Cannabinoids and the Dental Patient: What do I need to know about cannabinoids that I didn’t (formally) learn about in school?
An ACDE Series Webinar

Course Description:

Have you ever had to face the prospect of treating a medically-complex patient? Have you ever had a patient needing treatment for a dental emergency who has more than one underlying chronic disease? What about your patients of record who are on more than five medications? Now what if these same patients are also experimenting with cannabinoids? How does the use of marijuana change your treatment plan?

Drug abuse remains a major problem in our society. Marijuana is the most commonly used federally illegal drug in the United States with 48.2 million people, or about 18% of Americans, having used it at least once in 2019. Recent research estimated that approximately 3 in 10 people who use marijuana have marijuana use disorder. For people who begin using marijuana before age 18, the risk of developing marijuana use disorder is even greater.

Providing dental care to anxious, fearful and medically-complex patients continues to be a major challenge facing dentists. Now more than ever, dental professionals are faced with the additional challenge of treating these patients’ oral health needs in the face of recently deregulated cannabinoids and potential illicit drug use such that the simple approach to, “drilling and filling” has just been cranked up a few more notches.

If substance abuse and dependence affects one in ten North Americans, this means one in ten of your patients. This interactive program looks at some of these most challenging patients, their most common negative sequelae due to cannabinoid use and the management of these patients with a particular focus on the dental realm. Case studies will augment the delivery of key points and a problem-based learning approach is encouraged so that each participant’s questions are addressed. Most importantly, you will learn directly applicable strategies to successfully treat these medically-complex patients on Monday morning. After all, our goal is to make sure all dental appointments are not just successful for your patient, but also for you and your staff.

Learning Objectives:

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

1. Identify the four main challenges of medically complex dental patients.
2. Explain the concept of risk and how to select and de-select appropriate patients.
3. Describe the risk factors to consider when treating patients who use cannabinoids.
4. Recognize some of the oral signs of cannabinoid use and how to better manage these patients.
5. Learn how to help make all of your appointments successful for you, your Team and your patients.

Meet the Speaker: Dr. Mark Donaldson

Dr. Donaldson received his baccalaureate degree from the University of British Columbia and his Doctorate in Clinical Pharmacy from the University of Washington. He completed a residency at Vancouver General Hospital, and has practiced as a clinical pharmacy specialist, clinical coordinator and director of pharmacy services at many healthcare organizations in both Canada and the United States. He is currently Associate Principal of Clinical Pharmacy for Vizient’s Advisory Solutions, and lives in Whitefish, Montana.

Dr. Donaldson is a Clinical Professor in the Department of Pharmacy at the University of Montana, Clinical Associate Professor in the School of Dentistry at the OHSU, and affiliate faculty in Dentistry at UBC. He has lectured internationally to both dental and medical practitioners and has spent the last 28 years focusing on dental pharmacology and dental therapeutics, and is a leader in the field.

Dr. Donaldson has published numerous peer-reviewed works and textbook chapters. He serves on the Editorial Board for the Journal of the American Dental Association, and is a reviewer for over ten other different journals. He is board certified in healthcare management and is the Past-President and Regent of the American College of Healthcare Executives’ Montana Chapter. Dr. Donaldson is the 2016 recipient of the AGD’s Dr. Thaddeus V. Weclew Award and in 2019 he was conferred by the Canadian Dental Association (CDA) with the, “Special Friend of Canadian Dentistry Award.” This award is given to an individual outside of the dental profession in appreciation for exemplary support or service to the profession as a whole.

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.