or the Speakers Bureau Code of Conduct (forthcoming), the Board of Directors may promptly, and without notice, dismiss that speaker from the Speakers Bureau.)

For new Speakers Bureau members, once the Speakers Bureau Pledge and Speakers Bureau Code of Conduct (forthcoming) have both been signed and received, that member will have a conference call with Laurel Holberg, Director of Professional Relations, and the Board of Directors. The purpose of this calls is to further orient new members.

The role of the Catapult Education management team is to assist Speakers Bureau members with program logistics. They reach out to corporate sponsors and request honorarium support for programs based on the topics being presented. Occasionally, speakers must be involved with communications with sponsors to assist in this process.

Every effort is made by the Catapult Education management team to promote each Speakers Bureau member to organizations requesting speakers. However, there are no guarantees as to the number of speaking engagements a speaker will secure as a result of this process, as there are many variables that influence program chairs in their speaker selection.

The one-time, annual membership fee for this educator type is $7,500.

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 Speakers Bureau Member Benefits & Expectations

The Catapult Education management team will raise up to $6,750 for full-day live programs and $2750 for a webinar featuring a Speaker Bureau Member Doctor or Hygienist.

·       A $250 fee will be assessed by Catapult Education for each live program secured

·       A $150 fee will be assessed by Catapulted Education for each webinar secured.

·       It is expected that all Speakers Bureau members with the Catapult Education management team to assist in securing sponsorships.

·       All Speakers Bureau members are required to attend Catapult Education’s Annual Retreat and to participate fully in this event. Expenses at the event are paid for by Catapult Education for Speaker Bureau Members.

·       As a Catapult Educator, every Speakers Bureau member is also expected to engage in a minimum of three Product Reviews during each membership year.

The annual membership fee Speakers Bureau Members and Hygiene Members is $7,500 which may be paid in quarterly installments if desired, with a credit card on file.

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Additional Board of Directors’ Reserved Rights

On rare occasions, a Speakers Bureau vacancy may open with no Catapult Educator qualified to fill the vacancy. In such cases, the Board of Directors reserves the right to keep that vacancy open indefinitely as it sees fit. The Board of Directors reserves the right to advance a Reviewer—even if that Reviewer has not completely met all the requirements outlined above.

The Board of Directors also reserves the right to recruit established speakers and/or key opinion leaders from outside Catapult Education’s organization. The Board of Directors consensus is that in reserving the right to do so they are furthering Catapult Education’s 3 Value Promises to the dental profession—and, contributing to Catapult Education’s growth and influence. In these cases, individuals under “fast track” consideration must meet the same minimum requirements listed above for Speakers Bureau membership.