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Presented by Thomas A. Viola
B.S., R.Ph., C.C.P.

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Registration ends in 2 months

$295 Dentists

$195 Hygienists / Auxiliary

$165 Staff with Dentist

Refund Policy

Special Needs or Requests? Please Call the office for assistance.

Course Description

Anesthesia, Basic Science, Opioid Prescribing, Pain Management, Pharmacology

Mysteries Behind the Medical Histories!
What potential complications lurk behind the patient’s medical history that may impact dental therapy, alter treatment plans and perhaps even result in medical emergencies? Armed only with a summary of past and current disease states and a list of current medications, will you be able to decipher the clues, solve the mystery and employ innovative treatment strategies to save the day?

This program will provide an overview of the dental implications of the medications, supplements and substances of abuse most frequently used by patients. This course will provide practical tools dental professionals can apply every day to assist them in interpreting the information contained in a patient’s medical history and understanding the impact on dental treatment planning and patient care.

  1. The Medical History
    1. Importance of the Medical History
    2. Essential Components of the Medical History
    3. Strategies for the Successful Patient Interviews
  2. Patient One
    1. Review of Medical History As Presented
    2. Review of Systemic Diseases
    3. Discussion of Oro-Systemic Connections
    4. Review of Medications and Treatments
    5. Review of Dental Considerations
    6. Discussion of Treatment Planning Strategies
  3. Patient Two
    1. Review of Medical History As Presented
    2. Review of Systemic Diseases
    3. Discussion of Oro-Systemic Connections
    4. Review of Medications and Treatments
    5. Review of Dental Considerations
    6. Discussion of Treatment Planning Strategies
  4. Patient Three
    1. Review of Medical History As Presented
    2. Review of Systemic Diseases
    3. Discussion of Oro-Systemic Connections
    4. Review of Medications and Treatments
    5. Review of Dental Considerations
    6. Discussion of Treatment Planning Strategies

Appropriate Prescribing Practices for Opioid Analgesics in the Dental Office
Management of acute dental pain is accomplished with the use of non-opioid and opioid analgesics. However, this normally occurs outside the dental office, away from the immediate supervision of the clinician, who is often faced with the difficult task of managing patient pain while also avoiding adverse outcomes for both the patient and their communities. Thus, it is critical for clinicians to be able to accurately identify the need for pain control, individualize patient care based on this need as well as associated risks, assess the efficacy of analgesic agents prescribed and monitor for their appropriate use. This program will provide participants with an overview of the pharmacology of pain control and the effective management of acute dental pain using non-opioid and opioid analgesics. Special emphasis will be given to appropriate prescribing practices for opioid analgesics.

  1. The Concept of Pain
    1. Pain Threshold and Pain Tolerance
    2. Psychosocial and Emotional Factors
    3. Pathophysiology of Pain
  2. Identification of Opioid Addiction
    1. Techniques and Cues For Identifying Opioid Abuse
    2. Strategies For Managing Opioid-Abusing Patients
  3. Management of Acute Dental Pain –
    Non-opioid Analgesics & Acetaminophen (APAP)

    1. Clinical Pharmacology
    2. Equianalgesic Doses
    3. NSAIDs
      1. Mechanism of Action
      2. Pharmacologic Effects
      3. Clinical Considerations – Adverse Reactions, Drug Interactions & Contraindications
  4. Management of Acute Dental Pain –
    Opioid Analgesics

    1. Clinical Pharmacology
    2. Available Formulations
    3. Codeine, Hydrocodone, Oxycodone
      1. Mechanism of Action
      2. Pharmacologic Effects
      3. Clinical Considerations – Adverse Reactions, Drug Interactions & Contraindications
  5. Appropriate Opioid Prescribing Practices
  6. Preventing Opioid Abuse and Diversion

Pharmacology and Therapeutics of Local Anesthesia: An Overview & Update
Due to their potential for producing life-threatening systemic adverse reactions, a thorough knowledge of the pharmacological and clinical properties of local anesthetic agents is essential for their safe and effective use. This program will provide participants with an overview of the pharmacology and therapeutics of local anesthetic agents. Special emphasis will be given to those agents commonly administered in dental practice and patient management techniques necessary with specific disease states.

