Abrasion and Implications for Oral Health Rating: CE credits: 4 • Cost: $59.00 Faculty: Bridget Conway-McPherson, BA, RDH Abrasion of teeth involves an abnormal mechanical process that results in enamel, dentin and cementum being worn away over time. Susceptibility to abrasion is increased in the presence of erosion of the surface of the tooth, which results in softening of the tooth structure. Professional dental care is aimed at preventing disease and restoring oral health for patients with oral disease. The appropriate use of professional and home use oral care products is required to achieve these objectives. Careful selection of polishing techniques is required by the dental clinician to ensure optimized stain removal, polishing and preservation of surface integrity, and the oral care regimen recommended to patients for home care must also consider the risk of abrasion. Activity Details Program Format(s) Available: To view click appropriate button below

Compliance and Your Patients Rating: CE credits: 4 • Cost: $59.00 Faculty: Mahtab Partovi, DDS Despite revolutionary advances in all fields of dentistry, a critical factor in the success of any treatment program is patient compliance. A number of factors are involved in encouraging and ensuring cooperative patients, including a thorough assessment of a patient’s medical, dental, and social history and any related fears or phobias. In addition, effective communication is vital in motivating and educating patients about their dental needs. This course examines the roles all of these play in ensuring patient compliance, reviews the literature regarding oral hygiene programs, and addresses the particular compliance issues involved in specialty fields, such as orthodontics and esthetic dentistry. Activity Details Program Format(s) Available: To view click appropriate button below

Controlling the Intraoral Environment Before and After Implant Therapy Rating: CE credits: 4 • Cost: $59.00 Faculty: Fiona M. Collins, BDS, MBA, MA, Richard Nejat, DDS, Daniel Nejat, DDS Dental implants are a well-accepted treatment for the replacement of missing teeth. An estimated two million implants are placed annually, and it can be anticipated that an increasing number of implants will be placed and need to be maintained in the coming years. The intraoral environment and overall health of an individual patient influence patient selection/implant candidacy and the outcome of implant therapy. Factors affecting the intraoral environment include the patient’s heath status, medication use, level of oral hygiene, and habits such as smoking and drinking. Oral hygiene is an important determinant of implant success, as it is with the health of the natural dentition. Brushing and flossing are also critical success factors, requiring considerable patient education and motivation, and adjunctive therapy may be considered. With careful patient selection and patient commitment to oral hygiene measures, the potential for long-term success and implant health is excellent. Activity Details Program Format(s) Available: To view click appropriate button below

Effectiveness and Efficiency in Ultrasonic Scaling Rating: CE credits: 5 • Cost: $64.00 Faculty: Elizabeth Reynolds, RDH, MS Periodontal disease relies upon the presence of a mature biofilm rich in periodontopathogens, and is evident to varying degrees in the majority of U.S. adults.1 The progression of periodontal disease is highly variable and dependent largely upon the host response, with bacterial variances between individuals accounting for only 20% of cases progressing.2 Nonetheless, the removal of bacteria and their byproducts is essential to prevent and halt periodontal disease. Home care oral hygiene measures can be effective in removing supragingival biofilm when properly performed. However, once a mature subgingival biofilm has developed, or dental calculus is present, home care is ineffective and clinical care is required. In the absence of clinical intervention, periodontal disease progression in individual patients leads to soft tissue attachment loss and bone loss. Activity Details Program Format(s) Available: To view click appropriate button below

Efficiency and Effectiveness in Ultrasonic Scaling Rating: CE credits: 4 • Cost: $59.00 Faculty: Elizabeth Reynolds, RDH, MS The standard non-surgical treatment for periodontal disease is supra- and subgingival scaling to disrupt and thoroughly remove biofilm, calculus deposits, periodontal pathogens, and debris. Considerations in the choice of method include efficacy, efficiency, safety, patient comfort, and ergonomics. The latest generation of ultrasonic scalers offers the ability to thoroughly instrument deep pockets and furcation areas, and offers benefits over conventional hand scalers which include improved operator ergonomics and comfort, improved patient comfort, less tooth substance removal and more efficient and effective treatment. Activity Details Program Format(s) Available: To view click appropriate button below

