Course Description:

This discussion features member dentists Dr. Anthony Herro (GP), Dr. Randall Blazic (OMFS), and Dr. Rob Roda (endo), who provide insights for general dentists on diagnosing, managing, and referring dental injuries. Key topics include classifications of trauma, splinting techniques, the importance of pulp vitality testing, and the critical timing for intervention. The experts emphasize the value of interdisciplinary collaboration and offer resources, such as the "Tooth SOS" app and the "Dental Trauma Guide" website, for both patients and practitioners.


Learning Objectives:

• Understand the critical importance of immediate and accurate triage to differentiate major trauma requiring an emergency room visit from purely dental injuries.
• Learn to identify various dental trauma classifications to guide appropriate immediate management, including proper splinting techniques and initial pulp vitality testing.
• Recognize the necessity of collaboration with dental specialists for optimal patient outcomes and the importance of educating patients on initial home care actions.
• Grasp that timely intervention significantly impacts prognosis and that comprehensive diagnostic workups are essential for both immediate and long-term management of dental trauma.