Osteoporosis: Implications for the Oral Healthcare Provider, 2nd Edition

Course overview

This course will address current concepts regarding links between oral health and osteoporosis, discuss the impact on oral health of pharmacotherapies used in the treatment of osteoporosis, and outline steps to mitigate the impact on oral health of drugs commonly used to treat osteoporosis. This intermediate-level course is intended for dental professionals involved in the treatment of patients with and at risk for low bone mass and osteoporosis. Both periodontal disease and osteoporosis are serious public health concerns in the United States. There is evidence that osteoporosis, and the characteristic loss of bone mass, is associated with periodontal disease and tooth loss. To optimize the oral health care of patients with osteoporosis and those who are at risk for the condition, dentists and other members of the dental team should be aware of the clinical (and possibly pathophysiologic) link between these increasingly common conditions.