Teaching Oral Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

Course Overview

Course Description:  Biofilm.  Pellicle.  Plaque.  Caries.  Food groups. These and many other words and topics form the foundation of teaching our patients about oral disease and how to prevent it.  No matter how sophisticated, no matter how cosmetic, no matter how simple dentistry is or could be, patients will always need to care for their oral health and the dentistry we perform for them.  How we deliver that message and how we teach the fundamentals of prevention and maintaining our patients’ oral health is something each of us need to assess relative to how we can better communicate these important life lessons.
Dr. Deb Stauffer has spent a lifetime teaching oral disease prevention and how best to promote good health.  In clear, concise terms, with illustrative images, Deb shares how we assess patients’ needs, evaluate clinical data, and determine the patient’s levels of readiness and attitude for learning these invaluable skills.
This course is designed as a review for all dental professionals, but more specifically, it is a primer for our dental staff to effectively educate patients on how best to care for their oral and general health.  There will be a test at the end of this course to verify successful completion of the course.

Course Objectives:  After completing this course the participant should be able to:

• Describe a healthy mouth
• Describe dental biofilm, gingivitis, periodontitis, demineralization, and decay.
• List the food groups in a healthy diet.
• Identify individuals who can benefit from oral health instruction.
• Identify what should be considered when making an instructional plan.
• Identify necessary materials for instruction.
• Explain oral hygiene techniques.

Available Sections

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