Summary:

Where: 
San Francisco Airport Marriott Waterfront
1800 Old Bayshore Hwy
Burlingame, CA 94010

Speaker: Dr. John Chao

Tuition: Delta Dental members welcome 
AGD members: $450.00
Non-AGD members: $900.00

CE: 6 (participation)
AGD Subject Code: 490 (perio)

Course Description:

This course introduces the Pinhole Surgical Technique® (PST), a minimally invasive alternative to traditional grafting for treating gingival recession. PST avoids scalpels and sutures, instead using specialized instruments to reposition gingival tissue through small entry points. The session will examine the etiology and clinical impact of recession and present PST as an evidence-based solution.

Participants will review evidence-based research, including a 14.5-year retrospective case series showing 86.6% mean root coverage, a randomized split-mouth clinical trial study, and a 35-month case study combining PST with Surgical Crown Shortening (SCS) for Class III defects. These studies demonstrate PST’s long-term predictability, clinical effectiveness, and patient satisfaction.

Course Objectives:

• Describe the biological principles and procedural steps of PST for managing gingival recession.
• Evaluate outcomes from long-term and comparative studies to assess the predictability of PST versus traditional techniques.
• Identify appropriate clinical indications for PST, including advanced cases requiring referral or combination therapies.

Speaker Bio:

Dr. John Chao is the inventor of the Pinhole® Surgical Technique for treatment of gum recession. His involvement with the Post-Graduate Periodontics Program at the University of Buffalo, SUNY, speaks to the depth of his knowledge and experience in the scientific investigation of gum disease.

Refund and Cancelation Policy:

• Registrations are subject to a $75 non-refundable processing fee.
• Cancellations made by email prior to 8/15/25 will receive a refund less the $75 processing fee.
• Cancellations made after 8/15/25 are completely non-refundable.
• Transfer of a registration to another name will be considered by email request through 8/15/25.

Registration: