Tennessee Dentist CE Renewal Package - 40 Credit Hours

Controlled Substance Prescribing & Abuse: Tennessee Guidelines

At the conclusion of this activity, participants will be able to:

• Describe the origins and scope of the current opioid crisis in the United States.
• Identify current trends in opioid prescribing in the dental profession.
• Identify the various types of opioid medications and their mechanisms of action.
• Describe how opioids affect the body and the brain.
• Describe the most common pain medications used in dentistry.
• Distinguish between opioid tolerance, dependence, and addiction.
• Describe the symptoms of opioid withdrawal.
• Distinguish between opioid agonists, agonist-antagonists, and antagonists.
• Identify the most common sources of opioid misuse and diversion.
• Describe steps that dentists can take to ensure the safe handling, storage, and prescription of opioid medications.
• Describe the importance of screening for substance disorders in dental practice.
• Describe the function and impact of prescription drug monitoring programs in curbing opioid misuse and diversion.
• Outline the American Dental Association’s stance on the use of opioids in the treatment of dental pain.

Pharmacology of Local Anesthetics and Sedation Overview for the Dental Office

• Discuss the mechanism of pain perception.
• Describe how local anesthetics function in the body.
• Identify safe and effective local anesthetics for managing perioperative dental pain.
• Discuss issues related to the safe handling and storage of local anesthetics.
• Describe ways to reduce needle-insertion pain.
• Discuss the process for reversing soft-tissue anesthesia.
• Describe risk factors and precautions related to the administration of local anesthetics.

HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act) for Dental Professionals

• Describe the purpose of HIPAA
• Identify the types of individuals and entities covered under HIPAA
• Describe the types of personal information protected under HIPAA
• Provide an overview of the HIPAA provisions related to the use and disclosure of protected health information
• Describe the steps that covered entities must take to keep patient information secure
• Describe the steps that must be taken in the event of a HIPAA breach
• Describe the penalties for HIPAA violations

Antibiotic Management

• Characterize the problem of antibiotic resistance and describe trends in antibiotic resistance among respiratory pathogens in the United States.
• List the most common reasons for inappropriate prescribing of antibiotics by health care providers.
• Describe how pharmacists can be involved in addressing antibiotic resistance in the community.
• Determine the pharmacist practice activity domains in public health initiatives and responses and promotion of safe medication use in society (CAPE 3-1-D-i).
• Identify the goals and objectives of the Get Smart: Know When Antibiotics Work program.