CE Hours: 1.5

Description: Systemic health is related to oral health and vice versa. Many systemic diseases are manifested in the oral cavity and many oral conditions and therapies have a profound impact upon systemic diseases. In addition, some of the therapies used to these conditions have significant effects on the oral cavity.  For those reasons, it is important for dentists ( and dental health care professionals) to know about their patients' medical conditions before treating them and to understand which diseases manifest themselves in the oral cavity. This course will present a thorough overview of the principles of  the management of medical conditions in dental patients, Furthermore, the participant will be updated upon current understanding and treatment of oral conditions such as oral cancer, xerostomia, lichen planus and candidiasis among others.

Learning Objectives: 

• Describe the changing epidemiology of medical problems in dental patients 
• Review the medical manifestations and treatment options for medical problems in dental patients
• Identify the oral manifestations and potential complications of medical problems in dental patients

Educational support provided by Endodontic Practice Partners

CE Hours: 1.5

Description: “Do we hold it or fold it?”  This is the decision that clinicians make almost on a daily basis and is usually influenced from one’s background, beliefs, and opinion.  Some erroneously believe that all teeth can and should be saved.  Whereas others conversely think that questionable teeth should always be removed and replaced with an implant.  In this lecture, we will explore criteria that help us understand the long term prognosis of teeth and implants, why one would want to choose to save or extract a tooth, and the complications of each modality.  

Learning Objectives:  

• Describe the rationale behind when to save a tooth or replace it with an implant.
• List the complications in compromised implants and compromised teeth.
• Be able to formulate a working clinical philosophy on the restoration of teeth or their removal with replacements with dental implants.  

CE Hours: 1.0

Description: Severe traumatic dental injuries in growing patients often lead to a range of complications, including pulp necrosis, ankylosis, infra-occlusion, complex restorability issues, tooth loss and subsequent bone loss. These issues can severely impact the patient’s quality of life, since the most affected teeth are the maxillary central incisors in the aesthetic area. Given that young patients have limited options for tooth replacement, preserving both the architecture and amount of bone in the affected area is crucial. Effective bone preservation ensures that when the time comes for future prosthetic solutions, such as implants, they can be implemented with minimal additional procedures. By employing effective bone preservation techniques, both immediate and long-term results can be improved, making future tooth replacement easier and less costly. This presentation will cover a series of clinical cases  that demonstrate how these strategies can significantly impact aesthetic and functional outcomes for young patients.

Learning Objectives:  

• Identify the range of complications that can arise from severe traumatic dental injuries in young patients.
• Explain bone preservation techniques and how they can potentially maintain both the architecture and quantity of bone in these patients assisting in future replacement procedures.
• Describe practical skills in applying effective bone preservation strategies in clinical practice to ensure optimal outcomes for future prosthetic interventions.

CE Hours: 0.75

Description: Combined endodontic-periodontal lesions can arise through different mechanisms. Anatomically, these lesions may occur when pulpal tissue communicates with periodontal tissues via accessory canals or dentinal tubules. Other causes of communication include iatrogenic incidents, root perforations, vertical root fractures, or root resorptions. Treatment of primary endodontic lesions can influence the condition of periodontal tissues. However, the extent to which periodontal lesions and their treatment impact endodontic lesions remains a topic of debate. Managing these combined lesions presents challenges, underscoring the importance of accurate diagnosis and selecting appropriate therapy.

Learning Objectives:  

• Classify endoperiodontal lesions.
• Describe the impact of endodontic lesions and treatment on periodontal tissues and healing process.
• Describe the impact of periodontal lesions and treatment on endodontic tissues and healing process.

CE Hours: 1.5

Description: This presentation will provide an overview of the relationship between trauma and root resorption. It will be clinically focused discussing management principles of various types of root resorption through a series of case illustrations to include inflammatory root resorption, replacement root resorption and invasive cervical resorption. Diagnosis, Classification and Etiology of root resorption will also be reviewed.

Learning Objectives:  

• Explain the clinical methods used for determining what type of resorption has been encountered.
• Differentiate key factors related to each of the various types of root resorption seen in the endodontic practice.
• Describe general principals of management for each type of root resorption.

