Orthodontics and the Family Practice Dentist

Orthodontics and the Family Practice Dentist is organized by University of Louisville (UL) School of Dentistry and will be held on May 13, 2023.

Description:
This course is designed to give family practitioners the tools they need to effectively serve the multigenerational needs of the families with which they work. When it comes to dentistry, we tend to get caught in the trap of looking at the hyper-focused picture of individual teeth and determining disease processes. However, a more holistic perspective is equally within our responsibilities as practitioners. Our arsenal includes the ability to prevent issues before they arise, to treat teeth that have not yet erupted through the gums, to guide an occlusion, and to treat the entire smile, which ultimately encompasses the patient's whole face and body. In this class, we will thoroughly screen patients, including discussing the characteristics that should be looked for extra orally, intra-orally, radiographically, and during the clinical exam. The creation and maintenance of diagnostic records for orthodontics, in addition to diagnosis and treatment planning, will be covered in this article. These topics include extra-oral and intra-oral analysis, functional analysis, cephalometric analysis, as well as the scheduling of various treatments. We will discuss the many methods that can be used to determine what falls within the purview of the family practitioner and when it is appropriate to seek the advice of a specialist. The course will also review how to formulate treatment objectives, plans, and informed consent for orthodontic treatment. These are all aspects of orthodontic treatment that fall under the purview of your practice, and as such, they should be standard fare for any competent family physician. There will be a discussion on a high-level overview of interceptive orthodontic treatment planning, including a brief examination of several appliances that are typically utilized in a general practitioner's office. There will be a discussion of comprehensive orthodontic treatment planning, adult orthodontic treatment planning, and retention.

Objectives:
At the conclusion of this course, participants should be better able to:
• Assess and analyze their patient base and know when an orthodontic issue may arise.
• Identify when the treatment falls within their scope of practice and how to treatment plan such cases, whether interceptive or comprehensive treatment
• Screen and determine what is out of their scope of practice and when to seek further assistance for the patient by an orthodontist.
• Identify what diagnostic record keeping is required for orthodontic treatment and, in a cursory way, how to analyze these records.
• Describe what is involved in proper informed consent for orthodontic treatment.

Additional details will be posted as soon as information is available.