Dental Continuing Education Home-Study Courses

This 4-credit course discusses the nutrients important to periodontal tissue growth and repair, and which foods and supplements supply them. It helps dental professionals to gain a better understanding of the periodontal tissue structure and the changes it undergoes when diseased. After studying the course, practitioners will understand the different types and amounts of nutrients and vitamins necessary for periodontal health, and how periodontal health relates to overall health.

This 2-credit course is a review of the California Dental Practice Act. Topics covered include: the definition of the Practice of Dentistry, Acts violating the Dental Practice Act, License Requirements, Prescriptions and CURES and Duties of Dental Auxiliaries. Each topic in the Act is not covered due to the Act's length, only the sections which are most likely to impact your dental career.

This 3-credit course explores the causes, prevalence, and symptoms of Diabetes Mellitus types I and II. The reader will learn how to identify possible cases of diabetes, how to treat diabetic emergencies, and the effect diabetes has on dental health. Additionally, the prevention of diabetes is discussed, giving dental professionals information they can share with their patients.

REVISED 2007. This 2-credit course enables dental professionals to realize the magnitude and epidemic prevalence of domestic violence and gain an understanding of the signs, symptoms, and injuries indicative of possible domestic violence. This course also helps dental professionals realize the reluctance of many victims to reveal the true cause of their injuries and gives them resources to share with their patients.

This 2-credit course enables dental professionals to understand Sjogren's Syndrome, commonly known as dry mouth, by discussing its prevalence, causes, and symptoms. In addition, the reader will understand how to diagnose dry mouth and talk to patients about the condition. Dental professionals will learn of the available treatments for dry mouth and how to administer them.

This 3-credit course discusses which medications should be included in an emergency kit, the proper uses of emergency kit medications, and which medications to use in different emergency situations. Sections include first-line emergency drugs, second-line emergency drugs, and supplementary drugs. The course provides dental professionals with information they need to make informed decisions in emergency situations.

This 3-credit course is designed to help the dental professional understand the Florida Dental Practice Act - its purpose, scope, and the regulatory structure created by it. Dental professionals will learn of the requirements that dentists must fulfill under the Act and the rights afforded dentists under the Act, as well as duties that a dentist may delegate. Additionally, the scope of practice for dental hygienists is covered, making this course ideal for both dentists and hygienists. Finally, the course discusses prohibitions against certain conduct and grounds for disciplinary action for violations of the Act.

REVISED 2007. This 2-credit course offers an overview of Hepatitis B. The reader will learn how Hepatitis B is transmitted and progresses, recognize risk factors and symptoms, and understand vaccination and treatment options. In addition, dental professionals will be given the guidelines they need to successfully implement a postexposure management program within the dental practice.

REVISED 2007. This 2-credit course offers an overview of Hepatitis C. The reader will learn how Hepatitis C is transmitted and progresses, recognize risk factors and symptoms, and understand current treatment options available to people infected with the virus. In addition, dental professionals will be given the guidelines they need to successfully implement a postexposure management program within the dental practice.

This 4-credit course is an overview of all Hepatitis strains. The reader will learn how to identify risk factors and symptoms of hepatitis, understand available vaccination and treatment options, and recognize appropriate prevention techniques for each type of hepatitis. In addition, dental professionals will be given the guidelines they need to successfully deal with postexposure management and implement a successful exposure management program within the dental practice.

REVISED 2007. This 2-credit course discusses the epidemiology of HIV and AIDS, the effect of HIV on the immune system, clinical manifestations of HIV and AIDS, and modes of HIV transmission. Also discussed are the means of preventing HIV infection and the treatment of HIV disease and AIDS, topics dental professionals can discuss with patients. The course also covers infection control procedures recommended for the dental practice and clinical manifestations of dental patients with HIV disease.

This course is not currently approved for Kentucky.

This 3-credit course discusses the role dental professionals play in nutrition education and extensively covers the major eating disorders. Anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa are defined and described including physical signs and symptoms, medical complications, and characteristic behaviors of persons with the disorders. The course also covers cultural, personal, and social factors that lead to eating disorders and available treatments. Of special interest are intervention strategies for dentists and hygienists, proper dental care and hygiene for patients with eating disorders, and the oral manifestations of eating disorders. This course is an invaluable resource for any dental professional.

This 2-credit course is a review of the Principles of Ethics and Code of Professional Conduct as set forth by the American Dental Association. It does not cover, in detail, each and every ethical rule and advisory opinion contained in the Code, but does discuss the principles of ethics, the Code of Professional Conduct, and principles of patient autonomy. Readers will also learn the principles of doing no harm, and duties of a dental professional to provide dental care. Also discussed are rules regarding patient records, and testifying in legal proceedings. Other topics reviewed relate specifically to the Indiana Code and Statutes and Rules.

