Description:
Substance use disorders are widespread and can significantly affect health and access to care, but stigma, threat of punitive measures, and other uncertainties can make them challenging for many oral health professionals to address.
Join CareQuest Institute for a webinar that will explore the role dental professionals play in recognizing and responding to substance use concerns in both patients and colleagues. Past American Dental Association (ADA) President Dr. Brett Kessler and addiction psychiatrist Dr. David Beckmann will draw from personal experience, clinical expertise, and practical examples to examine how substance use disorders may present in dental settings and explore strategies for reducing stigma and fostering supportive conversations. Speakers will also share approaches to screening and referral, principles of motivational interviewing and person-centered communication, and practical tools for connecting individuals with appropriate care and resources.
Learning Objectives:
1. Recognize the importance of universal screening for substance use disorders in dental settings.
2. Apply person-centered communication and motivational interviewing techniques to engage colleagues and patients in supportive, stigma-free conversations about substance use.
3. Identify appropriate screening, referral, and support resources for individuals experiencing substance use disorders.
Moderator:
Lisa Simon, MD, DMD, Assistant Professor, Director of the Initiative to Integrate Oral Health and Medicine, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Harvard Medical School
Presenters:
David Beckmann, MD, MPH, Program Director, Child & Adolescent, Psychiatry Fellowship; Assistant Professor, Thomas Jefferson University
Brett H. Kessler, DDS, Principal, Dentistry Reimagined, 161st President of the American Dental Association