The American Dental Association is working to combat the opioid crisis by helping dentists understand the potentially harmful impact of the drugs they prescribe in their offices.
Here is a list of a few opioid prescribing courses that would fulfill the required two hours of continuing education for licensure:
- Boston University’s “Safe Opioid Prescribing for Acute Dental Pain”, one-hour course
- ADA-sponsored online webinar “Pain Management in Dentistry: A Changing and Challenging Landscape” (Sept. 2016), one-hour course
- ADA webinar “Legal and Ethical Issues of Opioid Prescribing for Acute Dental Pain” (June 2017), one-hour course
Other ADA-archived courses can be found here: http://pcss-o.org/calendar-of-events/list/?tribe_paged=1&tribe_event_display=past&tribe_organizers%5B%5D=3854&tribe_eventcategory%5B%5D=87
On Wednesday, Feb. 14 at 10 a.m. CST, attend “Improving Opiod Prescribing: The CDC Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain and Considerations for Dentistry” webinar. Presenters from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the ADA will focus on the current opioid epidemic and alternatives for pain management.
These webinars discuss ways dentists can reduce opioid abuse, educate patients about the addictive qualities of painkillers and prevent prescription opioid diversion.
