Another special responsibility we have , as dental educators , is to develop the science to inform the development of best evidence , and create and share best practice recommendations to dentists and dental teams . PDM is proud of Dr . Alonso Carrasco-Labra , one of our faculty members , who recently worked with colleagues here at Penn , the University of Pittsburgh , and the American Dental Association , to publish new guidelines on pain management in dentistry . The new guidelines aim to personalize pain management strategies while at the same time mitigating risk of opioids , especially in vulnerable populations like adolescents . The recommendations advise clinicians to use nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs ( NSAIDs ) taken alone or with acetaminophen as the first line of treatment for managing short-term dental pain . The guidelines also call attention to the importance of proper storage and disposal of opioids to reduce the risk of misuse and adverse events . The new guidelines are an important contribution to the broader effort to combat the opioid crisis and hopefully will reduce over prescription of opioids by dentists .
Dr . Carrasco-Labra is a faculty member within PDM ’ s Center for Integrative Global Oral Health ( CIGOH ), a group that unites health researchers , educator , and practitioners in seeking creative solutions to unmet oral health needs here in Pennsylvania and around the world . As Director of the Cochrane Oral Health Collaborating Center at Penn Dental Medicine , Dr . Carrasco-Labra is engaging researchers from around the globe to summarize the best available evidence on oral health topics to help dentists make well-informed decisions . You can follow this important work at CIGOH ’ s website . 1 “ There you will find a free disease screening interpretation tool2 to assist in assessing individuals for contagious diseases and other medical conditions to identify systemic conditions that impact oral care .”
Another resource we are pleased to make available to clinicians is our dental education portal . 3 The portal has hundreds of lectures , many completely free or with a nominal charge when CE credits are requested . These include a new educational series , “ Wellness from Within .” Dentistry is a stressful profession with high levels of burnout and heightened levels of anxiety . This series aims to support the mental wellbeing of oral health professionals by exploring and building our resilience . Another series of which we are extremely proud is our Persons with Disabilities Presentation series . This series aims to build awareness of barriers to equitable oral care for individuals with disabilities and to develop competency of oral health providers in delivering care to this uniquely challenged , but growing part of our population . Nearly a quarter of the adult population of Pennsylvania – more than 2.6 million adults – have a disability . Every dentist in the state is needed to pitch in and make oral healthcare more accessible . These are our families , our neighbors .
In closing , I hope that more of our graduates will follow the footsteps of Dr . Limberakis . I invite you to use your voice to raise awareness that good oral health is essential for overall well-being . Join the call for oral health equity in the Commonwealth , particularly for vulnerable populations like our children , seniors , and veterans . Be a life-long learner . Mentor young dentists to be leaders and advocates . Encourage young people to shadow you in your office and consider careers in dentistry . We all know the rewards of hard work , dedication , and perseverance in achieving our goals and realizing our dreams . Let ’ s now pass it on .
The University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine and the PA Coalition for Oral Health recently hosted “ A Celebration of 70 Years of Healthy Smiles in Philadelphia ,” commemorating the 70th anniversary of Philadelphia fluoridating its water supply . ( L-to-R : Dr . Cary Limberakis , Dr . Joan Gluch . Penn Dental Medcine ’ s Associate Dean , Academic Policies , and Dr . Janine Burkhardt , President of the Philadelphia County Dental Society .
SITE REFERENCES
1 . www . dental . upenn . edu / CIGOH 2 . www . dental . upenn . edu / DSIC 3 . www . dental . upenn . edu / cde _ online
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