  1. Local Anesthesia Pharmacology Basics
    1. Neuroanatomy
    2. Neurophysiology
    3. Biochemistry and Mechanism of Action
  2. Review of Dental Local Anesthetic Preparations
    1. Local Anesthetic Agents for Injection
    2. Local Anesthetic Agents for Topical Use
    3. Vasoconstrictors
  3. Patient Care Considerations
    1. Medical History Review
    2. Physical Evaluation
    3. Significant Drug Interactions
    4. Absolute Contraindications
    5. Relative Contraindications
    6. Considerations with Epinephrine
  4. Patient Management
    1. The Medically Complex Dental Patient
    2. Treatment Modifications
    3. Patient Care Planning

“The educational teaching methodology used in this course is live, interactive lecture presented via Zoom webinar with an accompanying PowerPoint presentation. Both the live webinar and the PowerPoint presentation incorporate a variety of audio and visual cues to enhance audience members’ understanding and retention of key concepts. In addition, question and answer periods are provided for at the conclusion of each section of the live webinar.” 

Course Objectives

At the completion of this course the participants should be able to:

  1. Discuss the medications, supplements and substances of abuse most frequently encountered on a patient’s medical history and their impact on dental therapy.
  2. Describe medication-induced and systemic illness-induced xerostomia and specific clinical technologies dental professionals may employ to combat its negative effects.
  3. Explore innovative treatment options available with injectable and topical anesthetics for managing pain in medically complex patients.
  4. Identify the clinical signs and symptoms of undiagnosed systemic illness which may be present during routine oral examination.
  5. Describe the pharmacology and mechanism of action of non-opioid and opioid analgesics, as well as their potential for abuse.
  6. Explain the intended role of non-opioid and opioid analgesics in the treatment of dental pain, as well as situations which may preclude their use.
  7. Describe strategies useful in developing a pain management plan that is individualized for a patient’s needs and underlying medical conditions.
  8. Understand appropriate prescribing practices to utilize in everyday clinical situations.
  9. Differentiate between the two major classes of local anesthetic agents with respect to their distribution, metabolism and routes of excretion
  10. Explain the basic concepts of neurophysiology and nerve conduction and the mechanism of action of local anesthetic agents
  11. Discuss the rationale for the use of vasoconstrictors in local anesthetic solutions and their potential effects in common organ system disease states
  12. Specify the various local anesthetic agent combinations most commonly used in dentistry and the rationale for their use in specific clinical situations
  13. Discuss general adverse effects, contraindications and patient care considerations with the use of local anesthetics.

Concord Dental & Medical Seminars Is Designated by AGD and ADA

Concord Dental & Medical Seminars is designated as a Nationally Approved PACE Program Provider by the Academy of General Dentistry. The formal continuing education programs of this program provider are accepted by the AGD for Fellowship/Mastership and membership maintenance credit.


Concord Dental & Medical Seminars is an ADA CERP Recognized Provider. ADA CERP is a service of the American Dental Associates to assist dental professionals in identifying quality providers of continuing dental education. ADA CERP does not approve or endorse individual courses or instructors, nor does it imply acceptance of credit hours by boards of dentistry.




PACE Academy of General Dentistry Program Approval for Continuing Education PACE Academy of General Dentistry Program Approval for Continuing Education

Register Today!

$295 Dentists

$195 Hygienists / Auxiliary

$165 Staff with Dentist

Refund Policy

Special Needs or Requests? Please Call the office for assistance.

“It’s All About The Medical History!”: Essential Pharmacology for Busy Dental Professionals

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