2023 AAOM Schedule | Day 4 | Saturday, May 6

Workshop - Incorporating Digital Workflow in Oral Medicine Practice

Moderator: Chelsia Sim

The use of digital technology and intraoral scanners has been widely embraced in recent years by dental professionals. This technology has shown a great promise for increasing predictability and efficiency of treatment with positive impacts on patient outcomes.

This session will provide practical guidance and in-depth details for digital workflow applications with case examples to help practitioners establish a digital practice. Pre-registration with extra fees is required to attend this session. 

 Learning objectives:

1. Appreciate the applications of  Digital Workflow in oral medicine and its contribution to improve workflow, accuracy, efficiency, patient comfort, and turnaround time.
2. Understand the functionality of digital [CAD/CAM] & 3D printing in optimizing the workflow.
3. Familiarize with the materials and characterization options with indications for clinical success.

"Meet the Experts” Sessions are free-style round table discussions designed to allow the opportunity for small groups of audience (25 max) to have a focused and in-depth discussion with experts in essential topics in oral medicine and special care dentistry. This year, there will be four sessions running simultaneously. Every session will run twice (45 minutes each) to allow attendees the chance to attend two topics of their interest. Each session will consist of a 10-minute introductory talk followed by a 30-minute open-format interactive discussion. 

Meet the Expert Session: Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Oral Medicine Practice

Faculty: Dharti Patel, DMD, ND, FDS RCSEd.  
Moderator: Dr. David Dean

Learning objectives:

1. Appreciate several alternative medicine approaches and their indications in clinical care.
2. Understand the rational and potential benefits of incorporating complementary/alternative medicine into your oral medicine practice.
3. Recognize the limitations in these treatment modalities to maintain appropriate transparency with your patients.

Meet the Expert Session: The Difficult Patient: Understand the Circumstance and Manage the Situation

Faculty: Ronald Kulich, PhD
Moderator: Dr. Arwa Farag

Factors that contribute to having a “Difficult Patient” may emerge from several sources. The more factors that come into play, the harder it is to manage patient interaction effectively. Labeling the “interaction” rather than the “patient” as difficult creates opportunities to influence our perception of that difficulty. Awareness of the psychological background of the patient and the circumstance that lead to developing those difficulties may help manage the difficult situation and prevent unpleasant interactions from escalating. 

Learning Objectives:

1. Appreciate the factors that contribute to having a “Difficult Patient”.
2. Recognize and screen possible underlying psychological disorders that your “Difficult Patient” may suffer from.
3. Practice optimal methods to manage difficult situations and channel your patient to pursue professional psychological assistance.  

Meet the Expert Session: How to Teach Oral Medicine

Faculty: Dr. David Ojeda, Sonal S. Shah, DDS
Moderator: Dr. David Ojeda

Learning objectives:

1. Compare and contrast teaching strategies and technologies utilized in modern pedagogy with those in traditional lecture-based instruction.
2. Identify opportunities to incorporate active learning in the classroom and seminar sessions.
3. Strengthen clinical teaching strategies and the incorporation of clinical cases into classroom-based training.  

Meet the Expert Session: How and Why to Become a Journal Reviewer

Moderator: Dr. Ahmed Sultan

Peer review is a crucial element in evidence-based medicine and the dissemination of scientific knowledge that enhances objectivity, accuracy, and ethical decision-making. This critical process would not be possible without the selfless and dedicated efforts of individuals with unique expertise serving as journal reviewers. This session focuses on the process of becoming a journal reviewer and the benefits that this may provide to the individual reviewer and oral medicine as a whole. 

Learning objectives:

1. Describe the objectives of peer review and its importance in the scientific method.
2. Outline the process of becoming a peer reviewer and strategies to obtain reviewer positions in individual areas of expertise. 
3. Highlight practical strategies to improve one's skills as a journal reviewer.  

Workshop - Incorporating Laser Applications in Oral Medicine Practice Part I: Surgical Laser

Moderator: Piam Vacharotayangul

In recent years, lasers have become more prevalent in dental practice and oral medicine is no exception. This workshop offers a combination of didactic and hands-on simulation sessions to help practitioners incorporate lasers into their everyday practice.

Pre-registration with extra fees is required to attend this session. 

Introduction to Laser Physics and Fundamentals

Faculty: James S. Carreiro, DMD, PA

This talk provides basic understanding of the laser spectrum and its applications in clinical dentistry.

Learning objectives:

1. Understand the fundamentals of lasers.
2. Appreciate physiologic interactions of light with biological tissues.
3. Learn salient characteristics of light safety for best clinical practice.

Safety Principles in Clinical Applications of Lasers

Faculty: James S. Carreiro, DMD, PA

This lecture sheds light on the essential and mandatory precautionary measures to guarantee the safety of both patients and practitioners.  

Learning objectives:

1. Familiarize attendees with the safety measures during laser/light applications.
2. Appreciate the implication of correct treatment settings & techniques.
3. Apply pre-, intra-, and post-operative precautions and manage possible treatment-related complications.   

