Vermont Dental ​Conference

Program #12 Treating Between the Lines: Understanding Rx and Illicit Drug Abuse - Opioids

Ronni Brown, DDS, MPH, FADI
Audience Code: D, H, A, O        3 CEUs/Clinical Lecture

Substance abuse is at an all-time “high” in this country with an estimated 1 out of every 6 Americans addicted to prescription or illicit drugs. As dental professionals, we must awaken to the reality that many of our patients have substance-use disorders and that our examination findings of advanced caries, severe hyposalivation, and poor plaque control are often the effects of depressant, stimulant, and opioid abuse. Learn how to recognize the clues of substance abuse from a routine dental examination, discuss your concerns and suspicions with patients, develop and deliver safe and effective dental treatment, and manage pain with non-opioid medications. *Note: Course content does not include marijuana.

Learning Objectives:

  • The three categories of drugs (opioids, depressants, and stimulants) commonly abused by patients and
    dangerous in the dental environment.
  • The physical, behavioral, and oral clues of substance misuse that can identified during a routine dental examination
  • Communication strategies to discuss substance misuse with patients
  • Modifications to treatment plans based upon the caries-risk and drug-use profile of the patient

*This program meets the dental opioid training criteria credit requirement for VT license renewal