METLIFE adds four new On-Line courses to its ADA approved dental continuing education program

NEW YORK . – MetLife announced today the addition of four new on-line Quality Resource Guides to its self-study dental Quality Initiatives Program. MetLife’s continuing education program, which can be accessed on-line at: www.metdental.com, is approved for fulfilling licensing requirements, where applicable, by the American Dental Association (ADA) under its Continuing Education Recognition Program and by the Academy of General Dentistry. The new self-study courses, which are a part of MetLife’s series of continuing education materials, focus on four distinct topics, (1) Endodontic Failures and Their Management (2) Performance of an Oral and Head and Neck Examination (3) Tobacco Cessation in the Dental Office and; (4) Tooth Root Resorption.

“Through our continuing education offerings, MetLife strives to provide information about topics that are important to helping members of the dental community stay current on clinical and professional developments,” said Alan Vogel, DMD, national dental director for MetLife. “We are proud to be a valued resource for addressing current issues in dentistry and best practices.”

The new offerings include:

(1) Endodontic Failures and Their Management. Written by Larz S. W. Spångberg, DDS, PhD, Head of the Department of Endodontology at the University of Connecticut School of Dental Medicine, this guide, an enhanced 2nd edition, begins with information that allows the practitioner to make an assessment of the probability of a successful endodontic outcome; including information that will help in providing the patient a greater understanding of the procedure and what can be expected, thus helping to facilitate obtaining informed consent. The guide provides an understanding of why failure might occur and specific pre- and post-treatment factors. This is followed by a discussion of retreatment choices and considerations.

(2) Performance of an Oral and Head and Neck Examination. This guide, which is an updated 3rd edition, is authored by James J. Sciubba, DMD, PhD, an active consultant at The Milton J. Dance Head and Neck Center at The Greater Baltimore Medical Center. The guide describes a logical sequence which, if followed, will help prevent overlooking the evaluation of important structures in the mouth and the head and neck. Included is a form designed for use with individual patients that reflects the nine-step examination and provides an easy way to document what was done and when, and serves as a necessary supplement to the recording of positive finds in the patient record.

(3) Tobacco Cessation in the Dental Office. Written by Brian C. Muzyka, DMD, MS, MBA, an associate professor of Family Medicine and the Director of the Dental Division at East Carolina University Brody School of Medicine, this guide discusses the scientific link between smoking and numerous chronic diseases including oral cancer and periodontal diseases and presents straightforward procedures for the dental professional to determine the stage of a patient’s nicotine dependence. Based upon that assessment, the clinicians are guided in ways they may assist the patient to create an appropriate withdrawal strategy.

(4) Tooth Root Resorption. Authored by Karl Keiser, DDS, MS, an associate professor and interim director of Advanced Education in Endodontics at the University of Texas Health Science Center, this guide presents an overview of the various types of tooth root resorption and discusses diagnosis, management and associated prognoses of teeth affected with this condition. Detailed sets of radiographs demonstrate the destructive tooth root conditions. A user-friendly table differentiates the clinical, radiographic and recommended treatment differences between “internal resorption” and “external resorption.”

MetLife Quality Resource Guides are authored by esteemed professionals in the dental community and are developed based on needs assessment and program input from the MetLife Dental Advisory Council (DAC) – a group of practicing and academic dentists, as well as corporate benefit representatives who serve as the oversight committee for the MetLife Quality Initiatives Program.

MetLife is the largest administrator of dental benefits among all single commercial carriers, providing dental plan administration for nearly 21 million individuals. Participating as well as non-participating dentists can participate in MetLife’s continuing education program free of charge. As a plan program benefit, continuing education credits are complimentary for members of the MetLife Preferred Dentist Program. Non-participating individuals are assessed a nominal fee for educational credits.