One of the most common sequela associated with dentistry and dental treatment is acute post-operative pain. Almost every procedure associated with dental treatment has the potential to cause some degree of post-operative pain requiring multi-faceted management. Today’s clinician has a large armamentarium of pharmacological agents to draw from to control acute post-operative pain and these options will be discussed. At the same time, news of the accelerating “opioid crisis” is inescapable and concern about the role of prescribers is in question. Along with the other health professions entitled to prescribe opioids, dentistry has become aware of its responsibility to consider ways to balance patient safety with effective management of pain.
During this presentation, the practitioner will become aware of the role of dentistry in acute pain management and in the opioid issue. The various guidelines and policies of professional and government agencies will be presented and their implications for the practice of dentistry will be explored, where possible using specific examples. Participants will be encouraged to participate.