8 weeks online + 2 in-person weekends in Chicago
Earn CE credit (approval pending) | 180-day access | All supplies provided
✅ Are your patients anxious, canceling, or avoiding care altogether?
✅ Do you want to reduce sedation use without sacrificing care quality?
✅ Are you looking to expand your clinical toolkit with a high-impact, low-overhead service?
There’s a better way—rooted in science, backed by data, and designed specifically for dentists.
Over the course of 8 weeks online and 2 immersive weekends in Chicago, you’ll gain:
Hands-on skills in auricular acupuncture and acupressure
Evidence-based protocols to address issues such as:
Dental anxiety
TMJ pain/TMD
Gag reflex
Pre/post-surgical discomfort
Neck, shoulder and facial pain
Bruxism
Vertigo, lightheadedness, and dizziness
and many others!
Practical billing and integration strategies
Legally sound implementation guidance tailored to dental settings
Step-by-step techniques taught by a dual-licensed MD and acupuncturist with over 20 years of experience
This is not a lifestyle retreat or fringe technique. It’s a science-backed, results-driven training that will elevate your practice and patient outcomes.
· Dental anxiety is the #1 barrier to care.
o 39% of patients fear pain
o 29% are triggered by chemical smells
o 21% dread the sound of the drill
When fear walks through your door, production walks out.
This course helps you:
✅ Reduce no-shows and cancellations
✅ Improve case acceptance and patient comfort
✅ Differentiate your practice—without expensive equipment or lifestyle branding
✅ Offer a billable, natural solution your patients will thank you for
· 8 weekly online modules (watch anytime)
· 2 in-person weekends in Chicago (hands-on practicum)
· 180-day access to all materials
· All acupuncture and acupressure supplies included
· CE credit (pending approval)
· One-on-one instructor feedback
· Legal, clinical, and billing guidance tailored to dental settings
Will patients accept this?
Yes—especially when it’s positioned as a natural, anxiety-reducing tool. You’ll learn exactly how to explain it with confidence.
Do I need special equipment or insurance?
No expensive equipment is needed. Most malpractice carriers cover this with minor addenda. We walk you through every step.
How many patients do I need to break even?
In many practices, just 10–12 patient sessions cover the cost of the course.
Class size is restricted to provide ample 1:1 contact. Limited seats remain. Secure your spot before they’re gone! (And you're stuck on the waiting list.) Class begins Sept 1, 2025!
8 week course
6 weeks online material
2 weekends of live, in person practicum (Fri + Sat)
Week 1: Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine Theory
Week 2: Five Element Theory: Supporting and Controlling Cycles
Week 3: The Ear as a Microsystem
Week 4: Auricular Acupuncture Practicum Weekend (Live, In Person)
Week 5: Dental Problems Translated into AHM Theory Part 1
Week 6: Dental Problems Translated into AHM Theory Part 2
Week 7: Case Studies
Week 8: Identification and Treatment Practicum Weekend (Live, In Person)
Sept 26-27, 2025. Friday and Saturday in Chicago.
Oct 24-25, 2025. Friday and Saturday in Chicago.
You've got questions. We've got answers.
Sept 1, 2025 - Oct 25, 2025
The course is 8 weeks long. It will be organized as below. After 3 weeks of online lectures, we will get together at the end of week 4 for the first practicum.
Then there is another 3 weeks of online material. At the end of week 8, we will get together again for the second practicum.
Week 1: Sept 1
Week 2: Sept 8
Week 3: Sept 15
Week 4: Sept 26-27 (Practicum)
Week 5: Sept 29
Week 6: Oct 6
Week 7: Oct 13
Week 8: Oct 24-25 (Practicum)
The course will be held at Tribe: A Healing Arts Community. The address is:
1819 W Belmont Ave, Chicago IL 60657
Options close to Tribe (the learning center) include:
-The Hotel at Midtown at 2444 N Elston Ave, Chicago 60647.
-City Suites Hotel at 933 W Belmont Ave, Chicago 60657.
-Hyatt Place Chicago/Wicker Park at 1551 W North Ave, Chicago, IL 60622.
-The Robey at 2018 W North Ave, Chicago, IL 60647.
Breakfast and lunch will be provided at the learning center. Dietary restrictions will be accommodated. Dietary preferences will be accommodated to the best of our ability.
Dinner will be on your own. We are happy to provide suggestions.
Each week there will be lectures with downloadable references, handouts, and slides.
You will receive a copy of "Demystifying Acupuncture: Modern Answers About Ancient Medicine," which contains an extensive bibliography, references for clinicians, and other resources. Because it is written in a Q&A format, it is a helpful resource for practitioners needing to respond to patient questions and concerns about acupuncture.
You will also receive an ear model for practice, sets of auricular acupuncture supplies for placing Pyonex needles or ear seeds, and other supplies needed to use auricular acupuncture in your dental practice.
You may wish to purchase additional books after the course, but the intention is that you will have all the information and supplies you need to practice acupressure or acupuncture (depending on your state's license) without needing to make additional purchases.
This is an intimate course of 20-25 learners at a time. It is designed this way so that discussions are rich, tailored, and lively and so that each learner gets ample individual instruction and feedback.
Dr. Smith is happy to travel to teach the course at other locations in the US, Canada, and Europe. She will consider trips to Eastern Asia and Australia/New Zealand, depending on the number of persons enrolled. Please contact her to discuss arrangements and timing using this form. https://sinasmithmd.com/general-inquiries/
If the dates don't work for you, please fill out the contact form at the URL below, so that Dr. Smith can let you know first about the next cohort. People will be added to the waitlist in order of request. https://sinasmithmd.com/general-inquiries/
We completely understand that emergencies come up. However, this course is designed to be a small group (20-25 learners), so that each learner receives individual attention and instruction. The policies below are designed to balance the needs of the learner(s) for flexibility with the needs of the instructor(s) of filling the vacated spot with another learner and paying for materials purchased when the learner signed up for the course.
If you cancel for any reason more than 60 days before the first day of the course, you will receive a full refund minus a $265 processing fee. You may also choose to transfer 100% of your course fee to the next available date.
If you cancel for any reason 30-60 days before the first day of the course, you will receive a refund of 50%. You may also choose to transfer 75% of your course fee to the next available date.
If you cancel for any reason less than 30 days before the first day of the course, you will receive a refund of 25%. You may also choose to transfer 50% of your course fee to the next available date.
Yes absolutely!
You will not need to use needles in your dental practice if that is not within the scope of your state's practice act.
The techniques you will learn in this course will be applicable for small needles, for Pyonex retainable needles, for battlefield acupuncture, and for ear seeds.
Ear seed kits are widely available to even the lay public on the internet.
We are happy to address any concerns that you have. Please book a 15 minute "Course Questions" time slot with Dr. Sina Smith so that she can address your personally.