DT 261 - Pharmacy and Medical/Dental Emergency

Credits: 4
Variable Credit Course: No

Lecture Hours: 44
Lab Hours: 0
Worksite/Clinical Hours: 0
Other Hours (LIA/Internships): 0

Course Description: Focuses on drugs used in dental settings, common interactions of those drugs, as well as recognition and understanding of commonly prescribed medications. Learn to analyze medical histories and patient medication lists to assess overall patient health and identify complications that could impact dental treatment. Demonstrate an understanding of basic pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and adverse effects of drugs with specific competence in dispensing analgesics, anti-inflammatory agents, and antibiotics under the direction of a supervising dentist. Learn how to recognize and report clinical situations requiring medications beyond scope of practice and manage dental and medical emergencies that may arise. Practice dental and medical emergency scenarios, and complete mandatory Washington State Opioids in Dental Practice CE course.

Prerequisite: Successful completion of Dental Therapy (DT) coursework from previous quarter.
Meets FQE Requirement: No
Integrative Experience Requirement: No

Student Learning Outcomes

Explain basic pharmacokinetics that affect a drug’s ability to produce a therapeutic effect or an adverse reaction.
Categorize drugs commonly used to treat medical diseases according to their impact on dental treatment.
Explain the mechanism of action, potential adverse reactions, interactions and contraindications of drugs used for local anesthesia, pain and anxiety management, prevention of infection, and treatment of oral conditions.
Identify OTC (over the counter), generic, and brand names of the most commonly drugs prescribed in dentistry.
Correlate patient’s medication list with medical conditions.
Assess potential contraindications to dental treatment by analyzing medical histories and patient medication lists.
Summarize essential concepts of safe patient use of analgesics, anti-inflammatory agents, and antibiotics.
Explain protocol for dispensing medications including documentation into a patient’s record.
Discuss requirements for WA mandatory opioid prescribing for healthcare providers.
Identify drugs commonly used in the event of a medical emergency in the dental office.
Analyze medical emergency scenarios that may occur in a clinical setting.

Course Contents

Unit 1: Overview of Pharmacology; Unit 2: Autonomic and analgesic drugs
Unit 3: Antibiotics and anesthetics (Drugs used in Dentistry); Unit 4: Drugs that may alter dental treatment
Unit 5: Patient Education& Abuse of Drugs & Natural Drugs/ Supplements; Unit 6: Abuse of Drugs
Unit 7: Natural Drugs/ Supplements; Unit 8: Medical Emergency Drugs
Unit 9: Medical/Dental Emergencies; Unit 10: Medical/Dental Emergencies: Advanced

Instructional Units: 4