"I Haven't Got Time for This Pain!" Local Anesthetics and Analgesics and Their Clinical Considerations
Speaker:
Tom Viola, R.P.h., C.C.P.
May 3, 2025
Date:
3
CE Credits:
About the Course
Management of acute odontogenic pain is accomplished through a clinical approach that successfully incorporates intraoperative local anesthesia and a postoperative regimen of nonopioid and opioid analgesics. However, improper and inappropriate use of both local anesthetic agents and analgesics have the potential to produce adverse outcomes for our patients. Thus, it is critical for clinicians to accurately evaluate the need for pain control, identify associated risks, and assess the efficacy of the agents to be administered. This program will provide participants with an overview of the pharmacology and therapeutics of local anesthetic agents and analgesics. Special emphasis will be given to effective perioperative pain management and best practices for prescribing analgesics for postoperative pain control.
Educational Objectives:
Discuss local anesthetic agents with respect to their mechanisms of action, adverse effects, contraindications and clinical considerations.
Explain the rationale for the use of vasoconstrictors and potential adverse effects.
Describe the pharmacology and mechanism of action of analgesics used in the management of acute dental pain, including situations which may preclude their use.
Discuss best practices for prescribing analgesics, as well as proper storage and disposal of unused dosages.
Describe techniques useful in recognizing and identifying potential opioid addiction and current protocols for its treatment.
Your Instructor
Tom Viola, R.P.h., C.C.P.
With over 30 years of experience as a board-certified pharmacist, clinical educator, professional speaker and published author, Tom Viola has earned his international reputation as the go-to specialist for making pharmacology practical and useful for all members of the dental team. As the founder of Pharmacology Declassified, Tom’s mission is to provides clinicians valuable insight into the dental considerations of general medicine as well as the medical considerations of general dentistry. As an award-winning
educator, Tom is a member of the faculty of 15 dental professional degree programs. As a widely-published author, Tom is well known for his contributions to several professional journals and pharmacology textbooks and currently serves as a consultant to the ADA’s Council on Scientific Affairs. As an award-winning speaker, Tom has been recognized by many organizations and associations as one of the most sought-after lecturers in dentistry and has presented over 1000 informative and engaging continuing education seminars and webinars to dental professionals since 2001.
Conflict of Interest Disclosure
None reported
The TDA is an ADA CERP provider (May 2024 – June 2028)
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