Special Needs

Title

Why Won’t He Sit Still? ….  Because He Can’t! Understanding AD/HD.

Description

Ever wonder why some of our young patients just can’t sit still in the dental chair, or focus on what we are saying, or just brush their teeth daily like we remind them every time we see them? There may not be a simple answer to these questions if that said child has AD/HD or another comorbid disorder. AD/HD is a neurological developmental disorder caused predominately by genetic factors that results in substantial neurological, psychological, and social differences that significantly impacts a person’s ability to inhibit behavior that affects daily life. These patients require alterations to a dental office visit. Oral health care providers who treat these patients will need to be familiar with the medications used in the management of the disorder as these drugs have systemic and oral side effects.

This course will assist the oral health care provider by arming you with the tools needed to effectively treat patients with AD/HD and assist in making the appointment experiences enjoyable. Through increasing your knowledge of AD/HD diagnosis, classification, statistics and treatment options (including pharmacological agents), your confidence level in working with these patients will improve.

Educational Objectives

At the conclusion of this course, the oral health care provider will be able to:

1. Differentiate between the different types of AD/HD.

2. Understand the etiology of AD/HD based on the most current research trends.

3. Be familiar with the diagnosis and treatment recommendations for patients with AD/HD.

4. Be prepared to work effectively with AD/HD patients in the dental office.

Title

Chemical Dependency in the U.S.

Description

Chemical dependency (drugs, alcohol) is a worldwide problem and is a major public health concern in the United States. The Diagnostic and Statistics Manual (DSM)-V expanded the definitions of chemical dependency and added new disorders, such as Caffeine Use Disorder. Chemical dependency causes a multitude of physiological and neurological effects in a patient, which has the potential to alter an oral health care providers’ treatment plan. With high relapse rates in this population, l providers will likely encounter those in active treatment as well as long-term management. This course will explore chemical dependency in America and focus on its etiology, diagnosis, treatment, and dental considerations.

Educational Objectives

At the conclusion of this course, the oral health care provider will be able to:

1. Define and identify a chemical dependency.

2. Recognize the sign and symptoms of chemical dependency.

3. Be familiar with the etiology of chemical dependency.

4. Understand the diagnosis and treatment modalities for patients with chemical dependency.

5. Safely render dental treatment to patients with a chemical dependency problem.

Title

The Ultimate Dental Practitioner’s Guide to Adult Patient Fear, Anxiety, & Phobia in the Dental Office.

Description

The American Dental Association reports 22% of adult Americans avoid the dentist due to fear and anxiety which equates to 1:5. Fifty-nine percent of Americans cite cost as the top reason they do not visit the dentist more frequently. Patient anxiety etiologically can be psychological, financial, physical, or a combination of these. The anxious patient presents with significant challenges to rendering care in the dental environment. This course takes a practical approach in the dental management of fearful, anxious, and/or phobic patients that can be incorporated even into the busiest of offices. Multimodal evidence-based non-pharmacological and pharmacological approaches to anxiety management are summarized to assist the dental practitioner in successfully treating these patients and improving their oral health and overall quality of life.

Educational Objectives

At the conclusion of this course, the oral health care provider will be able to:

1. Incorporate an anxiety management plan that best fits their patient population.

2. Identify dentally fearful, anxious, or phobic patients and apply correct management techniques.

3. Provide more pleasant and relaxed appointments to improve both the patient and provider experience.

Title

Stop the violence…Exploring domestic violence.

Description

One in four women and one in ten men will experience sexual violence, physical violence, and/or stalking in their lifetime. Research has shown that improved identification and response to domestic violence by healthcare professionals saves lives. Dental practitioners need to join the medical profession on the front lines of screening and intervening in the fight against this dangerous public health crisis. Domestic violence occurs across all socio-economic, educational, racial, and ethnic groups. This course will define domestic violence, discuss its long-term consequences, offer guidance for oral health professionals to assist patients and provide tools to overcome barriers to intervention.

Educational Objectives

At the conclusion of this course, the oral health care provider will be able to:

1. Differentiate the various forms of domestic violence and understand long-term health sequela.

2. Identify the signs of domestic violence and recommend appropriate interventions.

3. Apply the RADAR program in patient management and care plans.

Title

Confessions from a Dental Hygiene Ballerina. Treating Patients with Eating Disorders.

Description

Eating Disorders (EDs) are a growing public health problem with worldwide prevalence. The etiology of EDs is multifactorial with genetic, biological, environmental, psychological, and sociocultural influences. The societal pressures for girls to be thin and boys to “bulk-up” in the United States influences our youth’s perceptions of body image. This course will explore eating disorders from a perspective you have never heard before as it is taught by a dental hygiene educator as well as a former professional ballerina with a personal touch to eating disorders. This course discusses anorexia nervosa, bulimia, and over-eating/binge-eating from a clinical and personal perspective. Through attending this course, the oral health care provider will become better armed with the right tools to provide early intervention and resources for patients who are suffering from eating disorders.

Educational Objectives

At the conclusion of this course, the oral health care provider will be able to:

1. Define eating disorders based on the DSM-5: anorexia nervosa, bulimia, over-eating/binge-eating.

2. Recognize current statistics associated with each disorder, including worldwide epidemic obesity rates.

3. Identify risk factors, diagnosis, treatment, prognosis, and prevention of eating disorders.

4. Identify dental treatment considerations for those with an eating disorder.

Title

40 Years After the Discovery of HIV….Where are we now?

Description

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a global epidemic as described by the World Health Organization and causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Globally 37.9 million people are infected with 1.2 million cases in the United States.(1) While there are antiretroviral medications that can reduce viral activity and severity of infection, there is no vaccine or drug that can cure or eliminate HIV. Dental practitioners are in an ideal position to identify and improve quality of life for patients living with HIV as over 50% will suffer with oral diseases. This course will present HIV structure, transmission, drug therapy and clinical manifestations to assist healthcare providers on appropriate interventions and recommendations.

Educational Objectives

At the conclusion of this course, the oral health care provider will be able to:

1. Relate HIV infection to individual patient risk and disease indicators.

2. Understand HIV structure and behavior in the human body and relate that to subsequent disease progression and drug therapy interventions.

3. Identify systemic and oral clinical manifestations associated with HIV/AIDS and offer patient counseling to improve quality of life.

Title

Puff, Not the magic Dragon…The Cost of America’s Tobacco Use.

Description

With the changing and turbulent political climate in America as it relates to the legalization of marijuana and the influx of newer tobacco products to the market, health care professionals are facing new challenges in educating and working effectively with patients to promote healthy lifestyles. Staying current with these changes and understanding the consequences these new products bring to total body health and wellness can be a daunting task for busy professionals.

This course will present current statistics of tobacco and marijuana use, discuss tobacco’s effect on the human body and relate nicotine pharmacology to tobacco cessation. The chemical composition of cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, electronic-cigarettes, Snus, Hookah, and marijuana will be presented. This course has a unique approach to discussing all these topics from both a dental and medical perspective by being written and published as a peer-reviewed continuing education course by an RN and an RDH.

Educational Objectives

At the conclusion of this course, the oral health care provider will be able to:

1. List current national statistical trends as it relates to tobacco and marijuana use.

2. Discuss the adverse effects tobacco chemical agents have on a patient’s general health and well-being.

3. Identify patients at higher risk for tobacco abuse and why relapse rates are high.

4. Understand the different forms of tobacco products currently on the market in the United States and their components.

5. Present FDA approved tobacco cessation programs and products.