Continuing our series of pharmacological topics, my conversation with Dr. Mark Donaldson was about premedication for dental procedures, in particular, about the management of orofacial infections with antimicrobials. It’s always a pleasure to host Dr. Donaldson on Oasis Discussions, and we hope that you will enjoy as well as benefit from this interview. I also would like to thank Dr. Donaldson for sharing the entire course with our viewers/readers.  Chiraz Guessaier, CDA Oasis Manager Resource Dr. Mark Donaldson: Premedication for Dental Procedures. Course Material. Please note that this material was initially developed for CE purposes. It is, however, presented here as ...

It’s always an honour to meet with Dr. Mark Donaldson, Pharmacologist and senior Executive Director at Vizient Inc. Part of our monthly conversations, Mark spoke about the three drug classes that every dental professional should know: antimicrobials, analgesics, and local anesthetics. I hope you find the interview informative.  Chiraz Guessaier, CDA Oasis Manager Highlights Oral healthcare professionals (OHCPs) are routinely involved with the selection and prescription of medications for their patients. This course is designed to help them become better-informed prescribers of the top three drug classes employed in dentistry: antibiotics, analgesics, and local anesthetics. Patient safety is the number ...

My interview with Dr. Peter Jacobsen went by in a flash! His sense of humor, light-delivery approach, and lively style leaves you glued to the screen, wanting to learn more about the topic presented. Dr. Jacobsen joined me to speak about his upcoming lecture at #ASM150 titled: Fighting Dental Disease: Drugs, Bugs and Prescription Products. Chiraz Guessaier, CDA Oasis Manager Highlights What are the first, second, third drugs of choice for dental infections? Which antifungals have the greatest risk of drug interactions? Are OTC aphthous ulcers medications effective? Can the newest antiviral drugs prevent herpes attacks? Do they put Ginkgo Biloba ...

My meetings with Dr. Jose Lança, from the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Dentistry and the Faculty of Medicine, are always so valuable in presenting and delivering extremely useful clinical information that supports every day clinical practice. This interview looks at the opioids crisis that is plaguing North American societies and the role of dentists in it.  Chiraz Guessaier, CDA Oasis Manager Highlights Opioids bind to opioid receptors in the brain. Upon binding to these receptors, opioids have various effects including: Analgesia Sedation/sleepiness Mood changes – dysphoria, euphoria Tolerance/addiction Cough suppression Miosis Endocrine effects Dermatologic effects – itching, sweating GI motility ...

I had the pleasure to host Dr. Mark Donaldson to speak about the important reversing drugs that are found in the dental emergency kit. Mark goes into detail addressing 6 reversal agents: Naloxone, Flumazenil, Epinephrine, Diphenhydramine, Phentolamine, and Atropine. Chiraz Guessaier, CDA Oasis Manager Highlights Though uncommon, medical emergencies in the dental office are harrowing occurrences that can be the result of adverse drug reactions. Pharmacological antagonists have been developed for administration as reversal agents in emergency situations in which patients may have an untoward effect, typically caused by too much medication. Dental practitioners should be familiar with these agents to ...

Dr. Mark Donaldson spoke about the prevalence of herbal medicine and why it is important for dentists to know their interactions with more conventional drugs.   This topic is the focus of a CE course offered by Dr. Mark Donaldson. You can access the entire course material by following this link.  We would like to thank Dr. Donaldson for allowing us to share the course material.    

Dr. Anita Aminoshariae, Director of Predoctoral Endodontics in the School of Dental Medicine at Case Western Reserve University, spoke to Dr. Chiraz Guessaier regarding evidence-based recommendations with respect to the analgesic efficacy when treating pain of endodontic origin. Third molar extraction usually serves as the pain model for evaluating analgesic efficacy. However, these patients are usually young without any comorbidities or significant health risks or issues. Endodontic patients, typically, are older individuals who may be taking medications for existing conditions and have periapical infection and/or pulpal inflammation. Key Findings • NSAIDS are the drug of choice unless there are clear ...

This summary is based on information found in Dental Implant Complications: Etiology, Prevention, and Treatment, 2 (Wiley Publishing, 2015) Key messages Patient selection is the critical factor for implant success and survival in any medically complex situation. When medical conditions are managed wisely, most patients have improved overall health with fixed replacements as opposed to removable appliances. Exceptional care must be taken so that any implants placed will be successful and safe for the clinician and the patient. It is essential to routinely review the literature and expect that protocols for patients with systemic diseases or taking medications will be regularly updated as our knowledge of dental implants advances.   Although ...