2021 Catalog: Dentist Courses

Today in America, addiction is a public health crisis. The opioid epidemic and substance use disorders more broadly have become one of the most common chronic illnesses in the U.S. In 2016, more than 115 Americans die from an opioid overdose. The misuse of and addiction to opioids—including prescription pain relievers, heroin, and synthetic opioids such as fentanyl—is a serious national crisis that affects public health as well as social and economic welfare.

In 2015, nearly 21 million Americans – more than the number of people who have all cancers combined – suffer from a substance use disorder involving alcohol or drugs – but only 1 in 10 receives treatment. One in 7 people in the U.S. is expected to develop a substance use disorder at some point in lives.

The Office of the Surgeon General released the first ever Surgeon General’s report on Substance Use and Addiction in November 2016. Facing Addiction in America: The Surgeon General’s Report on Alcohol, Drugs, and Health addresses alcohol, illicit drugs, and prescription drug misuse, with chapters dedicated to neurobiology, prevention, treatment, recovery, health systems integration and recommendations for the future. It provides an in-depth look at the science of substance use disorders and addiction, calls for a cultural shift in the way Americans talk about the issue, and recommends actions we can take to prevent and treat these conditions, and promote recovery.

In 2018, the Office of the Surgeon General released a public health advisory to urge more Americans to carry a lifesaving medication, naloxone, which can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. Additional help and resources are available.

In 2018, The Surgeon General released Facing Addiction in America: Spotlight on Opioids to provide opioid-relevant information for the 2016 Surgeon General’s Report. The Surgeon General’s opioid postcard has 5 actions every person can take to stem the opioid epidemic. For more opioid resources, go to hhs.gov/opioids.

This course is open to all USPHS dentists. The weblink will be sent out via the listserv.

Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:
1. Recognize signs of an opioid overdose, as compared to other medical emergencies;
2. Administer an opioid reversal agent and provide assistance until emergency medical team responds; and
3. Understand the role of dental staff in immediately responding to opioid overdoses.

Samantha Gustafson — For follow-up questions, please contact the speaker at samantha.gustafson@ihs.gov.

It is the policy of the Indian Health Service, Division of Oral Health, that faculty/planners disclose any financial or other relationships with commercial companies whose products may be discussed in the educational activity. The Indian Health Service, Division of Oral Health, also requires that faculty disclose any unlabeled or investigative use of pharmaceutical products and medical devices. Images that have been falsified or manipulated to misrepresent treatment outcomes are prohibited.

None of the faculty/planners for this activity has a conflict of interest, and there is no use of unlabeled or investigative pharmaceutical products or medical devices. No images have been falsified or manipulated to misrepresent treatment outcomes.The educational objectives, content, and selection of educational methods and instructors are conducted independent of any commercial entity.

The IHS Division of Oral Health is an accredited sponsor of continuing education under the American Dental Association Continuing Education Recognition Program (CERP). ADA CERP is a service of the American Dental Association to assist dental professionals in identifying quality providers of continuing dental education. ADA CERP does not approve or endorse individual courses or instructors, nor does it imply acceptance of credit hours by boards of dentistry. Concerns or complaints about a CE provider may be directed to the IHS at IHS CDE Coordinator or to the Commission for Continuing Education Provider Recognition at CCEPR.ada.org

Participants must be USPHS dentists.

Please Make Checks Payable to: Indian Health Service.

Tuition must be paid in full 8 weeks prior to the start date of any course. Request for refunds must be received in writing at least two weeks before the course begins. For each refund request, there will be an administrative charge of $100. No refunds will be made to registrants who fail to attend a course. If IHS CDE program cancels a course, then 100% of the tuition will be refunded.