SP-25 Maintaining the Natural Dentition: Considerations for Access to Endodontic Care and Treatment Outcomes

CE Hours: 0.75

Description: As Endodontists our mission is to save teeth and our specialized training equips us to do so. Biologic and clinical factors that impact endodontic treatment outcomes are widely studied, discussed, and considered in treatment planning. However, other, external factors also impact our ability to maintain the natural dentition. This session will explore factors that have been shown to impact access to endodontic care and outcomes of endodontic treatment, with an emphasis on oral health policy, economic forces, and clinician decision-making. Further, this session will consider how endodontists can promote oral health equity through clinical practice and advocacy.

Learning Objectives:  

• List clinical factors shown to have significant influence on the outcomes of nonsurgical endodontic treatment.
• Discuss nonclinical factors that may impact access to endodontic care.
• Describe national (U.S.) trends in dental care use, insurance coverage, and barriers.