PR765-25: Comfort & Control: Modern Approaches to Pain Management

This course reviews pain control theory, anatomy and physiology, local anesthetic agents, managing medical emergencies, maxillary and mandibular injection technique, troubleshooting common errors in block and infiltration anesthesia, pain management strategies amid the opioid crisis, and documentation and risk mitigation. It refreshes skills, knowledge, and technique for safe, effective administration of local anesthesia in dental hygiene practice and fulfills the state licensure requirement for pain management. Course Objectives: Locate and identify bone and soft tissue landmarks and target areas associated with maxillary and mandibular local anesthesia and identify the teeth and soft tissues anesthetized by maxillary and mandibular injections; List the common local anesthesia agents available for the dental provider and define when and how much of each agent can appropriately be used; Identify complications of local anesthetic, risk mitigation strategies, and appropriate documentation; Explain indications and relative contraindications for the use of nitrous oxide/oxygen; Recognize signs and symptoms of optimal sedation and over-sedation as well as the appropriate recovery; Identify potential complications associated with the use of nitrous oxide/oxygen sedation, risk mitigation and appropriate documentation; List alternative pain control measures for dentinal and gingival pain post- non-surgical and surgical periodontal therapies.