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At Implant Pathway, we’ve had the privilege of helping thousands of dentists transform not only their clinical skills, but their entire careers. Every journey is unique but some stories truly capture what makes this place special.
Dr. Brian McGue, a general dentist from Chesterton, Indiana, is one of those voices. With more than 30 years of clinical experience and six years as a mentor at Implant Pathway, Dr. McGue’s passion for education, implantology, and sedation dentistry reflects what we stand for: practical training, comprehensive care, and life-changing results—for patients and doctors.
Here’s how he found his path—and how you can find yours.
Early Insight: A Better Way to Replace Teeth
Back in the early ’90s, implants weren’t exactly mainstream. In fact, Dr. McGue jokes that the tools used at the time were closer to screwdrivers and mallets than surgical kits. But fresh out of dental school, he recognized a critical gap in restorative options—and implants offered a promising new direction.
“I just saw that patients needed more than bridges or dentures,” he told us. “Implants were new, but they made sense.”
That decision, taken early in his career, set the foundation for a path of continual growth, hands-on experience, and renewed purpose. It’s also what kept him in love with dentistry after three decades.
“I honestly don’t think I’d still be practicing—and enjoying it—if I hadn’t gotten into implants.”
Why Implant Pathway Stood Out
Dr. McGue was already an experienced sedation educator when he took his first Implant Pathway course. But what stood out wasn’t just the material—it was the mission.
“What impressed me most was how focused the program was on the student—on making sure you could take what you learned and actually implement it back in your practice,” he says. “That aligned perfectly with what I was trying to do in my own teaching.”
For Dr. McGue, it wasn’t about theories or checklists. It was about real dentistry, real patients, and the confidence to go back to your office on Monday and do the work.
That’s what we’ve built at Implant Pathway: a place where dentists don’t just learn—they do.
Treating the Whole Patient, Not Just the Tooth
One thing Dr. McGue loves most about Implant Pathway is the commitment to a comprehensive patient philosophy. It’s not just about placing implants—it’s about solving problems, restoring function, and changing lives.
“Some patients can’t chew. Some can’t smile. And many are simply ashamed of their teeth. With implantology, we have the power to give that back.”
This approach goes beyond clinical outcomes. It’s about giving people confidence, comfort, and dignity—and that’s the kind of impact that keeps us inspired every day.
The Sedation Connection: Comfort Matters
Dr. McGue’s other passion? Sedation dentistry. He’s taught thousands of cases and safely sedated over 20,000 patients in his career.
Why is sedation so essential? Simple: it changes the entire dental experience.
“Some patients need to be sedated just to get a cleaning—and that’s okay,” he says. “It’s not our job to judge them. It’s our job to take care of them.”
Sedation isn’t just about making patients comfortable. It’s about lowering their blood pressure, reducing their anxiety, decreasing the amount of anesthetic needed, and—even better—making it easier for us as clinicians to do our best work.
“We talk a lot about patient fatigue,” Dr. McGue explains. “But compassion fatigue is real, too. Sedation helps reduce that stress—for the team and the doctor.”
What Makes Our Sedation Courses Different
Let’s be honest: sedation education can be dry. Dr. McGue knew that from personal experience. So when he and his wife—who has an advanced education background—started developing sedation courses at Implant Pathway, they took a different approach.
“We wanted it to be fun, practical, and truly educational,” he explains.
From Family Feud–style review games to white elephant trivia prizes, our sedation courses combine clinical rigor with interactive, high-retention teaching formats. And our printed course manuals? Dentists love them. In a digital world, there’s still something powerful about holding a physical textbook, marking it up, and keeping it on your shelf.
We also tailor each course to your state’s regulations. Before you arrive in Gilbert, AZ, we’ve already researched your local requirements. During the course, we walk you through exactly what you can do in your state—and how to meet the requirements to do even more.
Dispelling the Fear Around Sedation
Many dentists hesitate to offer sedation because of fear: fear of medical emergencies, fear of regulation, fear of something going wrong.
Dr. McGue gets that. But he also knows the facts.
“In 20,000 sedations, I’ve never had a medical emergency or had to stop a procedure due to under-sedation,” he says. “That’s not luck. It’s because I follow the parameters—and that’s exactly what we teach.”
He also points out that moderate sedation is incredibly safe. Most of the tragic stories we hear about in dentistry involve deep sedation or anesthesia, often in uncontrolled environments.
In fact, for patients with mild hypertension or anxiety, sedation can actually be the safer option. It prevents dangerous spikes in blood pressure and creates a calmer, more stable setting for care.
Sedation Makes Dentistry Easier—and Better
There’s a myth that sedation slows you down or complicates your day. But in practice, it’s the opposite.
“When I sedate a patient, I can often complete everything they need in one visit—extractions, implants, fillings, all of it,” Dr. McGue says. “That means higher production, fewer visits, and better patient satisfaction.”
He adds that in his practice, sedation days are his team’s favorite days.
“The patients are relaxed, the appointments go smoothly, and the energy is just better. It’s a win for everyone.”
The Team Advantage: Bringing Assistants Along
At Implant Pathway, we know you can’t do it alone. That’s why we require doctors in our IV sedation course to bring two assistants with them.
Why? Because implementation is easier when your team’s on board.
“In a lot of cases, it’s actually the assistants who drive implementation once you’re back in the office,” Dr. McGue notes. “They’re the ones saying, ‘Let’s do this. We’re ready.’”
That’s why we train your whole team—so you return home with the confidence, clarity, and support to integrate what you’ve learned.
Restoring Implants: The Missing Piece in Most Courses
At Implant Pathway, we don’t stop at placement. We’re committed to teaching restorative implant dentistry, too.
Anyone who’s placed implants will tell you: the hard part isn’t the surgery—it’s the prosthetics.
“That’s what really sets Implant Pathway apart,” Dr. McGue says. “We place a lot of implants here. But we also make sure our attendees learn how to restore them properly.”
That full-scope approach creates better clinical outcomes and sets you up for long-term success in private practice.
Advice to New Dentists: Start Small, Learn Constantly
If you’re just starting out in implants, Dr. McGue offers two key pieces of advice:
- Start with the ones and twos. Get confident placing single implants before jumping into full-arch cases. Build your foundation the right way.
- Be a sponge. You’ll never know it all—and that’s okay. Stay humble. Stay curious. Keep learning.
Even after 33 years in dentistry, Dr. McGue says he’s still learning new things every month. That mindset is exactly what makes him—and our community—so successful.
A Mentor’s Mission: Pay It Forward
Dr. McGue never forgot the course that changed his life. Decades after learning implants from Dr. Jim Roush in the ’90s, he had the chance to take another course from him in 2018.
“I told him over a beer, ‘You changed my life,’” he recalls. “And I meant it.”
Now, as an instructor at Implant Pathway, he hopes to do the same for the next generation of dentists.
“I see these attendees come in—sometimes nervous, sometimes unsure. But by the end of the course, you can just see their confidence. And that’s the most rewarding part of all.”
Join Us at Implant Pathway
At Implant Pathway, we’re more than a CE provider. We’re a family of passionate doctors, mentors, and educators committed to changing lives through practical, hands-on education.
Over 2,000 dentists have trained with us. More than 40,000 implants have been placed through our programs. And every day, we help dentists discover what’s possible in their careers and their practices.
If you’re ready to take the next step—whether it’s sedation, implants, or both—we’re here to support you.
But don’t wait—our 2025 & 2026 courses are filling fast.
📍 Learn more and reserve your seat at www.implantpathway.com
📞 Or give us a call at (888) 309-2423
We can’t wait to welcome you to the Implant Pathway family.
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