American Dental Association on-demand webinar
This presentation was recorded on June 17, 2022

Course Overview
Many older people have a variety of systemic diseases that have an impact on their oral health care. Analgesic medications may be part of a patient’s comprehensive treatment plan for relieving pain after third molar extractions, for example.
Pain management in older, medically complex patients requires special considerations. As physiologic, cognitive, and social factors change, so does the approach to patient centered management of oral healthcare. Dentists prescribing opioids for pain management has evolved but increased awareness to identify misuse, specifically by older adults is needed.

Learning Objectives
• Describe special considerations for treating older adults, assessing their pain and interpreting their health status
• Review risk factors for opioid toxicity in older adults
• Summarize opioid misuse in older adult population