AAOMS Recommends Members Participate in Free Course to Help Dental Specialists Prevent Rx Opioid Abuse in Patients

January 20, 2016

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and AAOMS invite all members to participate in the free course: Safe Opioid Prescribing for Acute Dental Pain. This one-hour, online CE program offered by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), with collaboration from AAOMS, is designed specifically for dentists and dental specialists.

SAMHSA recognized the need to provide education materials to the dental profession, and selected the AAOMS as one of the partners to assist with its development. The program outlines opioid prescribing principles for general dentists and dental specialists, and discusses the safe and competent use of opioids for managing acute moderate to severe dental pain. We encourage you to share this online program with all your dental colleagues and staff.

The White House recently announced its new efforts to address Rx drug abuse by increasing training on opioid prescribing—which reminded us all about the extensive toll the prescription opioid epidemic is taking on our nation. Dental pain often requires opioid analgesics, so with dentists writing more than 6 million opioid prescriptions per year, we are in a prime position to counsel patients, prevent adverse outcomes, and help stop this crisis from progressing.

The issue of opioid drug use and abuse will not be easily or quickly solved. AAOMS continues to monitor the discussion and advocate for the specialty. As surgeons, we need to participate in continuing education activities and demonstrate that, rather than being contributors to the problem, OMSs are helping to find a solution.

This 1-hour case-based CE activity will give you the tools you need to do that. You’ll learn how to communicate with patients and families about the risks associated with opioids and how to safely use, store, and dispose of them; to individualize care based on level of risk; and to safely prescribe opioids for acute, moderate, and severe dental pain.

Check out this free program—and earn 1 CE credit today!