Annual Meeting Hygiene LecturEs
How Periodontal Disease Impacts Systemic Health – A Call to Action
Course By:- Satish Kumar, DMD, MDSc, MS
Course Description:-
Research evidence linking periodontal and systemic diseases continues to grow exponentially. This presentation will bring to light the growing evidence of biological mechanisms linking periodontal and systemic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, arthritis, among others. An explanation of the difference between association and causality and the role of confounding factors will be discussed followed by discussion on correct interpretation of results of published studies. Clinical guidelines from professional organizations and practical suggestions on applying the evidence linking periodontal and systemic diseases in clinical practice will be discussed, emphasizing the need to act on current evidence.
Learning Objectives:
- Describe periodontal and systemic disease connections.
- Differentiate association versus causality and recognize the role of confounding factors.
- Apply evidence linking periodontal and systemic diseases in clinical practice.
The 2025 Oral Health Revolution: Rethinking Oral Care Products, Ingredients & Protocols
Course By:- Dr. Kami Hoss
Course Description:-
In a world where patients are overwhelmed by toothpaste aisles and TikTok trends, even dental professionals are left questioning: What really works, and what causes more harm than good?
This course takes you beyond outdated myths and the oversimplified fluoride vs. non-fluoride debate. Join us for a deep dive into the future of oral care—where safety, science, and innovation meet. You’ll learn how to critically evaluate the products your patients use every day at home, and discover emerging research on the oral microbiome, the use of prebiotics, probiotics, and even antibiotics in daily care.
We’ll explore how the latest advancements in toothbrush bristle design, mouthwash formulation, and toothpaste technology are rewriting the rules of oral hygiene. You’ll leave empowered with the knowledge to guide your patients with confidence and precision in 2025 and beyond.
Learning Objectives:
By the end of this course, attendees will be able to:
- Explain the modern connection between oral health, systemic health, and the role of oral care products used at home.
- Understand the critical role of the oral microbiome and how to protect it through informed product recommendations.
- Identify key risk factors for caries and periodontal disease, and how at-home care products can help mitigate them.
- Learn why some “natural” oral care products may do more harm than good, and how to critically evaluate ingredient claims to make informed recommendations.
- Analyze a wide range of oral care product categories (toothpaste, mouthwash, floss, sprays, etc.) and identify which formulations support periodontal and systemic health.
- Compare the mechanisms and benefits of fluoride and hydroxyapatite and understand when each is appropriate.
- Understand the differences between micro and nano-hydroxyapatite and their respective roles in enamel remineralization and dentinal tubule occlusion.
- Explore the emerging roles of prebiotics, probiotics, and antibiotics in oral care, especially in relation to inflammation and microbial balance.
- Learn how salivary pH influences oral health, and how oral care products can help restore and maintain optimal pH balance.
- Recognize how innovations in toothbrush bristle technology (manual and powered) are transforming care for patients with periodontal conditions.
Unconventional Wisdom for Local Anesthesia Success - (90 mins.)
Course By:- Kathy Bassett, BSDH, RDH, MEd, QOM, FADHA
Course Description:-
The most common complication during dental procedures is inadequate anesthesia. Most clinicians will agree, successful anesthesia is achieved by a “mix and match” of techniques mostly based on clinician confidence. We will explore some uncommon insights into maxillary and mandibular anatomy to improve the odds of achieving reliably profound anesthesia and discuss key pharmaceutical properties of anesthetics that can be leveraged for predictably higher success rates. Highlighted will be “High Inferior Alveolar Blocks”, short-needle Inferior Alveolar Blocks, Gow Gates Mandibular Blocks, and Anterior Middle Superior Alveolar (AMSA) injections contrasted to the “pros and cons” of standard infiltrations. Other unique supplements injections, as well as effective “rescue” injections, will be discussed. Pharmaceutical properties of anesthetics and the use of buffering agents will also be highlighted.
Learning Objectives:
- Understand anatomical features of the maxilla and mandible that promote effective anesthesia, and reasons for anesthesia failure.
- Visualize relevant anatomy and histology of the pterygomandibular triangle to leverage for profound anesthesia, quick onset, and successful rescue injections to include: AMSA injections, alternatives to common Halstead mandibular blocks, “High Block”, “Short Needle” inferior alveolar, Akinosi and Gow-Gates block techniques, retromolar infiltrations and PDL-IA block techniques.
- Discuss key physiological and pharmacological reasons for failure of dental local anesthesia and the benefits of buffering local anesthetic drugs.
