Description

The number of Americans over the age of 65 exceeds 15% of the population and that number will increase by more than an additional 20% over the next few decades. As patient longevity increases, so will the number of conditions, diseases and potential disabilities that these patients will present with in our dental chairs.

Medically-comprised patients with age-related diseases such as cancers, or lifestyle-associated factors such as obesity, drug use and abuse, as well as the myriad of common, and often underestimated, abnormal physical conditions that we cross paths with on a day-to-day basis demand a sharpened focus during our treatment planning, delivery of care and periodontal maintenance in general dentistry.  These patients require clinicians that have a competent insight into medicine and pharmacotherapies and are capable of deducing findings from patient medical histories and willing to collaborate with patients' medical providers to provide optimal dental care.

Learning objectives:

• Participants will receive an up-to-date, concise review of the more common medical disorders that are encountered within general dentistry.
• Neurologic, behavioral, and psychiatric disorders, including drug and alcohol abuse, will be examined.
• Drug interactions that are significant to dentistry will be reviewed.

Ms Amber Riley

Amber Riley is a 1998 graduate of Sinclair College in Dayton, Ohio. In addition to private practice in San Diego, Calif., she is a nationally recognized subject matter expert and consultant, and is the forensic dental autopsy technician for the ...

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