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, non-prescription 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

• 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.

Presenter: Thomas A. Viola, R.Ph., C.C.P.

NEWCE23