A Powerful Partnership: Fluoride, Dental Caries, and Risk Assessment
Thursday, January 28, 2027
8:00 – 10:00 am
Course Code:
469TL
Credits:
2
CE Hours
In this course, caries risk assessment will be reviewed, with an emphasis on the importance of developing personalized treatment plans. The principles of evaluating current and emerging tools for caries detection, assessment, and diagnosis will be presented, including their application to dental caries and other dental hard tissue disorders. Caries risk factors, risk indicators, and protective factors will be discussed to support the selection of appropriate treatment approaches and to enhance patient education. This course is designed for the entire dental team (including dentists, dental assistants, and hygienists), recognizing that dental caries remains the most common dental disease. The course will also include information on fluoride, with a focus on self-applied fluoride options. In addition, there will be a review of dental caries, highlighting the roles of demineralization and remineralization in its development. Prevention is better than cure!
Speakers
After this course attendees will be able to:
- List the risk factors, risk indicators, and protective factors associated with risk assessment of caries and other dental hard tissue disorders
- Understand the principles of treatment planning for patients with carious lesions based on their caries risk
- Compare tools of current and emerging caries detection, assessment, and diagnostic methods as applied to caries and other dental hard tissue disorders
- Define dental caries and explain the role of demineralization and remineralization in its development
- Identify the different sources and delivery of self-applied methods of fluoride (e.g., water fluoridation, toothpaste, mouth rinses, professional applications)
- Examine the public health impact of fluoride, particularly the effectiveness of community water fluoridation in reducing caries prevalence
- Review current evidence and recommendations from leading health organizations regarding fluoride use
The Colgate grant has been applied to this course.
The Massachusetts Dental Society is an ADA CERP Recognized Provider
ADA CERP is a service of the American Dental Association to assist dental professionals in identifying quality providers of continuing dental education. ADA CERP does not approve or endorse individual courses or instructors, nor does it imply acceptance of credit hours by boards of dentistry. Concerns or complaints about a CE provider may be directed to the provider or to the Commission for Continuing Education Provider Recognition at
ADA.org/CERP