OVERVIEW

Dentinal Hypersensitivity: Dilemmas and Treatment is organized by The American Dental Assistants Association (ADAA).

Accreditation:
CE Credits: 3

Course Description:
For the dental community, the increasing life span of the average person will result in patients who require more dental health care for a longer period of time. As gingival recession is a condition that only worsens with age, its contribution to dentinal hypersensitivity cannot be ignored. Statistics show that approximately one-third of the nearly 77 million American adults, the baby boomers, over age 60 are at risk for recession in one or more teeth. With the impending flood of dentinal hypersensitivity cases that are likely to result from this demographic, the treatment of dental hypersensitivity is more important than ever. When a patient presents with dentinal hypersensitivity, dental professionals have an obligation to provide well-considered recommendations for treatment, whether in the office, at home, or both. We will see an increase in the need to provide our patients with recommendations for all levels of dental treatment based upon the changing demographics. This course will discuss factors contributing to and treatment methods for dentinal sensitivity.

Learning Objectives:
Upon completion of this course, the dental professional should be able to:
• Describe the changing demographics of patients and their growing needs for dental care - be it treatment of caries and periodontal diseases, failures of existing restorations, tooth sensitivity, or other conditions.
• Explain the causes and effects of dentinal hypersensitivity as it relates to the physiology of teeth and patient discomfort.
• List the protocol steps when assessing a treatment plan for a patient with dentinal hypersensitivity, and interpret how the treatment effectively resolves the patient’s pain.
• Recognize there are different forms of treatment for each patient - in the office or at home

Original Release Date: 2010; Review Date: 2019; Expiration Date: 2021