915 Your Patient's Medical History: What you Don't know, Can hurt you

Dentists are being called on to treat an ever aging population with significant medical issues. Therapy for common diseases is constantly changing. Dentists must stay abreast of medical diseases and their therapy, especially as they affect safe delivery of dental care. Practicing dentists need to be attuned to the medical history of their patients, and be prepared to safely treat patients with a multitude of medical problems.

This course will provide you with a comprehensive analysis of that initial visit from your new (or recalled) patient that will assist you with the ability to: recognize and understand the medical problems they check off on their health history form; correctly interpret the list of medications they are currently taking; and be alert to clinical signs that point to hidden diseases.

By the end of this course you should...

• Have a better understanding of common medical diseases that affect dental patients
• Be able to assess the relative risk of medical co-morbidities and patient medications during dental care
• Be able to discuss alterations in dental treatment for patients with compromising medical problems and/or medical treatments
• Be able to discuss the appropriate work-up and consultation needed for patients with complex medical histories
• Be able to recognize and treat the acute manifestations of patients’ underlying medical diseases during dental therapy
• Be sensitive and alert to clinical evidence that might lead the dentist to suspect a possible underlying but previously undiagnosed illness

Instructors

Earl G. Freymiller, DMD, MD
Clinical Professor and Chair, Section of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, UCLA