Nearly every week the mainstream media has articles which discuss the connection between oral health and overall health. Patients and dentists alike are confused about what is fact and what is speculation. A review of evidence based methodology and how to critically evaluate the literature will be discussed. This course will present the latest evidence supported by credible scientific studies to help dentists understand how oral health impacts general health and how systemic medical conditions impact oral health. An emphasis will be placed on how to integrate this information into your practice and communicate the importance of oral health to overall health with patients. An overview of the interrelationship between periodontal disease and COVID-19, diabetes, cardiovascular health, stroke, cancer, pregnancy, respiratory diseases, rheumatoid arthritis, and Alzheimer’s disease will be discussed.

When faced with fractured or broken down teeth or dentition, often the choices are limited to crowns or extraction and replacement with implants, fixed bridges or removable partial dentures. Limited finances, an aging population and the improvement of direct esthetic bonded composite expand treatment options. During this course, you will learn how to do routine Class 2 posterior composites, direct composite veneers, post and cores with the core serving as a direct interim crown, direct bonded bridges, and salvaging severely fractured teeth with composite. Complex onlays can often replace crowns when a patient fractures one or more cusps. These techniques will help you solve challenges which you will encounter on a daily basis in your clinical practice. Clinical cases will demonstrate the versatility of well-done composite restorations, giving the esthetics and durability of porcelain with the advantage of simple repair and lower cost.

Whether restoring a single missing tooth, a quadrant or an entire arch treatment planning and restoring edentulous spaces with implants can be a challenge. A review of clinical cases from impression to delivery will be covered. Predictable ways to control tissue, simplify provisonalization, take impressions and deliver abutments and crowns will be delivered. Excellent esthetics and function can be obtained in most cases with 2 / 30-60 minute appointments and be fun and profitable.

This course will cover the types and physiology of pain as well as the goals of pain management.   Dentistry’s role in the opioid crisis will be explained and efforts to minimize opioid use for acute dental pain management by using acetaminophen, NSAIDs, corticosteroids, diphenhydramine, long-acting local anesthetics, ice/heat and muscle relaxants will be covered.  The most recent ADA clinical practice guidelines and scientific research related to acute dental pain management is explained. When opioids are necessary for pain control a review of morphine milligram equivalents to guide responsible prescribing will be covered and the use of antibiotics for managing toothaches is detailed.  Sample prescriptions and patient instruction will be provided.