OasisLMS

Dental professionals will come to understand how the use of tobacco impacts dental health in a major way. Tobacco users who require dental treatment can experience compromised health, affecting treatment approaches. Since almost half of all cases of periodontitis are attributed to tobacco, stopping tobacco use provides better dental treatment outcomes. Pediatric patients exposed to secondhand smoke may experience effects on caries development and tooth development.

Course attendees will gain awareness of various tobacco issues and guidance will be provided for incorporating tobacco use prevention and treatment into practice. Topics of discussion will include a brief history of tobacco use, discussion of various forms of tobacco products patients may be using, how tobacco use impacts dental health and overall health, understanding nicotine addiction and why quitting is so difficult, and how to apply evidence-based treatment for patients seeking to become tobacco-free.

• Describe current trends of tobacco and smoking products, including e-cigarettes, hookah, bidi, kretek and others.
• Identify the oral and overall health effects of tobacco and smoking products.
• Assess tobacco and smoking in the dental practice environment.
• Describe treatment options for assisting dental patients with tobacco dependence.

Speaker: Jill Loewen, RDA, MS, NCTTP

Subject: 750 Special Patient Care

Credits: 2.0

Method: Lecture

Audience: Students, Residents , Dentists, Dental Assistants

Speaker Bio: Jill Loewen, RDA, MS, NCTTP, University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry clinical associate professor and Tobacco Use Prevention and Treatment Program coordinator, teaches dental and dental hygiene students and dental program residents how to help their patients stop using tobacco. She also provides education to dental students on screening, brief intervention and referral to treatment (SBIRT) for the assessment of dental patients' risky use of alcohol and other drugs. Loewen has provided numerous local, state and national CE courses on tobacco product use prevention and treatment topics and has conducted table clinics, exhibits and poster presentations on tobacco use prevention, education and treatment. She is the author of several publications. Loewen holds a BS degree in allied health education and a MS degree in career and technical education from Ferris State University. She also holds a national certificate in tobacco treatment practice. She is past chair of the American Dental Education Association's Section on Substance Abuse, Addictions and Tobacco Dependence Education.