Laser in Dentistry – Restorations and Hard Tissue Surgery

Faculty: Jaisri Thoppay DDS, MBA, MS

This discussion will walk attendees through the various clinical indications and procedures for hard tissue lasers with special emphasis on utilizing this technology in the dental management of patients with medical complexities.

Learning objectives:

1. Familiarize attendees with the various clinical indications for hard tissue lasers.
2. Appreciate the implications of lasers in hard tissue surgery for medically complex dental patients.
3. Apply the proper techniques in minimally invasive procedures such as dental restorations.

Applications of Laser in Oral Medicine – Biopsy Techniques

Faculty: Jaisri Thoppay DDS, MBA, MS

This hands-on session allows attendees to practice proper laser biopsy procedures & tissue handling techniques.

Learning objectives:

1. Familiarize with the correct settings of the laser devices.
2. Understand the clinical indications for surgical laser biopsies.
3. Apply the proper surgical procedures & tissue handling techniques.

Applications of Laser in Oral Medicine – Management of oral lesions: A Case-Based Learning 

Faculty: Jaisri Thoppay DDS, MBA, MS

This session familiarizes attendees with the various clinical indications for surgical lasers in oral medicine practice and provides detailed clinical guidance on these surgical techniques. 

Learning objectives:

1. Familiarize attendees with the various clinical indications for surgical lasers with emphasis on those routinely encountered in oral medicine practice.
2. Practice correct surgical techniques to ensure optimal outcomes.
3. Apply pre-and post-operative precautionary and safety measures.

Coffee Break

Ballroom Prefunction North

Hands-on and Techniques Application

Demonstrators/Faculties:Jaisri Thoppay, James S. Carreiro, Ken Ikeda, Manoela Martins, Piam Vachoratayangul, and Praveen Arany, Alex Disessa, Jonathan Luo and Arwa Farag

This is a practical hands-on session is designed for attendees to apply proper setting and clinical techniques for safe and effective soft tissue surgeries.

Scarbrough 3

Clinicopathologic Conference: Expert Panel & Audience Poll

Moderator: Mohammed BinDakhil

What Oral Lesions May Reveal
In many instances, oral lesions may be the “tip of the iceberg” that leads to multidisciplinary investigations to ultimately uncover significant systemic pathology. This case conference will bring 4 experts in various healthcare disciplines to the stage to review unique clinical cases in which oral signs and symptoms were critical in identifying systemic disease. Attendees will participate in live polling throughout the presentation. Ample time will be designated for more interaction between the audience and the expert panel at the end of the session. 

Learning objectives:

1. Demonstrate the clinical signs and symptoms detected/reported in patients with oral lesions and highlight the “red flags” that prompt suspicion.
2. Illustrate the value of multidisciplinary collaboration in establishing a definitive diagnosis. 
3. Discuss multimodal care provided by different disciplines to reduce morbidity and improve patients’ quality of life.

Closing Lecture: The Journey of Cancer Diagnosis and Therapy

Faculty: A. Ross Kerr DDS, MSD, Nancy Y. Lee MD, FASTRO 
Moderator: Dr. Jennifer Frustino

This session will focus on the diagnosis and treatment journey of patients with HPV+ oropharynx cancer, with special emphasis on the shifting treatment paradigm.   

Learning Objectives:

1. Appreciate the presenting signs and symptoms of HPV+ oropharynx cancer from patients’ perspective.
2. Outline the steps in the diagnostic work-up for HPV+ oropharynx cancer.
3. Summarize current evidence on the treatment and follow-up of patients with HPV+ oropharynx cancer. 

Workshop - Incorporating Laser Applications in Oral Medicine Practice Part II: Photodynamic & Photobiomodulation Therapy

Moderator: Jennifer Frustino

Pre-registration with extra fees is required to attend this session. 

Faculty: Praveen Arany DDS., MMSc., Ph.D.

Learning objectives:

1. Appreciate the major differences between surgical laser and photodynamic/photobiomodulation therapies.
2. Understand the mechanisms in which light therapy may promote analgesic, anti-inflammation, and wound healing effects.
3. Familiar with the proper settings and application techniques of photodynamic/photobiomodulation therapies in clinical practice.

Photobiomodulation Therapy in Oral Medicine – Clinical Applications

Faculty: Alan Rogers Santos-Silva, DDS, Ms, PhD.

Learning objectives:

1. Familiar with the various clinical indications for photobiomodulation therapies routinely encountered in oral medicine clinics.
2. Appreciate the emerging literature supporting this therapeutic modality.
3. Understand the advantages and shortcomings of photobiomodulation therapies.

Hands-on Workshop: Photobiomodulation Hands-on and Techniques Application

Faculty: Praveen Arany, James Carroll, Sara-Jane Snyder, Jennifer Frustino, Alan Rogers Santos-Silva, James Carriero, Manoela Martins, Alex Disessa, and Jonathan Luo

Learning objectives:

1. Identify the correct settings and dosages for photobiomodulation therapy.
2. Familiar with the proper clinical techniques to deliver safe and effective therapy.
3. Recognize and manage adverse effects of photobiomodulation.