Dental professionals must frequently draw upon their knowledge of pharmacology for optimal care of today’s medically complex dental patients. However, armed with relatively brief exposure to such a vast subject during formal education and faced with ever-changing medication therapy guidelines, many dental professionals simply cannot keep up with the latest trends in disease state management. This program will provide an overview of the dental implications of the prescription medications, nonprescription medications, herbal products, nutritional supplements, and substances of abuse most frequently used by patients. Special emphasis will be given to delivering this essential information in a format which makes it practical and useful for all members of the dental team. Upon successful completion of this program, participants will be able to:

• Identify the prescription and non-prescription medications most frequently encountered on a patient’s medical history and discuss their indications for use, adverse reactions and impact on dental therapy.
• Identify the most popular herbal products and discuss their purported uses and dental considerations.
• Identify the most common substances of abuse and describe their oral manifestations and dental treatment considerations.

Tom Viola, R.Ph., C.C.P., has over 30 years’ experience as a pharmacist, educator, speaker and author. He’s earned his reputation as the go-to specialist for delivering quality continuing education content through his informative engaging presentations. Tom’s sellout programs provide an overview of the most prevalent oral and systemic diseases and the most frequently prescribed drugs used in their treatment. Special emphasis is given to dental considerations and strategies for effective patient care planning. As a clinical educator, Tom is a member of the faculty of 15 dental professional degree programs and has received several awards for outstanding teacher of the year. As a published writer, Tom is well known internationally for his contributions to several professional journals in the areas of pharmacology, pain management and local anesthesia. In addition, Tom has served as a contributor, chapter author and peer reviewer for several pharmacology textbooks. As a professional speaker, Tom has presented continuing education courses to dental professionals internationally since 2001.