Wouldn’t it be great to be known as the dentist who offers excellent pain-free, post-operative care without the use of narcotics? Wouldn’t you like to be more confident in all of your prescription writing, knowing that you are on the cutting edge, that you are evidence-based and that you are guideline-driven? This is that program.

Canada is facing a national opioid crisis that has affected every region of the country. As of 2016, opioid-related deaths and hospitalization rates were highest in the western provinces of British Columbia and Alberta and in both Yukon and the Northwest Territories. The growing number of overdoses and deaths caused by opioids, including fentanyl, is a public health crisis.

Unfortunately, dentists follow primary care physicians as the second-leading prescribers of immediate-release opioids. As such, dentists have been identified as having an important role in opioid abuse prevention efforts. You do not want to be part of this problem – you want to be part of the solution. Remember the Spiderman Principle that, “with great power there must also come – great responsibility.”

This interactive program looks at the appropriate prescribing of analgesics with a particular focus on the dental realm. Case studies will augment the delivery of key points and a problem-based learning approach is encouraged so that each participant’s questions are addressed.

EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES

• Discuss the pathophysiology of pain as it relates to dentistry
• Understand the perfect analgesic recipe to keep (almost) all of your patients out of pain – first time, every time
• Describe the different types of analgesics available and how to match the right drug at the right dose for the right patient and the right procedure
• Review some of the latest data on analgesic combinations to include new information on local anesthesia
• Learn how to help make all of your appointments successful for you, your team and your patients

Course Available Until Dec 14, 2024