Speakers & Presentation Details

Prescription Opioid Crisis

Over promotion and over prescribing of opioids has contributed to the current public health emergency we face in the U.S. Dentists write less than 6% of acute use opioid prescriptions but generally, prescribe very few tablets per prescription. To what extent are we contributing to the development of opioid substance use disorders and how can we modify our prescribing behaviors to minimize patient risk? We will outline specific strategies designed to identify the safety of prescribing opioids based on individual patient characteristics. Patient education on safe pain relief will also be reviewed. Extensive and very current handouts will be provided to maximize the
chairside value of this vitally important information.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

• Discuss the extent of the opioid abuse problem in the U.S. and in the District of Columbia,
• Recognize the role of the dentist in contributing to the current public health emergency,
• Explain the relative pain relief effectiveness of non-opioid and opioid agents in acute pain, and
• Discuss the benefits and risks of specific pain control regimens for effective dental analgesia.

LGBTQIA+ Care in Dentistry

Presented by Alex Barrera, DDS

The LGBTQ+ community faces a multitude of factors affecting their access to oral health care including discrimination, stigma, and a lack of education from dental professionals. This course will help train the dental team to better treat this community using

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

• Learn what it means to identify as LGBTQ+ in 2025.
• Understand the economic, social, and emotional challenges faced by the LGBTQ+ community and how that plays a role in oral health care.
• Discuss current health trends in the community on topics such as HIV, HPV, Mpox, and PrEP.
• Learn treatment modifications recommended for patients who are HIV+ or those who identify as transgender.
• Consider how the dental team can better treat, respect, and learn from the LGBTQ+ community.

Talking Dirty: An informative and enlightening presentation around Infection Control and OSHA

Presented by Karen Daw, MBA, CECM, CDIPC

Discover the ultimate infection prevention training! Look at the same subject from a completely different perspective and earn CE credits – all while keeping your team and patients super safe. With a dash of beachy breeze vibes, we'll breathe new life into your infection control program. Get ready to rev up your protection like a finely tuned sports car!

LEARNING OBJECTIVES: 

• Discuss key recommendations the CDC that will keep your dental office up to date on the latest guidelines
• Review checklists and resources to streamline procedures, reduce liability, and enhance safety for the well-being of team members, patients, and the practice
• Practice proper donning of PPE like masks (yes, seriously, masks!)

Ethics in Dental Practice: The Risks Associated with Non-Adherence Clinically

Presented by Marc Leffler, DDS, Esq.

This presentation focuses on various bedrock ethical principles in dentistry, and discusses their impact on patient care and treatment decision-making.  In addition to case study examples to demonstrate those principles, the discussion will include CBCT use, social media issues, discharge/abandonment concerns, and the merger of ethics breaches with dental malpractice claims.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES: 

• Understand the prevailing principles of ethics in dentistry.
• Consider the impacts of breaches of ethics on dentists and dental practice.
• Appreciate the relationship between ethics violations and dental malpractice.
• Study the effects of CBCTs upon both ethics and standard of care.
• Recognize the methods of discharging patients without abandoning them.