Periodontal Protocols Prevail -A Dental Hygienist’s Guide to Excellence in Care
Course By:- Lynn Atkinson, RDH
Course Description:-
Effective periodontal care is fundamental to maintaining oral and systemic health, and dental hygienists play a pivotal role in early diagnosis and treatment. This presentation outlines evidence-based protocols and diagnosis tailored for dental hygienists. It emphasizes the integration of clinical skills, diagnostic tools, and patient education to ensure comprehensive care. Topics covered include periodontal assessments, risk factor identification, periodontal therapies, and advanced maintenance strategies. By mastering these protocols, dental hygienists can enhance patient outcomes, promote preventative care, and contribute significantly to interdisciplinary healthcare teams.
Learning Objectives:
- Identify the key clinical and radiographic indicators of periodontal diseases including their classification, etiology, and progression, to accurately diagnose and assess patient needs.
- Implement periodontal treatment protocols, including periodontal therapies, adjunctive therapies, to effectively manage periodontal health ad prevent disease progression.
- Develop personalized care plans that incorporate patient education, risk factor management, and long-term maintenance strategies to support optimal periodontal health and overall well-being.
Demystifying Biofilms and the Microbiome: The Ultimate Social Network
Course By:- Jodi Deming, RDH
Course Description:-
As clinicians in oral medicine it is imperative to have an understanding of the balance of biofilm and the microbiome. Our genotype determines what colonizes us and ones risk for disease may begin earlier that we think. Understanding as our therapies have evolved so has the dynamic interaction of the oral ecosystem. An oral ecosystem is a delicate balance that must be protected. The most important service out microbes provide is our immunity. Comprehending the goal of our therapy, and the ability to communicate to patients the intent and value of the therapy. With this understanding, choosing appropriate options for our clinical care and better advise our patients regarding the plethora of selfceare options they are exposed to to support a symbiotic microbiome.
Learning Objectives:
- What does research tell us are the greatest determinants of oral dysbiosis?
- Specifically discussing behavior, environment and systemic disease.
- Describe how our industrialized modern life is causing a mass extinction of the human microbiome contributing to many current common diseases and how science is teaching us to fight back.
- Understanding that many of our oral care products may deplete bacterial species with potential to have unintended and negative consequences as we uncover the mysteries of the microbiome.
Brain Health Matters: Integrating Alzheimer’s Risk Reduction Strategies
Course By:- Anne Rice, RDH
Course Description:-
Alzheimer’s disease poses a significant public health challenge, requiring ongoing research and comprehensive approaches to prevention, care, and support for those affected. While there is no one specific root cause there is an understanding that lifestyle, behavioral, and medical interventions is key to prevention. A compelling amount of scientific evidence has revealed that poor oral health is a risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) independent of age, gender, and laboratory measures and has identified that diseases related to tooth loss, dental caries, periodontal diseases, gingivitis, and other diseases of the lip and oral mucosa are associated with a higher risk of AD. Discover evidence-based, safe strategies not only to improve your own brain health but to help your patients extend their brain span, reinforcing our role as healthcare providers.
Learning Objectives:
- Recognize the scope of bacteria, yeast, and viruses in the development of Alzheimer’s disease.
- Discover how heart health, hearing loss, genetics, insulin resistance, diet, exercise and sleep impact the risk of cognitive decline.
- Examine “red flag” risk factors that can be found on patients’ medical histories and how dental providers can make a difference.
- Realize relationships between tooth loss, implant restoration and failure, as related to cognitive decline
Medical History Front and Center – Oral Pathologies as Manifestations of Systemic Conditions - (2 CE Hours)
Course By:- Sherri Lukes, RDH, MS, FAADH
Course Description:-
Completing a thorough medical history is an imperative step in the dental process of care. An examination of oral lesions that are manifestations of systemic diseases will be discussed in this course. Expand your reasoning as we look at lesions and oral changes, deciphering the systemic conditions they are evidence of. Etiology, clinical appearance, and treatment options of both common and uncommon conditions are included, emphasizing interdisciplinary collaboration with other health professionals. Dental professionals with keen eyes for these lesions/changes and the conditions they are associated with can elevate both patient and employer appreciation.
Learning Objectives:
- Discuss the importance of current oral pathology knowledge when conducting intra/ extra-oral exams.
- Describe oral symptoms of various systemic conditions as presented in cases.
- Compare/contrast lesions that can be considered in a differential diagnosis for each pathologic entity.
Cracking the Code: Saliva Diagnostics for Personalized Periodontal and Peri-Implant Care
Course By:- Lora Hooper, RDH
Course Description:-
Step into the future of dentistry with “Cracking the Code: Saliva Diagnostics for Personalized Periodontal and Peri-Implant Care.” This dynamic course invites you to uncover the secrets hidden in saliva—an innovative diagnostic tool that precisely reveals bacterial, fungal, and viral risk factors. You’ll learn how to interpret saliva test results and translate them into targeted treatment strategies that elevate patient outcomes. From identifying high-risk pathogens, like Red Complex bacteria and Candida yeast, to Pseudomonas, which are said to be responsible for up to 50% of implant failures, this session equips you with the knowledge and confidence to integrate cutting-edge diagnostics into your everyday practice. Join us to unlock the potential of saliva testing to transform how you diagnose, treat, and manage periodontal and peri-implant cases!
