Mysteries of the Medical History

Overview and Learning Objectives

It's (Medically) Complicated

Dental professionals must frequently draw upon their knowledge of pharmacology for optimal care of today's medically complex dental patients. However, pharmacology often represents only a small portion of most dental degree programs. Armed with a relatively brief exposure to this vast subject, many dental professionals simply cannot keep up with the latest trends in disease state management.

This comprehensive program explores the dental implications of the prescription medications, non-prescription medications, herbal products, nutritional supplements and substances of abuse most frequently used by patients. Participants receive this essential information in a format which is not only practical and applicable but also highly entertaining for the entire dental team.

After completing this course, participants should be better able to do:

• Identify the prescription medications most frequently encountered on a patient's medical history and discuss their indications for use, adverse reactions and impact on dental therapy.
• Discuss the non-prescription medications most often used by dental patients and explain their impact on dental therapy, including situations which preclude their use.
• Explore the most popular herbal products and nutritional supplements and discuss their purported uses and dental considerations.
• Know the most common substances of abuse and describe their oral manifestations and dental treatment considerations.
• Discover techniques for identifying and managing self-medicating and substance-abusing patients.

‍Waiting to Inhale

The DEA considers cannabis to have no accepted medical use. Therefore, it is illegal to process. Yet, almost every state has enacted legislation aimed at legalizing or decriminalizing cannabis for medical or recreational use. Despite this rise in social and legal acceptance, public health concerns regarding the use of cannabis remain, especially among dental professionals since the major routes of administration of cannabis involves the oral cavity.

This program will introduce dental professionals to the pharmacology of cannabis, including its various dosage forms, routes of administration and adverse reactions. Special emphasis will be placed on the effects of cannabis use on oral health and dental treatment, as well as the proposed use of cannabis in dentistry for the management of patient anxiety and odontogenic pain.

After completing this course, participants should be better able to do:

• Discuss the history and various types of cannabis, as well as its current legal status and proposed uses in dentistry.
• Describe the pharmacology of cannabis, including its mechanism of action, routes of administration and available formulations.
• Identify the effects of cannabis on major organ systems.
• Explain the clinical considerations of cannabis use, including adverse reactions, drug interactions and contraindications.
• Explore the dental considerations of cannabis, including potential treatment modifications, and strategies for patient care planning.

‍Hurts So...Swell

Management of acute odontogenic pain is accomplished through a clinical approach that successfully incorporates both opioid and non-opioid analgesics. However, moderate to severe dental pain often occurs well after office hours and away from our immediate supervision. Thus, it is critical for clinicians to be able to accurately identify a patient's need for pain control, develop an individualized pain management plan and assess the efficacy of analgesic agents employed.

This program will provide strategies for effectively managing dental pain with opioid and non-opioid analgesics and analgesic adjuvants, while also mitigating associated risks. Special emphasis will be given to appropriate practices for prescribing analgesics as well as identification and treatment of opioid analgesic abuse.

After completing this course, participants should be better able to do:

• Understand the pharmacology and mechanism of action of opioid and non-opioid analgesics, as well as their potential for abuse.
• Identify the intended roles of these analgesics in the treatment of acute dental pain, as well as situations which may preclude their use.
• Discuss best practices for prescribing opioid analgesics as part of an individualized patient pain management plan.
• Describe techniques useful in recognizing and identifying potential addiction as well as avoiding potential drug diversion
• Learn current protocols for the management and treatment of opioid addiction.
• Examine guidelines for proper storage and disposal of unused dosages.