The Dynamics and Dilemmas of Drugs in Dentistry

Course Outline:

The medications our patients are taking are constantly changing. These medications include prescribed, over the counter and recreational substances. As dentists, we are expected to know just as much about the drugs we prescribe and the ones we don’t’.

The overall aim of this course is become updated and better versed with the numerous drug classes, how they are used and to improve our prescribing habits. This will lead to superior patient management.

Topics to be covered include:

• Principles of prescribing in dentistry.
• Special patient groups – (Children, elderly, geriatrics, palliative care, pregnant and breastfeeding, hepatic and renal impairment, obese patients, substance abuse and addiction, and more).
• Patient medical history analysis & Prescription writing techniques.
• Medicinal pharmacology in dentistry.
• Pharmacokinetics.
• Pharmacodynamics.
• The 8 A’s in Dental prescribing.
• Case studies.
• Drug interactions and drug substitutions.
• OTC (over-the-counter) and herbal remedies.
• Drugs for your dental practice.
• Drug information centers and reference texts for dental practices.
• Future drugs in dentistry.