Essential Elements of Oral Care: Brushing, Flossing, and Rinsing Rating: CE credits: 4 • Cost: $59.00 Faculty: Gary J. Kaplowitz, DDS, MA, MEd Gains in oral health have been considerable in the last 50 years. However, by adolescence 68% of people have tooth decay and gingivitis is also prevalent, with 50% of US adults experiencing this around a minimum of three to four teeth. Brushing and flossing are typically considered to be the basic procedures required for good oral hygiene; yet oral hygiene is generally inadequately performed. Patient compliance issues related to brushing and flossing are well documented and well recognized. Rinsing offers an opportunity to reduce plaque and gingivitis, incremental to the reductions obtained by brushing and flossing alone. Use of a chemotherapeutic mouth rinse together with brushing and flossing as a three-step program may help to reduce plaque accumulation and prevent the formation of mature plaque and the onset of disease. Activity Details Program Format(s) Available: To view click appropriate button below

Extreme Magnification: Seeing the Light Rating: CE credits: 4 • Cost: $59.00 Faculty: Glen A. Van As, BSc, DMD Upon completion of this course, the clinician will be able to do the following: Understand the evolution of the use of microscopes in dentistry, know the improvements in treatment precision obtainable using a microscope, and understand how the integration of microscopes into the dental office can improve ergonomics and documentation, as well as aid communication. Activity Details Program Format(s) Available: To view click appropriate button below

Factoring Patient Compliance into Oral Care Rating: CE credits: 4 • Cost: $59.00 Faculty: Fiona M. Collins, BDS, MBA, MA Upon completion of this course, the clinician will be able to do the following: Discuss the factors involved in patient noncompliance. List the methods that can be used to help compliance. Describe the techniques and aids that can be used to assist with patient home care compliance. Understand the factors and techniques that can help improve patient compliance with treatment. Activity Details Program Format(s) Available: To view click appropriate button below

Interdental Cleaning Rating: CE credits: 4 • Cost: $59.00 Faculty: Patty Bonasso Byrd, RDH, BS Upon completion of this course, the clinician will be able to do the following: Discuss the current status of caries, gingivitis, and periodontal disease in the United States, list the dental implications associated with inadequate/ineffective interdental plaque control, recognize the clinical signs of infrequent interdental plaque control and identify patients who are at a high risk for periodontal diseases, and recommend appropriate interdental cleaning methods and devices for specific patient needs, and explain the necessity of interdental plaque control as part of the patient’s complete self-care program. Activity Details Program Format(s) Available: To view click appropriate button below

Periodontal Maintenance After Therapy Rating: CE credits: 2 • Cost: $24.00 Faculty: William L. Balanoff, DDS, MS, FICD Periodontal disease occurs in the presence of pathogenic bacteria in a susceptible host. The overall objectives of periodontal therapy are to halt disease progression, reduce pocket depths and, ideally, obtain clinical attachment gains. Following active periodontal therapy, periodontal maintenance comprising both in-office and meticulous home care is key for long-term positive clinical outcomes. Consideration should be given to techniques and protocols that aid patient compliance, as well as to address root caries risk and prevent unwanted sequelae. Activity Details Program Format(s) Available: To view click appropriate button below

Periodontal Maintenance in Disease Prevention Rating: CE credits: 4 • Cost: $59.00 Faculty: William L. Balanoff, DDS, MS, FICD Periodontal disease occurs in the presence of pathogenic bacteria - periodontopathogens or periodontal bacteria - in a susceptible host. The overall objectives of periodontal therapy are to halt disease progression, reduce pocket depths and, ideally, obtain clinical attachment gains. Following active periodontal therapy, periodontal maintenance is key for long-term positive clinical outcomes, involving both in-office maintenance and meticulous home care. Professional care is required to remove subgingival biofilm and deposits, and to prevent periodontal disease progression. The goal of daily oral hygiene procedures for periodontal maintenance is to remove dental biofilm before it matures so as to prevent the development of gingivitis and a mature subgingival plaque. One of the main issues in periodontal maintenance is patient compliance. consideration should be given to techniques and protocols that aid compliance, and care should be taken to address each patient’s ability and willingness to perform daily oral hygiene as well as to address root caries risk and prevent unwanted sequelae. Activity Details Program Format(s) Available: To view click appropriate button below

