Location: Distillery 244 at 244 N. Mosley
Time: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Lunch option and snacks provided for attendees on all courses.
Tom Viola, R.Ph., C.C.P.
Pharmacology Declassified
Total CEs: 6 credit hours
About Dr. 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. Tom has presented over 1000 informative, humorous and engaging continuing education seminars and webinars to dental professionals internationally since 2001.
Pharmacology Declassified
AM: Essential Pharmacology for Treating Medically Complex Dental Patients
Dental professionals must frequently draw upon their knowledge of pharmacology for optimal care of today’s medically complex dental patients. However, armed with relatively brief exposure to such a vast subject during formal education and faced with ever-changing medication therapy guidelines, many dental professionals simply cannot keep up with the latest trends in disease state management.
This program will provide an overview of the dental implications of the prescription medications, nonprescription medications, herbal products, nutritional supplements and substances of abuse most frequently used by patients. Special emphasis will be given to delivering this essential information in a format which makes it practical and useful for all members of the dental team.
Learning Objectives
Upon successful completion of this program, participants will be able to:
- Identify the prescription medications most frequently encountered on a patient’s medical history and discuss their indications for use, adverse reactions and impact on dental therapy.
- Discuss the non-prescription medications most often used by dental patients and explain their impact on dental therapy, including situations which preclude their use.
- Identify the most popular herbal products and nutritional supplements and discuss their purported uses and dental considerations.
- Identify the most common substances of abuse and describe their oral manifestations and dental treatment considerations.
PM: Waiting to Inhale? Will Cannabis Challenge the Dental Professions as Tobacco Has in the Past?
According to the DEA, cannabis is considered to have no accepted medical use and, thus, it is illegal to possess. Yet, almost every state has enacted legislation aimed at legalizing or decriminalizing cannabis for medical or recreational use. Despite this rise in social and legal acceptance, public health concerns regarding the use of cannabis remain, especially among dental professionals, since the major routes of administration of cannabis involve the oral cavity.
This program will introduce dental professionals to the pharmacology of cannabis, including its various dosage forms, routes of administration and adverse effects. Special emphasis will be placed on the effects of cannabis use on oral health and dental treatment, as well as the proposed use of cannabis in dentistry for the management of patient anxiety and odontogenic pain.
Learning Objectives
Upon successful completion of this program, participants will be able to:
- Discuss the history and various types of cannabis, as well as its current legal status and proposed uses in dentistry.
- Describe the pharmacology of cannabis, including its mechanism of action, routes of administration and available formulations.
- Identify the effects of cannabis on major organ systems.
- Explain the clinical considerations of cannabis use, including adverse reactions, drug interactions and contraindications.
- Explore the dental considerations of cannabis, including potential treatment modifications, and strategies for patient care planning.