Local Anesthesia
Course Director: John Evans and Art DiMarco
Credits: 3
Quarters/Yr of Program: Summer / 2
Course Overview
The safe and effective use of local anesthesia is integral to general dentistry and most specialties. Since dentists must become expert at the safe and effective administration of local anesthesia, the primary goal of this course is to provide all dental students with the opportunity to learn the basic biomedical concepts necessary for the provision of local anesthesia for patients. Dentists must necessarily be experts with regard the pharmacology, physiology potential complications associated with local anesthetics and associated drugs routinely employed in our communities on a daily basis. This knowledge base is mandatory for most any dentist in practice.
Learning Objectives
The student who successfully completes this course will be able to:
1. Assess the risks associated with administration of local anesthesia to dental patients commonly seen in a general dental practice.
2. Describe in detail the pharmacology of local anesthetics and associated vasoconstrictors.
3. Describe, in three dimensions, the anatomy involved when performing the injections commonly used in dentistry.
4. Discuss problems associated with the administration of local anesthesia including complications.
5. Discuss medicolegal, ethical, and professional ramifications associated with the use of local anesthesia including nerve injury.
6. Discuss the management of difficult and/or fearful patients when performing local anesthesia.
7. Assess one’s own knowledge base and skills critically in light of clinical problems faced daily by dentists in practice.
8. Explain the basic biomedical sciences pertinent to the safe and effective use of local anesthetics in clinical practice.
9. Describe the medical risks and complications, both emergent and routine, associated with the use of local anesthesia in the management of patients in the general dental office.
10. Describe special techniques which may be needed to treat patients who are difficult to manage and/or anesthetize, including patients in all stages of life.
UWSOD Competencies: C-01, C-02, C-03, C-04, C-06, C-09, C-10, C-11, C-12, C-13, C-14, C-16, C-17, C-18, C-23, C-26, C-30, C-31, CE-07
Date last updated: 2023-07-05