At the Advanced Prosthetics Institute in Prescott, Arizona, our goal is to provide continuing education on oral and systemic care, including how to prevent, rehabilitate and restore the damage done to the mouth by biofunctional disorders.
If you are a dental professional wanting to improve your current skills and add specialty services to your practice to help more patients, including complex cases, Dr. Jason C. Campbell’s courses may be exactly what you are looking for! Our courses cover everything from oral hygiene to surgical procedures.
Two of the areas we cover in our course material include oral and facial cancer as well as dealing with chemo or radiation therapies. These are serious biofunctional complications some of your patients may have to deal with. You will learn how to engage in preventative practices such as oral cancer screenings to spot potential problems early on when they are most easily and successfully treated.
As a dental provider, your practice should include a minimum of two dental checkups every year. According to the American Dental Association, it is best to perform this preventative maintenance measure every six months. Routine screenings during cleanings support patient care so oral conditions can be detected and managed together, as a team. Involving your patient in their ongoing care works best when you are both on the same page and committed to the treatment.
Oral and facial cancer are tricky since symptoms often vary and don’t always manifest clearly. In the early stages there may be no pain or other obvious sign, so without a thorough examination, it may go undetected until it is well underway. By working with your patient on an ongoing basis, you can support their daily efforts to keep problems at bay by promoting healthier oral conditions, followed with regular screenings to catch developing problems in the early stages.
You will also learn how to recognize and treat patients using chemo or radiation therapy to fight cancer who develop additional oral health complications. These typically arise as a side effect of their chemo or radiation treatments. In fact, over one-third of those who are undergoing chemo and radiation therapy will experience oral complications which not only get in the way of their treatment but also negatively impact their daily quality of life.
The kinds of complications that can arise may be something as simple as dry mouth to severe tooth decay and even oral infections that can prove life-threatening. Patients undergoing radiation for the head and neck, chemotherapy, blood and marrow transplants, or taking antineoplastic drugs to fight tumors, may find themselves with any of these conditions.
As part of the courses we offer, you will learn how to prevent:
-Oral mucositis (this is the inflammation and ulcers that are in the mucous membranes which line the digestive tract)
-Uncontrolled tooth decay
-Tooth erosion
-Sores in the mouth
-Advanced periodontal disease
-Soreness in the mouth and throat
-Issues with the salivary glands
Dr. Campbell’s goal is to show you how to support your patient’s health before, during, and after their cancer treatment, including dietary advice and oral hygiene care. We highly recommend for everyone – patients and dental providers alike, to read a 12-piece series called, “Oral Health, Cancer Care, and You” to better support these efforts.
If you would like to know more about our oral and facial cancer screenings and oral disease control training, we invite you to call us at 928-776-0239. We are also happy to help you register for your course!