RDH LOCAL ANESTHETIC COURSE

All NC Licensed dental hygienists are now able to administer local anesthetics in North Carolina. We invite you to sign up for this course, offered by Wake Smiles, not only to further your education and clinical abilities-but to give back to your community. A portion of every registration will go back to helping improve the lives of under-resourced adults through better oral health.

Course Description

 

 (REGISTRATION BELOW) 

 

As a dental hygienist, you work hard to provide the best, evidence-based care to your patients. Now, you can provide your patient with the most comfort during care. This course will enable you, as a provider, to administer local anesthetic in a safe way to your patients, creating a positive patient and practitioner experience.

Per NC Senate Bill 146, Board – Approved continuing education providers must provide the participant 16 hours of didactic continuing education hours, 8 hours of clinical education/experience, and participants must complete 12 block and 12 local infiltration administrations under the direct supervision of a licensed dentist, who certifies their competency.​

This course has a dual approach that involves online, self-led learning, evaluations from every section, and a hands-on clinical approach. Local anesthetic will be studied as follows, thanks to Dr. Glenn Reside and Dr. Ray White:

This virtual educational seminar series was created by clinicians from the UNC Adams School of Dentistry. The seminars are well suited to complement the local anesthesia coursework and existing texts, such as Malamed’s Handbook of Local Anesthesia, that are taught in Dental Hygiene, Dental Assisting, Dental Student, Medical Student, or Clinical Graduate Training programs. The individual seminars can be viewed alone or in combination. The seminar topics and the learning objectives for each are as follows:

 

  • Seminar One: Neurophysiology of Local Anesthetic Action
    • How sensory nerves function
    • Relate the pharmacologic action of local anesthetic drugs to nerve function
  • Seminar Two: Pharmacology of Local Anesthetic and Vasopressor Drugs
    • How chemical structure of local anesthetic drugs affects clinical usage
    • What advantages/disadvantages do vasopressor drugs added to local anesthetics offer?
  • Seminar Three: Review of Anatomy of the Sensory Components of the Trigeminal Nerve and Associated Structures
    • Understand the anatomic pathways for sensory nerve innervation of the maxilla and the mandible as a prelude to local anesthetic injections
    • Anticipate the anatomic boundaries for specific local anesthetic injections
  • Seminar Four: Equipment Essential to Drug Administration
    • Be able to choose an appropriate method of drug ad ministration
    • Understand the rationale underlying the design of the dental anesthesia syringe
  • Seminar Five: Maxillary Injection Options
    • Technique options for maxillary anesthesia and associated soft tissues
    • Rationale for choosing among options
  • Seminar Six: Mandibular Injection Options
    • Technique options for mandibular anesthesia and associated soft tissues
    • Rationale for choosing among options
  • Seminar Seven: Complications and Side Effects of Local Anesthetic Administration
    • Discuss rationale and prevention for the following: syncope, bleeding along injection path, drug overdosage, anesthesia of adjacent nerves, allergy, and prolonged nerve dysfunction.
  • Seminar Eight: Special Considerations for Patients with a Compromised Health Status
    • Understand metabolism of amide type local anesthetics relative to renal and liver disease
    • Understand metabolism of epinephrine as it relates to cardiovascular disease and asthma
    • Explain interactions and systemic effects between epinephrine and beta blockers, tricyclic anti-depressants, and cocaine

 

  • Medical Complications Related to Local Anesthesia 

 

  • 3-Hour Zoom Discussion:
    • Participants will complete case studies and participate in discussion surrounding self-led learning.

  • 8-hour Clinic lab, acting as both patient and operator (8-5 p.m.):
    • Simulated maxillary and mandibular injections
    • Block injections
    • Infiltration injections

The following MUST be completed or submitted prior to Course Discussion Session in order to participate in the course. Please submit all forms via email to sommer@wakesmiles.org.

-Complete Registration and pay fees for course

-Complete all self-led seminars and evaluations

-Copy of current NC RDH License

-Copy of current NC Driver’s License or other valid photo ID

-Copy of current BLS/CPR card

-Copy of Hep B Vaccination

–Completed Consent Form

*To be eligible to register, you must have been practicing dental hygiene for two full years.

**If a registrant fails to complete and send in all forms by the due date, they must forfeit the course with no reimbursement.

NOW ACCEPTING REGISTRATIONS FOR 4/20/24!!!

 

(Please email sommer@wakesmiles.org for information.)

REGISTRATION BELOW (specify which date you wish to take Lab):