Pharmacology: Dental Pain Management

I Haven’t Got Time For This Pain!: Dental Pain Management for the Entire Team (MATE Act)

Description

Management of acute odontogenic pain is accomplished through a clinical approach that successfully incorporates intraoperative local anesthesia and a postoperative regimen of non-opioid and opioid analgesics. However, improper and inappropriate use of both local anesthetic agents and analgesics have the potential to produce adverse outcomes for our patients. Thus, it is critical for clinicians to accurately evaluate the need for pain control, identify associated risks, and assess the efficacy of the agents to be administered. This program will provide participants with a comprehensive understanding of the pharmacology and therapeutics of local anesthetic agents and analgesics. Special emphasis will be given to effective perioperative pain management and best practices for prescribing analgesics for postoperative pain control.

Objectives

Upon successful completion of this program, participants will be able to:

• Discuss local anesthetic agents with respect to their mechanisms of action, adverse effects, contraindications and clinical considerations.
• Differentiate between the two major classes of local anesthetic agents with respect to their distribution, metabolism, adverse effects, drug interactions and contraindications.
• Specify the various local anesthetic agent combinations most commonly used in dentistry and the rationale for their use in specific clinical situations.
• Explain the rationale for the use of vasoconstrictors and potential adverse effects.
• Describe the pharmacology and mechanism of action of analgesics used in the management of acute dental pain, including situations which may preclude their use.
• Examine the intended role of opioid and non-opioid analgesics in the treatment of acute dental pain, as well as situations which may preclude their use.
• Discover best practices for prescribing analgesics, as well as proper storage and disposal of unused dosages.
• Identify techniques useful in recognizing and identifying potential opioid addiction and current protocols for its treatment.

Speaker

Tom Viola

With over 30 years’ experience as a board-certified pharmacist, clinical educator, professional speaker and published author, Tom Viola, R.Ph., C.C.P. has earned his national and international reputation as the go-to specialist for making pharmacology practical and useful for all members of the dental team.

As the founder of Pharmacology Declassified, Tom provides valuable insight on the complex interplay between pharmacology and physiology so that clinicians may be knowledgeable about not only the dental considerations of medications used to treat systemic illness but also the systemic considerations of medications used to provide dental treatment. As an educator, Tom is a member of the faculty of over 10 dental professional degree programs and has received several awards for outstanding teacher of the year. As an author, Tom is well known for his contributions to several professional journals, has served as a contributor, chapter author and peer reviewer for several pharmacology textbooks and currently serves as a consultant to the American Dental Association’s Council on Scientific Affairs. As a speaker, Tom has presented over 1000 informative, humorous and engaging continuing education seminars and webinars to dental professionals internationally since 2001.

Thomas Viola “I declare that neither I nor any member of my family has a financial arrangement or affiliation with any corporate organization offering financial support or grant monies for this continuing dental education program greater than $999, nor do I have a financial interest greater than $1,000 in any commercial product(s) I will discuss in the presentation.”

Registration Information

Cancellation policy effective January 1, 2019