Wouldn’t it be great to be known as the office who offers excellent pain-free, post-operative care without the use of narcotics? This is that program.

Dr. Mark Donaldson is a leading expert and nationally recognized educator in the pharmacological management of odontological pain.  As one of the few DEA- and FDA-approved speakers for accredited Medication Access and Training Expansion (MATE) Act curriculum, he has helped thousands of practitioners meet and exceed the new requirements for DEA (re-)licensure, and he continues to be recognized for his ongoing research, teaching and publishing in the field of pain management. This unique 2-part program has been specifically developed to update clinicians on how to match the right drug at the right dose for the right patient now– because it is the right thing to do.

In 2025, enough opioids were sold to medicate each American adult at a dose of 5mg of hydrocodone every four hours for one month.  In 2011, the number of overdose deaths from painkillers more than tripled over a decade – a trend that a U.S. health official called an epidemic. The National Center for Health Statistics has also reported that, “prescription painkillers have now surpassed car accidents as the leading cause of accidental death in the United States.” You do not want to be part of this problem.

Part 1 of this program focuses on the definition and the pathophysiology of dental pain in particular, and the most recent guidelines in keeping our patients comfortable. This may be the most important continuing education program you attend. By committing your time to become a better prescriber, you will learn the ideal analgesic recipe to manage (almost) all of your patient’s pain: first time, every time. More importantly, this evidence-based, guideline-driven program will give you actionable material to begin implementing immediately. Given the renewed focus on the war on licit drugs, you do not want to become the target of any investigation into misprescribing and you certainly do not want to add to the current problem of opioid access and abuse.  Learn how to match the right drug at the right dose for the right patient now– because it is the right thing to do.

Participants will learn:

• Discuss the pathophysiology of pain as it relates to dentistry
• Understand the ideal analgesic recipe to manage (almost) all of your patient’s pain – first time, every time
• Explain why narcotic-containing analgesics should not be routinely prescribed for post-operative dental pain
• Describe the mechanism of action of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications
• Discuss the importance of consulting one’s state Prescription Drug Therapy Monitoring Program

Presenters:

Dr. Mark Donaldson BSP, ACPR, PHARMD, FASHP, FACHE

More courses with Dr. Mark Donaldson

Mark Donaldson received his baccalaureate degree from the University of British Columbia and his Doctorate in Clinical Pharmacy from the University of Washington. He has practiced as a clinical pharmacy specialist, clinical coordinator and director of pharmacy services at many healthcare organizations in both Canada and the United States.  He is currently Associate Principal of Clinical Pharmacy for Vizient’s Advisory Solutions, and lives in Whitefish, Montana. Dr. Donaldson is a Clinical Professor at the University of Montana, Clinical Associate Professor at the Oregon Health & Sciences University, and affiliate faculty in Dentistry at UBC. He has lectured internationally to both dental and medical practitioners focusing on dental pharmacology and therapeutics and is a leader in the field.

Dr. Donaldson has published numerous peer-reviewed works and textbook chapters. He serves on the Editorial Board for the Journal of the American Dental Association and is the 2016 recipient of the Academy of General Dentistry’s Dr. Thaddeus Weclew Award. In 2019 he was conferred by the Canadian Dental Association (CDA) with the “Special Friend of Canadian Dentistry Award.” This award is given to an individual outside of the dental profession in appreciation for exemplary support or service to the profession as a whole. He can be reached via email at:  drmarkdonaldson@gmail.com