Periodontal Treatment: The Delivery and role of Locally Applied Therapeutics Rating: CE credits: 4 • Cost: $59.00 Faculty: Fiona M. Collins, BDS, MBA, MA, Rob Veis, DDS Upon completion of this course, the clinician will be able to do the following: Understand the onset and progression of periodontal disease, understand the objectives of mechanical therapy, its limitations and the sources of these limitations, be knowledgeable concerning available systemic and locally-delivered therapeutics, their active ingredients, delivery systems and results obtained with each of them, and understand the potential advantages and disadvantages of each therapeutic option and how these should be considered when selecting the appropriate therapy for a patient. Activity Details Program Format(s) Available: To view click appropriate button below

Scaling and Root Planing: Case Acceptance and Practice Building Rating: CE credits: 4 • Cost: $59.00 Faculty: Fiona M. Collins, BDS, MBA, MA Periodontal disease and caries are two of the most common diseases known to man. Periodontal disease estimates are indicative of the large clinical need for periodontal therapy to improve oral health. Scaling and root planing is central in the treatment of periodontal disease. Nonetheless, acceptance of treatment is impacted by patient phobias and fears. This results in patients not receiving treatment that will improve their oral health status, and impacts standard and quality of care as well as practice building. Pain management is key to address the patient’s fears and/or needs. In choosing the appropriate pain management technique there are several considerations, including patient and clinician preferences, onset time, depth of anesthesia and duration. From a practice building perspective it is important to consider the time saved by appropriate pain management and by the technique used, and from a broader perspective the ability to retain and attract patients for both essential and elective procedures. Effective Pain Management Techniques contribute to a stable and growing patient base, and effective and productive treatment of these patients. Activity Details Program Format(s) Available: To view click appropriate button below

Scaling-Up Productivity with Technology Rating: CE credits: 4 • Cost: $59.00 Faculty: Charles Blair, DDS Dental offices’ clinical objectives are to provide patients with the best possible treatment that is effective and safe, and to deliver this in a patient-friendly manner. Business objectives are to maintain and increase production and productivity and to limit expenses, thereby ensuring the financial health of the office and increasing profitability. Technologies such as locally-applied noninjectable anesthetic gel and endodontic rotary nickel titanium (NiTi) files increase productivity. Both reduce chairside time and the potential number of visits, while the locally-applied noninjectable anesthetic gel also offers the opportunity to completely delegate a procedure. Technology plays a key role in the modern dental office in improving the standard of care and practice-building, improving convenience and flexibility for clinicians and patients alike. Activity Details Program Format(s) Available: To view click appropriate button below

Simplifying Scaling and Root Planing with Ultrasonics Rating: CE credits: 4 • Cost: $59.00 Faculty: Anastasia L. Turchetta, RDH, AS Scaling and root planing is performed to both disrupt and remove deposits (biofilm and calculus), bacteria and debris from the site. Traditionally, scaling and root planing was accomplished using manual instruments (curettes, chisels and hoes). Increasingly, ultrasonic scaling is becoming the standard for initial periodontal treatment and periodontal maintenance as instrumentation, patient and operator comfort improve. Ultrasonic scaling offers several advantages over hand scaling. Important considerations in the selection of an ultrasonic scaler include ergonomics, patient comfort, convenience and practice building. Recent technologies have enabled ultrasonic scaling to be highly effective as well as compatible with clinical and practice-building goals. Activity Details Program Format(s) Available: To view click appropriate button below

Soft-Tissue Maintenance During Ortho Treatment Rating: CE credits: 4 • Cost: $59.00 Faculty: Michael Florman, DDS Orthodontic treatment is widely recognized for its results. By accepting orthodontic treatment, patients usually commit to two to three years of active therapy. Increases in plaque retention in orthodontic patients lead to an increased incidence of decalcifications. Almost all fixed applicance orthodontic patients experience moderate gingivitis and, to varying degrees, oral irritations. Even with attention to oral hygiene procedures, patients are at risk. Consideration of the use of antibacterial mouthrinses may be warranted for these patients. Oral irritations cause pain and impede oral hygiene—medications in the form of pastes, gels, liquids, and rinses can help relieve pain and, depending upon the medication used, may also promote healing. Patient selection, education, a