Learning Objectives:
- Interpret: Interpret saliva diagnostic test results by correlating bacterial, fungal, and viral markers to enhance diagnosis and risk assessment in periodontal disease and peri-implantitis
- Apply: Apply saliva test results to formulate personalized, evidence based treatment protocols that address specific microbial findings in periodontal and peri implant care.
- Evaluate: Evaluate the effectiveness of integrating saliva diagnostics into treatment strategies by assessing patient outcomes and disease progression over time.
Maximizing Your Power Instrumentation Abilities
Course By:- Nancy Miller, RDH, BA
Course Description:-
Staying current with clinical applications of power instruments has a new level of importance in this era of technology and the Oral Systemic Link research. Understanding how to get the most out of power scalers and air polishers leads to more time efficiency, better treatment results, and better ergonomics for the hygienist. Micro ultrasonics are now considered standard of care in periodontal therapy, but what else are you using them for? What technological advances have there been since you were in school or your last CE Course? Is there really a difference between piezoelectric technology and magnetostrictive units? Are there any new inserts on the market? Is there any superior way to adapt ultrasonic instruments to the type of patient in your chair? Air polishers have been around for 4 decades, but their use was generally restricted to supragingival stain removal. Like ultrasonics with micro tips, their use with finer size powder particles has evolved into the next treatment modality for preventative and periodontal therapy. What do you need to know about this latest technological application? How can you incorporate it into your clinical routine? How can they be used around implants? We now have Perio Classifications for Implants and how can we use Power Air Streaming in practice?
Learning Objectives:
Participants will learn:
- Subgingival airstreaming for biofilm control using glycine perio powders.
- Implant maintenance and peri-mucositis treatment following AAP codes.
- Ergonomics and Aerosol control hints.
- Worn inserts impact on patient care and how to measure insert wear.
Update Your Products and Protocols for Improved Patient Care
Course By:- Tricia Osuna, BSDH, RDH, FAADH
Course Description:-
Updated protocols assist us in determining our patient’s specific needs. As we move towards a more collaborative profession, we need to embrace these updates to identify those needs. We are presented with continuous challenges of new advances in products and technology and their use in dentistry and are in need of information to determine when and how to add them into our armamentaria. As professionals providing health services, our perception of product use along with protocols needs to be discussed with our team as well as the interdisciplinary referrals we have. The process of care (assessment, diagnosis, treatment planning, implementation, evaluation and documentation) requires a comprehension of protocols, products and treatment options and how they are to be utilized.
Learning Objectives:
- Distinguish which new-to-market products should be brought into your practice.
- Integrate materials and products for a variety of uses in the dental office from infection dental hygiene therapy, oral cancer screening, patient communication and instrumentation.
- Develop effective communication with patients and assist in the business of the dental practice.
- Formulate strategies that incorporate efficiency in patient treatment for more productive scheduling.
HANDS-ON WORKSHOPS
Exosomes, PRF, and the Future of Regenerative Medicine/Dentistry
saturday, sept 13th • hands-on workshop • 8am-5pm
Course By:- Richard Miron, DDS, PhD, dr. med. dent.
Course Description:-
Recently, major advancements were made in platelet rich fibrin therapy highlighted by the ability to extend the resorption properties from the standard fast-resorbing 2-3 week membranes towards an extended membrane that lasts 4-6 months. This talk will first focus on these recent advancements recently published in the Journal Periodontology 2000. Clinical indications and case series studies will be presented on various opportunities whereby collagen membranes can be entirely replaced by these autologous sources. Thereafter, their use as an all-natural facial filler (the BioFiller) will be discussed as replacement options to standard chemical fillers such as Restylane and Juvéderm. Lastly, exosomes, the smallest subset of extracellular signaling vesicles, have gained enormous momentum recently for their ability to be utilized as diagnostic tools as well as for a vast array of therapeutic applications. Over 5’000 publications are currently being published yearly on this topic and this number is only expected to dramatically increase as novel therapeutic strategies continue to be investigated. This talk will finish by focusing on the understanding of exosomes including their cell origin, biogenesis, function and characterization. Thereafter, an overview of their application in regenerative dentistry and medicine will be presented including their use as an adjunct to PRF therapy. In total, 113 research articles have thus far examined the use of exosomes for regenerative dental purposes. Therapeutic exosomes are most commonly derived from dental pulps, periodontal ligament cells, gingival fibroblasts, stem cells from exfoliated deciduous teeth, and apical papilla and have all been shown to facilitate the regeneration of a number of tissues, including bone, cementum, periodontal ligament, nerves, and temporomandibular joint disorders.