This 3-credit course helps dental professionals to identify those patients who are at-risk or highly susceptible to infection as a result of dental procedures and/or pre-existing medical conditions. It also enables dentists, hygienists, and assistants to become more familiar with oral and systemic infections that may result as a side effect of dental procedures and routine oral care. Readers will learn to identify appropriate prophylactic and post-procedural antibiotic treatments, and be aware of specific procedures that may create a higher risk of infection. Through completion of this course, dental professionals will have the knowledge necessary to care for their patients in a way that reduces the incidence of infection as much as possible.

This 4-credit course details the history and advances in infection control that have led to a safer working environment for dental professionals and patients. Procedures and practices that can provide effective protection against infection and cross-contamination are covered, as well as physical barriers and standard precautions, and the different types of pathogenic transmission. Included is an overview of the diseases that commonly present the greatest concerns among dental professionals and their patients. There is also a review of the CDC Guidelines for Healthcare in the Dental Setting.

REVISED 2008. This 3-credit course explores osseointegration, or creating a stable bone anchorage of an oral implanted metal tooth to bone. It discusses why this approach is better than soft-tissue anchorages and helps the dental professional gain an understanding of the working definition of osseointegration, the important factors for reliable bone anchorage of an oral implant, and the biocompatible materials for osseointegration. Also discussed are how physical implant design and surface characteristics play a role in bone tissue integration and how host bone surgical technique and load consideration affect osseointegration.

REVISED 2007. This 2-credit course introduces dental professionals to the complexities of latex allergies, including the reasons for increased prevalence of latex allergy, latex allergy statistics, and the possible risk factors for latex allergy. It provides information that will allow dental professionals to differentiate between and describe the three types of latex reactions, give examples of latex allergy symptoms, evaluate prevention methods, and uncover inconsistencies in latex glove composition.

This 4-credit course assists the dental professional in identifying and attending to the more common medical emergencies encountered in the dental office. The dental professional will learn how to assign a medical risk level to their patients, how to address drug related emergencies and how to attend to an unconscious patient. A sample office emergency protocol form is included, as well as suggested contents for emergency kits.

This 3-credit course explores the relationship between nutrition and disease and alerts the reader to the consequences of a poor diet. Included are discussions of the components of a healthy diet, the relationship between health and diet, and the nature of chronic disease. Also covered is the link between diet and several major diseases: cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, and osteoporosis. After completing this course, dental professionals will be able to give their patients sound advice on how to eat a healthy, nutritious diet that promotes both dental health and general wellness, and helps patients avoid chronic disease.

This 2-credit course provides dental professionals with a review of the nutritional components required for good dental health and clarifies their role in providing nutrition education to their patients. Topics discussed include the status of dental health in the United States, the general relationship between nutrition and dental health, and the role of the dental hygienist in providing nutrition education. Readers will also learn current dietary guidelines for the United States, nutrition and dietary factors related to dental caries, and the role of key nutrients in building strong teeth and gums. Upon completing this course, dental professionals will be in a position to advise their patients on how best to eat in order to preserve dental health.

This 4-credit course explores the link between healthy eating and overall well-being. Topics discussed include the factors that influence food choices, the influence of diet on health and disease, and essential nutrients and how to get them. It also examines the current dietary guidelines recommended by the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services and the new, revised food pyramid that helps implement this approach. Once a dental professional has completed this course, he or she will be able to make sound recommendations to patients concerning healthy eating habits.

REVISED 2007. This 3-credit course discusses pain and its relation to the practice of dentistry. By adequately managing pain, dental professionals may clear the way for improved dental health among those patients who view dental visits as "too painful" based on their experiences with pain and anxiety. This course will discuss how to identify pain as it relates to dental patients, manage pain thru use of minimally invasive dentistry, analgesics, lasers, micro air abrasion and dental spas and pain prevention thru preventative care. Also, special considerations in pain management for children, pregnant women, the elderly and the disabled will be reviewed.

NEW 2007. This 3-credit course will discuss oral health maintenance in adults and children and how important it is for the patient to maintain a rigid oral health maintenance program through proper home care and regular dental visits after periodontal treatment. In addition, local and systemic antibiotic therapy, supragingival and subgingival irrigation, home care devices (including oral irrigators and power toothbrushes), dentrifices, mouthrinses and treatment considerations for periodontal health maintenance are discussed.

