Patients, Pills & Pathologies©: Why Medical History Clues are Critical to General Dental Treatment

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 these patients will present us with in our dental chairs. Medically compromised patients with diseases such as cancers or lifestyle-associated factors such as obesity, drug use and abuse, or those with the myriad of common, and often underestimated, abnormal physical conditions, demand a sharpened focus during our treatment planning, delivery of care and periodontal maintenance in general dentistry. These patients require clinicians who have a competent insight into medicine and pharmacotherapies and who are capable of deducing findings from patient medical histories. Clinicians must also be able to collaborate with patients’ medical providers to provide optimal dental care.

This session will enable participants to:
- Receive an up-to-date, concise review of the more common medical disorders that are encountered within general dentistry: basic epidemiology and pathophysiology, signs/symptoms and accepted medical therapy for the condition and specific dental management recommendations
- Understand neurologic, behavioral and psychiatric disorders, including drug and alcohol abuse
- Understand drug interactions significant to dentistry