“Hurts So…Swell!”

Course Summary: Management of acute odontogenic pain is accomplished through a clinical approach that successfully incorporates both opioid and non-opioid analgesics. It is critical for dental clinicians to not only employ appropriate prescribing practices when utilizing opioid and non-opioid analgesics to treat pain but to also apply best practices when assessing pain control and educating patients on opioid-associated risks and opioid safety. This program will provide an overview of techniques for effectively assessing and managing dental pain, appropriately prescribing analgesics, educating patients on adverse effects and proper handling of opioid medications, as well as strategies for identifying patients at risk for substance abuse, and counseling patients on agents used in the management and treatment of opioid use disorder.