Learning Objectives:
- Update on Bio-Heat technology and the ability to extend the working properties of PRF from 2-3 weeks to 4-6 months.
- Use of the extended-PRF membranes in implant dentistry and periodontology as a replacement to collagen membranes.
- Use of ‘BioFillers’ in facial esthetics and the opportunities for the dentist.
- Understanding of exosome and their therapeutic benefits in regenerative periodontology.
For Member: $895 | For Non-Member: $995
Advanced Dental Ergonomics with Ergonomic Loupes
Workflow, Posture, Positioning and Wellness in Dentistry in the Use of Ergonomic Loupes
saturday, sept 13th • hands-on workshop • 2pm-5pm
Course By:- Juan Carlos Ortiz Hugues, DDS, FAMED, CEAS
Course Description:-
Many companies have begun to market loupes that are more ergonomically friendly for dental professionals. However, training has been minimal at best. AMED is the world educational leader in High Magnification Dentistry. This course is the only course that will teach you the effective and beneficial ways to use these new loupes. Naked eye dentistry should be a thing of the past, the high rate of musculoskeletal disorders of 60-80% for dentists and the rate of early retirement from the profession due to limiting injuries or mental fatigue are a reality. Conventional loupes without an appropriate guide to adjust them to the individual dimensions of the user have been a limitation for the professional to acquire healthy work postures within the neutral. Currently there are ergonomic loupes on the market, which have revolutionized the high magnification market. These loupes came to solve the postural problems of many conventional loupes on the market and, in turn, generate a high optical quality to magnify and see better. Added to this, low-weight LED lighting systems, non-touch on and off, and video camera systems for live documentation bring this technology closer to the broad benefits already known in the dental microscope, but with a lower investment cost, portability and a much flatter, easier and faster learning curve to handle. In this course we will be able to address the proper use of these loupes and apply it in the office with a systematic approach to simplified positioning, starting from the biomechanics of the human body to working with four hands to perform better, without suffering from it.
Learning Objectives:
- Incorporate knowledge of the biomechanics of the human body and the neutral sitting posture.
- Adapt the use of technology according to the individual anthropometrics of each operator.
- Use magnifying glasses with a systematic positioning system.
- Use the magnifying glasses fluently minimizing the learning curve.
- Adapt four-handed dentistry to work efficiently with the assistant.
- Understand the use of the ergonomic stool and its synergy with magnifying glasses.
- Incorporate organizational office strategies that minimize mental fatigue
PART 1. Biomechanics of the human body, the ergonomic stool, posture
PART 2. Systematic positioning
PART 3. Ergo loupes feature and user guidelines
PART 4. Four-handed dentistry. The role of the dental assistant
Price: $199
Dental Microscope User Guidelines Course
The Postural, Positioning and Ergonomics Applied Systematic Approach to the Effective and Proper Use of the Dental Microscope
sunday, sept 14th • hands-on workshop • 8am-12pm
Course By:- Juan Carlos Ortiz Hugues, DDS, FAMED, CEAS
Course Description:-
The basic premise of ergonomics is to make the task fit the person, rather than making the person adjust to the task. Dentistry is one of the most demanding professions with high incidences of musculoskeletal disorders where many professionals are retiring early because of neck, back, shoulder, arm and wrist injuries. One of the greatest benefits of the dental operative microscope (DOM) use in dentistry is the improvement in ergonomics. The microscope solves two of the major problems in dentistry: lack of vision (magnification) and posture (focal distance). This is why ideal neutral posture is generally not attainable while operating unless you use a dental microscope. Numerous studies have been conducted on the prevalence of work-related pain in dentistry. In the US, the results indicate that more than half of all practicing dental professionals experience work-related pain, and on average, 30% are forced into early retirement due to musculoskeletal disorders.
ALL MODULES BELOW INCLUDE A LECTURE AND DEMONSTRATION
PART 1. UNDERSTANDING BIOMECHANICS:
- Neutral Seated Posture
- Adjusting The Operator Stool
PART 2. POSITIONING THE PATIENT IN THE CHAIR:
- Patient Horizontal Position
- Verbal Cues
- Frequent Mistakes
PART 3. THE ASSISTANT’S ROLE:
- Assistant Positioning
- Delivery Systems-Horizontal Reaching
PART 4. MICROSCOPE ADJUSTING AND SETTING:
- Positioning The Microscope (Operator Clock Position)
- Frequent Mistakes During Microscope Adjustment And Position Mirror Techique
- Laws Of Ergonomic Movements
- Parfocussing The Microscope
- Items In The Microscope That Provide Ergonomics
WHO SHOULD TAKE THIS COURSE?
- Doctors and hygienists who want to eliminate neck and back pain from their daily
practice without losing productivity. - New, experienced and/or potential microscope users, including general dentists and
specialists who want to learn how to use the scope. - Doctors who want to pass the AMED Certification exam.