Achieving  profound  and  effective  local  anesthesia  is  essential  in  clinical  practice.  It  is  a  limiting step in most procedures; meaning invasive procedures cannot commence until it is successfully achieved.  

Despite  the  frequency  that  oral  health  providers  (ie,  dentists  and  hygienists)  use  local  anesthetics during clinical practice, misconceptions remain. The goal of this presentation is  to  discuss  several  common  ‘myths’  surrounding  local  anesthesia  while  incorporating  literature-supported learning issues.

This  course  will  review  and  update  local  anesthetic  techniques, equipment, and current research for all providers. 

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
•   Discuss current local anesthetic market share in the US•Review the basic pharmacology of local anesthetics
•   Discuss common ‘myths’ associated with local anesthesia including:
       - Allergy to epinephrine
       - pH and the impact on injection pain
       - Does needle size make a difference? 
       - Does topical anesthesia actually decrese injection pain?
       - Buffering of local anesthetics
       - Which local anesthetics are safe during pregnancy and lactation?
       - What is the latest on local anesthetic-related paresthesias?
•   Review the latest armamentarium of local anesthetic delivery
•   Discuss tips, tricks, and pearls to maximize local anesthetic success

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Course Available Until June 1, 2026