Evidence shows an association between oral disease and systemic vascular disease. Physicians need our dental colleagues’ help if we strive to optimally reduce our patients’ risk of suffering a heart attack or stroke. This four-part series will give dental professionals an understanding of the pathology of cardiovascular disease and describe how you can intervene to reduce risk in your personal life and your patients’ lives. Incorporating a cardiovascular health program in your practice will elevate your credibility as a true health professional, improve your ability to cure dental disease, and drive the much-needed collaboration between physicians and dentists. Part 1 of the series describes the epidemiology of cardiovascular disease and the anatomy, physiology, and pathology of plaque formation. You will also learn the best ways to detect disease at its earliest, most treatable stage.

 Evidence shows an association between oral disease and systemic vascular disease. Physicians need our dental colleagues’ help if we strive to optimally reduce our patients’ risk of suffering a heart attack or stroke. This four-part series will give dental professionals an understanding of the pathology of cardiovascular disease and describe how you can intervene to reduce risk in your personal life and your patients’ lives. Incorporating a cardiovascular health program in your practice will elevate your credibility as a true health professional, improve your ability to cure dental disease, and drive the much-needed collaboration between physicians and dentists. Part 3 of the series describes the many root causes of vascular disease. Root causes often make it difficult to optimally treat the direct causes previously described. They drive disease progression and events despite adequately controlled cholesterol, blood pressure, and diabetes.

 Dentists are obligated to document and report suspected cases of abuse in all states, and dental hygienists are similarly obligated in some, but not all, states. The obligation is not to prove abuse or neglect, just to report what is suspected. Each state has different regulations on mandatory reporting for healthcare and other professionals, as well as specific reporting requirements for private citizens. It is essential that dental professionals know the potential signs and symptoms of the various types of abuse, are able to identify these, and understand the mandatory requirements for reporting in the state(s) in which they live and practice. It is by identifying, documenting and reporting abuse that victims can be protected and perpetrators prevented from continuing abusive practices and patterns.

This review analyzes the current reports and publications involving the performance and clinical effectiveness of local anesthetics (efficacy) and the rare occurrence of post-operative prolonged numbness or tissue hypersensitivity (paresthesia, dysesthesia). No particular local anesthetic is scientifically singled out as causing this effect. Historically, scientific data on superior performance of one local anesthetic compared to another was lacking. One recently published report, however, showed the statistically significant and superior effectiveness of articaine in obtaining anesthesia of first permanent molars by infiltration when compared to lidocaine. The paresthesia debate regarding the potential of a 4% local anesthetic solution to be allegedly more neurotoxic than other currently administered local anesthetic solutions of lesser concentrations is examined. There is a lack of conclusive and experimentally reproducible evidence, of the cause and effect of specific local anesthetics to chemically result in post-operative sequelae such as paresthesia. An examination of the potential causative factors associated with paresthesia suggests mechanical and/or neurotoxic phenomena. Further evidence and scientific study are required to conclusively determine the significant role, or lack thereof, of each factor.

Dental professionals are likely to encounter patients with autism on a regular basis. Understanding the factors in the dental office that can influence the behavior and cooperation of patients with autism and the best approach to take with these patients will help the dental professional be able to successfully treat patients with autism.

Medical emergencies can and do occur, not only in your dental office but any place and at any time. The entire staff and designated in-office emergency team must be trained, and emergency equipment and drugs must be available and current. The best way to handle an emergency is to start by being prepared.

More than 120 syndromes are associated with oligodontia, including ectodermal dysplasia. The signs and symptoms of ectodermal dysplasia include sparse hair; dry skin; few, malformed teeth; deficient sweat glands and dystrophic fingernails. Ectodermal dysplasia is most commonly the hypohidrotic X-linked version, affecting 80% of sufferers and the syndrome is carried by females. Knowing the signs and symptoms of ectodermal dysplasia may assist dentists and dental hygienists in identifying patients with the disease and possibly potential carriers.

This course describes the impact dental professionals have beyond the oral cavity through a discussion of novel concepts of periodontal disease. Topics covered include: bacterial invasion of the gingiva, gingivitis details, oral-systemic connections, risk factors, periodontal maintenance, total inflammatory burden, and providing individualized periodontal care through bacterial DNA testing.

Program Format Note: This program is offered in both a Text based format (PDF) and an Audio Video Webinar format (Interactive).

Parafunctional activities associated with the stomatagnathic system include lip and cheek chewing, fingernail biting, and teeth clenching. Bruxism can be classified as awake or sleep bruxism. Patients with sleep bruxism are three to four times more likely to experience jaw pain and limitation of movement than people who do not experience sleep bruxism. Signs and symptoms of bruxism and parafunctional activity include hypertrophied masseter and temporalis muscles, myocitis of these same muscles, morning jaw stiffness, and sensitivity in a tooth or teeth. Additionally, migraine is associated with parafunctional activity. Dental professionals are responsible for diagnosing and managing parafunction. Patients can be managed with oral appliances of various designs.

The most frequently administered drugs in dentistry are local anesthetics. These provide relief from pain during procedures, leaving inconvenient residual numbness that takes some time to wear off following completion of dental procedures. Recently, a new drug has been approved for acceleration of the reversal of soft-tissue local anesthesia in patients age 6 and older. This new drug adds a new dimension to the pain management armamentarium of dentists.

It is now recognized that symptoms of heart disease in women may be different than those experienced by men. All too often, women ignore these symptoms. This discussion will lend itself to the recognition of these symptoms, risk factors, as well as preventive and treatment modalities for heart disease in women. Tips for maintaining good heart health over the course of a lifetime will be presented.

Program Format Note: This program is offered in both a Text based format (PDF) and an Audio Video Webinar format (Interactive).

Special Bundle Offer:
Buy "The Number One Killer of Women: Heart Disease" and receive a 20% Discount on your choice of any 2 currently available ineedce 2 credit hour courses.

All 3 Courses must be purchased at the same time.
To recieve discount enter Promotion Code: 2BUNDLE2013  Offer Expires 12/31/2013

Tobacco use continues to have a personal impact on individuals as well as having a public health impact. Tobacco use results in systemic conditions that include cardiovascular disease, lung disease, and numerous types of cancer, and is the single largest cause of death in the United States. With respect to oral health, it is associated with an increased risk of oral cancer and other mucosal lesions, periodontal disease, impaired healing, and caries. In addition, exposure to environmental smoke (secondhand smoke) is associated with oral and systemic diseases that include caries, cardiovascular and lung disease, and periodontal disease. Educating and advising patients on tobacco cessation, and referring them or implementing a program, helps patients stop using tobacco and improve their health.

Patient adherence dramatically impacts the prevention of dental diseases, as well as the long-term success of therapeutic, restorative and cosmetic procedures. How do you motivate your patients to prevent disease or improve their oral health?

Research shows that true motivation comes from within. This course will detail strategies for communicating effectively with patients by embracing key concepts of the Motivational Interviewing (MI) philosophy. MI has been shown to be effective in counseling and is now being utilized successfully in healthcare and dentistry.

Program Format Note: This program is offered in both a Text based format (PDF) and an Audio Video Webinar format (Interactive).

Special Bundle Offer:
Buy "Women's Oral Health Issues" and receive a 20% Discount on your choice of any 2 currently available ineedce 2 credit hour courses.

All 3 Courses must be purchased at the same time.
To recieve discount enter Promotion Code: 9BUNDLE2012
Offer Expires 6/1/2013