CE Hours: 0.75

Description: The primary objective of root canal obturation is to create a thorough three-dimensional seal of the canal space following chemomechanical debridement to prevent microleakage and bacterial re-contamination. Voids within the root canal fillings act as reservoirs for microorganisms, significantly impacting the effectiveness of the treatment. Tricalcium silicate sealers are known for their excellent biocompatibility, chemical stability, flowability, and  radiopacity. Recent clinical observations have shown a success rate of 90.9% when using a premixed tricalcium silicate sealer with the single-cone technique over a period of 30.1 months. Despite these advantages, in vitro studies reveal that this method may lead to the formation of voids, occupying up to 6.29% of the canal volume in round or slightly oval canals, and as much as 15.39% in more elongated canals.This presentation introduces a refined obturation technique that involves the application of a mild apical negative pressure during the insertion of the tricalcium silicate sealer. This method facilitates the sealer's movement from the canal orifice to the apex, effectively reaching full working length. The technique, when combined with the single-cone method, significantly reduces void formation in elongated root canals to just 0.42%, compared to 15.39% with the traditional method alone. This approach enhances the quality of root canal fillings by minimizing voids and avoids complications such as sealer extrusion by using smaller taper and size gutta-percha points. Unlike the vacuum obturation method proposed by Dr. Adrian Lussi, this negative pressure technique simplifies the procedure, offering a practical and efficient solution for practitioners.

Learning Objectives:  

• Describe the limitations of traditional root canal obturation, including the formation of voids.
• Utilize the principle behind the negative pressure obturation technique, to minimize void formation and improve the quality of seal in the root canal.
• Compare the performance of the negative pressure obturation technique with conventional singlecone and other obturation methods.

CE Hours: 1.0

Description: In this dynamic lecture, Dr. Bruno Azevedo will explain Artificial Intelligence's (AI) transformative role in modern endodontics, focusing on its applications in CBCT imaging enhancement and diagnosis. The presentation will explore advanced imaging enhancement techniques, such as task-specific rendering and cinematographic rendering, demonstrating how these AI-powered tools significantly improve image quality adding in the diagnosis of vertical root fractures and the visualization of micro dental anatomy. We will also discuss AI's broader impact on endodontic practices, including its potential to assist clinicians in diagnosing, analyzing patient medical histories, and optimizing clinical note-taking. This lecture will provide a comprehensive overview of AI's integration into endodontic workflows by examining current applications and future possibilities. Attendees will gain valuable insights into how AI reshapes dentistry, from enhancing diagnostic accuracy to streamlining clinical decision-making processes, ultimately improving patient care and treatment outcomes. This forward-looking presentation will equip endodontists with the knowledge to embrace and leverage AI technologies in their practices.

Learning Objectives:  

• Demonstrate how AI enhances CBCT imaging through Task Specific Rendering and Cinematographic rendering for improved diagnosis of vertical root fractures
• Explain the role of AI in assisting endodontists with diagnosis, specifically in interpreting CBCT scans and recognizing patterns indicative of various endodontic pathologies
• Evaluate the impact of AI on the future of endodontic practice, education, and research, encouraging critical thinking about its integration into daily clinical workflows

CE Hours: 1.25

Description: This is the second session in a two-part series on the management of traumatic dental injuries (TDI). The focus here will be on evidenced based management of injuries to mature teeth. The multi-disciplinary approach required to manage these cases will be discussed and several case examples will be reviewed. The differences in managing patients of varying ages will be highlighted. Concepts related to esthetic considerations, timing of restorative treatment, orthodontic treatment, ridge preservation and implants will be discussed.

Learning Objectives:  

• Describe the difference in epidemiology of TDI in older patients
• Explain how to manage root fractures and monitor for outcomes
• Describe the prosthodontic and orthodontic considerations required for multi-disciplinary management of these cases

CE Hours: 1.25

Description: This session will present an interdisciplinary overview of detecting, diagnosing, treating and restoring teeth with fractures and cracks, both large and small. The presenters will review endodontics and restorative evaluation of fracture lines and cracks and discuss how the endodontist and restorative dentist communicate to make the best decisions to present to a patient for long term success of the endodontics/restorative procedures based on current endodontics and restorative EBD.

Learning Objectives:  

• Determine the severity of fractures/cracks in teeth and work with their restorative colleagues on managing, restoring or making a decision to extract a tooth based on the patient's clinical presentation.
• Determine the long term prognosis of care rendered.
• Make an evidenced based decision for treatment options and selection of restorative materials and treatments for the best long term results. 

CE Hours: 0.75

Description: Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been widely discussed as one of the most significant disruptors of current times. While the use of generative AI, such as Chat GPT, has been a hot topic in education, other applications of AI have substantially impacted the dental industry as well. Clinical decision support tools, such as Overjet, analyze digital images to identify periapical radiolucencies, caries, and bone levels. This session will present a dental school’s experience using an AI-powered clinical decision support tool in a comprehensive clinical care model to improve the identification of endodontic lesions, optimize patient flow, and impact educational outcomes. Attendees will gain insights into the practical application of these tools, potential challenges, and benefits, ultimately aiming to elevate the quality of endodontic education and patient care.

Learning Objectives:  

• Describe the fundamentals of artificial intelligence and its relevance to endodontic practice.
• Identify the functionalities and capabilities of Overjet as a clinical decision support tool in endodontics.
• Apply strategies for leveraging AI technologies in endodontic curricula to enhance student learning and clinical outcomes.