John A. Sorensen, DMD, PhD   Prosthodontist 

Dr. Sorensen has given over 100 invited lectures in 29 countries, presented numerous one-day CE courses, hands-on courses on ceramic veneers, all-ceramic crowns & bridges, zirconia ceramics, direct composites, and implant restorations, as well as patient treatment study clubs both nationally and internationally. 

 
Dr. Sorensen has been actively involved with implants in private practice, research and education with graduate students since 1984.  Approximately 50% of Sorensen's practice limited to prosthodontics is implant supported. He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Prosthodontics. Sorensen co-invented the ITI implant Octabutment, consults with several implant companies and has been principal investigator on several clinical trials of implant systems and ceramic abutments.

Dennis Perala, DMD, MS  Periodontist, Implant Surgeon

Dr. Perala is a native Oregonian and graduated from the University of Oregon.  He completed his DMD at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, Boston, MA. Returning home to Oregon Health Sciences University, he attained a specialty certificate in Periodontology.  

 
With 18 years of clinical experience in both surgical placement and restoration of thousands of dental implants, Dr. Perala is uniquely qualified to share his wealth of "real life" expertise with his students. Following PDI's mantra of "prosthetically driven implant placement" he can impart a greater understanding of implantology.  Dr. Perala has a rare combination of qualifications and extensive restorative knowledge and problem solving with dental implants. He is an active member of Academy of Osseointegration, International Congress of Oral Implantologists, ADA, and American Academy of Periodontology. He maintains a practice limited to periodontics and dental implants in Vancouver, WA and collaborates with Dr. Sorensen as a faculty surgeon at PDI and Pacific Implant Center.

 
Dr. Perala has been a Clinical Instructor of IV Concious Sedation for 5 years as an adjunct program for UCLA.  He has lectured nationally and internationally on the topics of periodontics and dental implantology. He directed a dental implant study club at OHSU and the Dental Hygiene program.  He has published numerous articles on dental implants and presented at many IADR programs.  He was granted numerous research fellowships in dental implantology, immunology and material sciences.