The Tooth Be Told: Dental Complaints in Acute Care
Saturday, May 17, 2025
12:15 PM – 12:45 PM
CE: .50 AAPA Category 1 CME
This session is for emergency medicine PAs and healthcare professionals who manage acute cases in urgent care and family practice. Dental complaints often present urgently due to pain or lack of access to dental services. While definitive dental care may fall outside a PA’s scope, recognizing and managing urgent dental issues is essential to prevent serious complications and effectively address patient pain. Participants will learn the importance of dental presentations and how social determinants of health and lead patients to seek emergency care. The session covers the recognition and treatment of common non-traumatic dental issues, with emphasis on pain management, antibiotic stewardship, and identifying “do-not-miss” cases, such as deep space infections and Ludwig’s angina.
Learning Objectives:
At the conclusion of this session, participants should be able to:
Explain the significance of dental presentations in emergency settings, including the epidemiology and social determinants of health
Recognize various non-traumatic dental presentations and determine the appropriate treatments
Assess the severity and urgency of interventions for critical presentations, such as deep space neck infections and Ludwig’s angina
