
Course: Better, Faster, Stronger: Hands-On Workshop to Enhance Your Composite Restorative Techniques
Date: May 15-16, 2026
Up to 16 CE Credits
Presented by Dr. Lauren Yasuda Rainey
It's not you...it's your tools! Clear mylar strips and class II matrix systems with shapeless bands and wooden wedges, can lead to unpredictable results when the caries go sideways, unless you know how to use them WITH your prep design. This two-day hands-on course will dive deep into anterior Class III lesions, black triangle management, and predictable class II preparation design with the final restoration end in mind. We'll tackle some of the common pitfalls of what should be a routine, bread-and-butter part of a general, restorative practice. This course is for you if you're looking to elevate your confidence in tackling direct composite anterior and posterior restorations.
The hands-on portion will include the use of composite warmers, clear anatomic matrices, preparation recommendations and material selection. A variety of composites will be used with different applications to give participants a well-rounded experience with multiple materials.
Objectives:
- Learn to re-evaluate your preparation design and think beyond the box, and outside the traditional margin
- Realize the benefits of various composite materials available
- Understand how your patient demographic may play a role in materials selection
- Gain hands-on experience working with warmed composite resin, bulk flowables, and various matrices to deliver consistent results every time
BIO:
Dr. Lauren Yasuda Rainey received her degree from the University of the Pacific, Dugoni School of Dentistry in San Francisco, then completed advanced training through a general practice residency at Tufts School of Dental Medicine in Boston. In addition to caring for patients, she lectures across the US & abroad on comprehensive restorative techniques, including black triangle closure and soft tissue management to dentists and their teams. She has been on the faculty at the University of the Pacific Dugoni School of Dentistry in San Francisco and is one of a handful of Bioclear MasterTrack-certified doctors worldwide. Dr. Rainey teaches both in-person and virtual hands-on format courses, oftentimes using a surgical microscope or live video feed for enhanced visualization.
In 2016, Dr. Rainey purchased a paper chart, PPO-based practice, and fully transitioned to a digital fee-for-service boutique practice in Berkeley, California. She is active in giving back to her communities through her involvement in Women in Digital Dentistry and Mommy Dentists in Business. She currently participates in dental product testing as a clinician/educator, sits on the board of the Alumni Association at the Dugoni School of Dentistry, and is a speaker for Catapult Education's Speakers Bureau. After more than a decade of clinical practice in the Bay Area, she recently relocated to the greater Seattle area, where you'll find her outdoors looking for sunshine or indoors whipping up something with butter.