A Functional Approach to Disability and Oral Health – Transforming Theory into Practice
An ACDE Series Webinar

Course Description:

The 2017 Canadian Survey on Disability reported that 6.2 million Canadians lived with disability, with estimates that this figure will only rise in the coming decade. Most of these individuals do not require dental care in a hospital setting and can be seen in most dental practices. The functional model of disability gives primacy to the ability of the individual to function and considers the pathologies associated with the disability in terms of how they limit function. This approach is codified in the World Health Organization’s International Classification of Function (WHO-ICF).

While most individuals with disabilities have traditionally been treated  by Pediatric dentists,  it  is important for these individuals to have a regular dental home, even as they transition into adulthood. The Canadian Dental Association along with the Canadian Society for Disability and Oral Health have used    the functional model of disability to develop a Case Complexity Tool and a Transition tool to help    clinicians integrate special care dentistry into their practices. This course aims to familiarize participants with the concept of the WHO-ICF and how these classifications can be used to objectively assess case- complexity and pro.vision of dental care outside a hospital setting.

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of this course, participants will be able to:

  1. Use the WHO-ICF tool to assess the functional complexity of a patient with Special Healthcare Needs
  2. Utilize different tools and resources to triage patients requiring hospital-based dentistry.
  3. Identify those aspects of continuing dental care that can be provided within conventional practice settings
  4. Create a transition pathway for adolescents with special healthcare needs as they move away from their pediatric dentists

Meet the Speaker: Dr. Sharat Pani

Dr. Sharat Pani is an Assistant Professor of Pediatric Dentistry at the Schulich   School of Medicine and Dentistry. He has over 50 peer reviewed publications in the field of clinical pediatric dentistry and special care dentistry. He has published  and  presented  extensively on  the use of functional approaches and their impact on special care dentistry. He is a director of the International Association of Disability and Oral Health and  is  also the chair  of  the scientific committee of the Canadian Society for Disability and Oral Health. He was recently conferred with the fellowship of the International Association for Disability and Oral Health.

Meet the Speaker: Dr. Clive Friedman

Dr. Clive Friedman graduated University of Witwatersrand 1976 – received his Pediatric training New Orleans 1979-1981. Has Been on faculty either full time or part time at   Western since then. He has been involved with  Dentistry for Persons with  Special  Needs since 1981. He is a former President of the International Association for Disability and Oral Health (iADH), ADH and is now a Board Member of the Canadian Society for Disability and Oral Health CSDH. Continues to serve as a consultant and member of various committees in all these organizations. He recently received fellowship in the iADH. He has been a member of the ICC (International Clinical Council for FOP) and recently updated the oral health section of the guidelines. He currently chairs  the Ethics committee of the ICC. Clive still practices clinical dentistry continues to lecture, teach and mentor in many different arenas.

Registration Information

  • Zoom Webinar
  • Lecture
  • 1.5 Credit Hours
  • Tuition: $59

Hosting University

  • Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University
  • CE contact name & email: Adheesha Ratnayake, cde@schulich.uwo.ca
  • Speaker name & contact info: Dr. Sharat Pani and Dr. Clive Friedman, sharat.pani@schulich.uwo.ca

WEBINAR CANCELLATION POLICY: Full refunds will be issued to registrants who cancel their registration no later than 48 hours before the course starting date/time. A 50% refund will be issued to registrants who cancel 48-24 hours before the course starting date/time. No refunds will be issued for registrants who does not login to the webinar or who cancels within 24 hours of the course starting date/time. Participants may phone the Continuing Education office to cancel, but a written request which includes the name and phone number of the person who paid for the course must be received by our office before a refund can be processed. This request can be emailed to ce@dental.ufl.edu.