Oral disease is one of the most common diseases in pets but among the least understood because clinical signs are generally subtle or absent. Patients with dental disease are often in pain and lack clinical signs. As part of February’s Pet Dental Health Month, the North American Veterinary Community (NAVC) will offer Level Up: Dentistry on Thursday 24 February.
The Level Up: Dentistry Summmit is open to veterinary professionals worldwide. This free virtual event is the second offering in the new Level Up educational series available through VetFolio.
“Untreated oral disease can lead to many health problems in animals,” said NAVC Chief Veterinary Officer Dana Varble, DVM, CAE. “With consistent and thorough assessment and treatment by the veterinary healthcare team, many of the dental issues our pets may develop can be resolved within general practice and without having to send the animal to a specialist. This is a benefit to all – the veterinary clinic, client and, most important of all, the patient.”
Attendees will learn dental techniques that can be applied immediately in their respective veterinary clinics, enabling primary care veterinary team members to improve their client relationships and patient care.
The Level Up: Dentistry Summit includes three interactive sessions:
- “The gold standard – steps to a COHAT” –Mary Berg, BS, RVT, RLATG, VTS (Dentistry), will walk attendees through the proper comprehensive oral health assessment and treatment (COHAT) steps. She will also explain why it is more than just a teeth cleaning. Mary is president of Beyond the Crown Veterinary Education
- “Managing difficult extractions and extraction complications in the dog” – There are many possible reasons why a dog might need a tooth extracted, whether due to a fracture or periodontal disease. Sandra Manfra Marretta, DVM, Diplomate ACVS, AVDC, will lead a discussion on how to make difficult extractions in dogs more efficient, less traumatic and with fewer complications. She is a professor emerita in small animal surgery and dentistry at the University of Illinois
- “Difficulties in opening and closing the mouth: differentials and treatments” – When presented with a patient that is having difficulty opening their mouth, the clinician is faced with challenges that are often life-threatening. Boaz Arzi, DVM, DAVDC, DEVDC, FF-AVDC-OMFS, will inform practitioners of the possible differential diagnosis, imaging and therapeutic options. Boaz is an associate professor of dentistry and oral surgery at the department of surgical and radiological sciences at UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine
To learn more about the Level Up: Dentistry Summit or to register, you can go to the website. Participants will receive three continuing education credits.
“Participation in the Level Up: Dentistry Summit is open to veterinarians and veterinary nurses and technicians who are partners in the care of our animals,” said NAVC CEO Gene O’Neill. “This free summit is another example of the NAVC’s commitment to providing unparalleled opportunities that foster lifelong learning for the veterinary community while promoting the advancement of animal care everywhere.”
The Level Up virtual series is part of NAVC’s VirtualXP division, launched last October with a global summit for veterinary nurses and technicians. Through VirtualXP, the NAVC provides a comprehensive portfolio of virtual learning and events customized to individual learning preferences.
VirtualXP complements the NAVC’s industry-leading in-person events and includes interactive virtual summits, live webinars and the microlearning videos series “VetFolio Bytes”. All VirtualXP education is offered exclusively through the NAVC’s online learning platform, VetFolio.