REVISED 2008. This 3-credit course is a review of the possible adverse drug to drug reactions of some of the more commonly seen and used drugs in the office. This course enlightens dental professionals about drug combinations to avoid and which situations present the most opportunity for adverse drug interactions.

REVISED 2007. This 2-credit course discusses the identification and prevention of medical errors in dentistry. It allows the dental professional to understand the types and magnitude of medical errors and the factors that contribute to an increased risk of medical errors. The course also explains how to identify populations vulnerable to medical errors, dental professionals' responsibility for reporting medical errors, and the processes to implement that will reduce the occurrence of medical errors.

REVISED 2007. This 2-credit course is a review of the Principles of Ethics and Code of Professional Conduct as set forth by the American Dental Association. It does not cover, in detail, each and every ethical rule and advisory opinion contained in the Code, but does discuss the principles of ethics, the Code of Professional Conduct, and principles of patient autonomy. Readers will also learn the principles of doing no harm, duties of a dental professional to provide dental care, and rules for utilizing non-profit and commercial referral services. Also discussed are rules regarding patient records, dental professionals' ethical obligations to HIV positive patients, and testifying in legal proceedings. Other topics are advertising, specialization and limitation of practice, substance abuse, and ethical rules regarding misrepresentation in the practice.

Indiana residents please select Indiana Ethics, Statutes and Rules for your course requirements.

REVISED 2007. This 4-credit course is designed to help dental professionals learn to deal with the uncertainty of modern living and the demands of personal and professional live in order to provide better care for their patients and themselves. Readers will learn to identify major sources of stress and to change perceptions of these stressors when they cannot be avoided, making them better able to focus on the job of providing dental care. After completing this course dental professionals will be familiar with stress and the dental professional, the fight or flight response, definitions and causes of stress, the signs and symptoms of stress, the health consequences of stress, effective stress management strategies, and a 'good' stress level for optimal health.

REVISED 2007. This 2-credit course deals with adult substance abuse and its effects on general and dental health. After completing this course, dental professionals will understand national drug abuse trends, be able to distinguish between the types of treatment offered to alcohol and substance abusers, and comprehend the mental and physical effects of alcohol, cocaine, heroin, and marijuana. They will also learn to differentiate between alcoholics and alcohol abusers and recognize the effects of drug and alcohol abuse on the dental practice. With this knowledge dental professionals will be better prepared to assist those patients requiring help. (Meets Chemical Dependency Requirement in TN).

REVISED 2007. This 2-credit course presents some facts and trends about pediatric substance abuse or chemical dependency, the factors that cause children to be at risk for substance abuse, and ways dental professionals can help prevent and treat substance abuse in their young patients. Upon completing this course, dental professionals will have a basic knowledge of current substance abuse trends among children and understand what causes a child to be at risk for substance abuse. They will also learn mechanisms for preventing and treating pediatric substance abuse and should feel more comfortable addressing pediatric substance abuse issues. In this way, they will be better prepared to offer assistance to their younger patients and their parents should the need arise. (Meets Chemical Dependency Requirement in TN).

NEW 2007. This 3-credit course provides dental professionals with information about teeth whitening. A brief history of bleaching is discussed, along with intrinsic and extrinsic staining. Internal and external teeth bleaching are discussed along with their adverse reactions. Some external bleaching topics discussed include: tray versus strip delivery, OTC products, dentrifices and general side effects.

This 3-credit course is designed to help the Texas dental professional understand the Texas Dental Practice Act - its purpose, scope, and the regulatory structure created by it. Dental professionals will learn of the requirements that dentists must fulfill under the Act and the rights afforded dentists under the Act, as well as duties that a dentist may delegate. Additionally, the scope of practice for dental hygienists is covered along with dental assistants. Finally, the course discusses prohibitions against certain conduct and grounds for disciplinary action for violations of the Act.

REVISED 2008. This 3-credit course examines tobacco use in the United States and the various effects it has on dental health. After completing this course, dental professionals will be able to differentiate among the various type of tobacco uses and the subsequent risk each type imposes, identify the reasons why cigarettes and smokeless tobacco are the prime risk factors for oral cancer, and determine why smokeless tobacco users have a high risk of dental caries. Readers will also be able to explain tobacco's added risk factors for periodontal disease and recognize the possible effects of maternal smoking on pregnancy. They will understand the risks of environmental tobacco smoke on nonsmokers and children and be able to discuss tobacco's other effects on dental care. This will enable them to offer educated counsel to their smoking patients and give them sound reasons to quit.