OVERVIEW

2021 Southern Academy of Periodontology (SAP) Winter Seminar is organized by Southern Academy of Periodontology and will be held on Jan 22, 2021.

CME Accreditation:
10 CE Course

Course Description:
COVID-19 has impacted every aspect of our practices in 2020, causing a great deal of concern and confusion as the evidence around the transmission, risk profiles, and the impact of periodontitis on COVID-19 disease severity. An emphasis on chronic inflammatory conditions, considered the largest public health threat by the WHO, and their impact on COVID-19 disease susceptibility and severity has shown a spotlight on periodontitis. Periodontists are well-positioned to evaluate and treat periodontal inflammation and, as such, may be a critical part of interdisciplinary teams working to address underlying disease in at-risk patients. In addition to risks posed to patients with periodontitis, dentists were identified early in the pandemic as potential high-risk This course seeks to discuss emerging evidence regarding COVID-19 transmission within the dental team and among patients during dental care delivery and the implementation of advanced infection control practices in dental offices in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to identify high-impact strategies to reduce the risks of airborne disease transmission during dental care delivery. Understanding risks associated with COVID-19 and its transmission during dental care delivery and assessing mitigation strategies within our periodontal practices is critical to improving patient safety and access to dental care.

Learning Objectives:
1. Critically evaluate the biologic rationale and the epidemiologic data supporting an influence of periodontal disease on COVID-19 infection rates and disease severity.
2. Consider the role of periodontists and their dental teams in the control of chronic inflammation through the delivery of periodontal therapy and its potential for an impact on COVID-19 and other high-consequence infectious diseases.
3. Establish current trends of overall COVID infection rates throughout the US and identify risk mitigation strategies associated with decreased community transmission.
4. Identify gaps in our knowledge and areas of need for ongoing surveillance regarding COVID-19 infection rates among dentists, the dental team and patients.