Case study: How CandidPro is helping this dental residency program teach orthodontics

Clear aligner orthodontics have become an expected part of general dental practices, but dental education programs don’t often include the hands-on experience clinicians need to confidently offer aligners to their patients.

In 2025, CandidPro Account Executive, Christa Skinner connected with Dr. Timothy Huff, Site Director of Idaho State University’s Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) program, to pilot the CandidPro clear aligner system in an educational setting.

Since integrating our system into his program, Dr. Huff believes CandidPro is the ideal solution for helping get his residents up to speed with clear aligner therapy.

Expanding the dentist’s toolkit

Dr. Huff’s program provides dentists with one year of hands-on experience with advanced procedures. He says they come to his program primarily to learn implants and surgery rather than orthodontics, tracing that sentiment back to dental school.​

“In my experience, dental schools give you just enough orthodontic knowledge to help you refer to somebody else,” he says. “It leaves new graduates feeling like it’s above their standard of care.”

Bridging the confidence gap

Since many new dentists feel like clear aligners are out of purview, they lack the confidence to get started.​

Dr. Huff’s program uses CandidPro to directly address this gap, building residents’ confidence and skills through working with our CandidPro Orthodontists.

"It gives them a little bit of reassurance that we're not flying by the seat of our pants," he says. “Knowing that they can jump on a phone call with an orthodontist who has looked at the case and can explain the philosophy behind movements is fantastic.”​

Solving the residency logistics puzzle

The logistical realities of a one-year residency make it difficult to maintain continuity of care for longer orthodontic cases. Traditionally, a resident starting a case might graduate before a case finishes, creating a handoff problem.​

CandidPro solves this issue as well.

"The beauty of having this platform and being able to go onto the database and look at the progress from when the patient started is pretty cool for a new resident taking over," Dr. Huff notes. “It’s a fantastic benefit for our residents and helps improve care for our patients.”

Dr. Huff also appreciates that CandidPro integrates AI-powered remote monitoring into our system to help residents get acclimated to the latest technology.

“We use other aligner systems here, too. We even do some aligner printing. CandidPro’s ProMonitoring technology really makes it stand out,” he says. “Residents get a ton of valuable information every time a patient scans, and it helps our patients cut down on travel costs too.”

Good for patients and good for business

Though Dr. Huff’s primary goal for his residents is to prepare them for day-to-day complex dentistry, he also emphasizes how procedures translate into profitability.

“I also work with Fortune Practice Management as a coach,” says Dr. Huff. “I see business acumen as a vital skill for our residents here. Clear aligners can be an easy value add for practices, and can help deliver reliable revenue.”

Here too, he sees CandidPro as a great choice for dentists who are just starting their careers as associates or owners.

“There’s no major upfront costs, and it’s compatible with any scanner,” he says. “It was easy to get up and running in the program, and it’d be just as simple and cost-effective in any practice.”

Most importantly, Dr. Huff sees clear aligner therapy as a service patients expect their dentist to offer..

“Patients want it, and they don’t want to go anywhere else,” he says. “I think it should be part of your repertoire of services.”

CandidPro in the classroom

In just a few months, CandidPro has become more than just another clear aligner option for Idaho State University’s AEGD program. In Dr. Huff’s residency program, CandidPro serves as an educational scaffold, building confidence, ensuring continuity, and supporting the future success of his residents.

​By showing residents that predictable, clear aligner outcomes are achievable, CandidPro is helping train the next generation of dentists.

​Special thanks to Dr. Huff for taking the time to share his story with us.

‍