The Dry Mouth Dilemma: Identify, Treat and Protect
Free dental continuing education course hosted by Dental CE Academy
Live interactive and On Demand Dental CE Webinar
Scroll below for course description and schedule of upcoming dates
TITLE: THE DRY MOUTH DILEMMA: XEROSTOMIA - IDENTIFY, TREAT AND PROTECT
Free Evidence-Based Dental Continuing Education Webinar
COURSE FEE: Complimentary access
CREDITS: This continuing education activity is designated for 1 credit
DURATION: This live Dental CE Webinar is 1 hour
AGD PACE SUBJECT CODE: 730 Oral Medicine
MODE: Electronically Mediated | Live interactive webinar.
SPEAKER: Dr. Kirsten Roling, DDS (Bio below)
CE SUPPORTER: Dr. Jen Natural Oral Care
AUDIENCE: Dentists, Dental Hygienists, Dental Therapists, Dental Assistants
TECHNOLOGY REQUIRED: Mobile device, laptop or desktop with internet connection | Google Chrome Browser
INSTRUCTIONS: Dental CE Academy hosts all webinars using the ClickMeeting platform. Upon registration you are sent a confirmation email from no-reply@clickeeting.com with a link to join. Be sure to check your spam/junk/promotions folders. We recommend logging in 15 minutes early in the event you require assistance.
HANDOUTS: Distributed via email to all attendees 1 hour prior to start, during and after the webinar.
QUIZ FOR CE CREDIT VERIFICATION: At the conclusion of the webinar, attendees will be redirected to complete a quiz for CE credit. An 80% minimum passing score is required, multiple attempts are permitted, and attendees have 7 days to successfully complete the quiz for CE credit.
COURSE SUMMARY: Dry mouth (xerostomia) is more than an uncomfortable complaint—it can rapidly increase a patient’s risk for dental caries, erosion, oral infections, difficulty swallowing, altered taste, halitosis, and diminished quality of life. Yet xerostomia is often underrecognized, undertreated, or managed only after significant oral damage has occurred.
This practical webinar will help dental professionals identify the signs, symptoms, and common causes of xerostomia while developing individualized strategies to relieve discomfort, protect oral tissues, and reduce disease risk. Participants will explore medication-related dry mouth, systemic and behavioral contributors, chairside assessment techniques, salivary stimulation and substitution, home-care recommendations, and preventive protocols for high-risk patients.
The course will also introduce nano-hydroxyapatite as an emerging remineralizing agent and examine its role in strengthening enamel, reducing sensitivity, and supporting caries prevention in patients with reduced salivary protection. Attendees will leave with actionable strategies that can be immediately incorporated into clinical practice to improve patient comfort, oral health, and long-term outcomes.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:
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Differentiate between xerostomia and salivary gland hypofunction and recognize the clinical signs, symptoms, and oral complications associated with reduced salivary flow.
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Identify common causes and risk factors for dry mouth, including medications, systemic diseases, cancer therapies, aging-related factors, dehydration, and lifestyle influences.
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Perform a practical chairside assessment to evaluate dry-mouth symptoms, salivary function, caries risk, tissue changes, and the need for referral or further medical evaluation.
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Develop individualized treatment strategies using salivary stimulants, saliva substitutes, hydration measures, dietary counseling, oral hygiene recommendations, and professional preventive care.
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Implement caries-prevention and oral-protection protocols for xerostomic patients, including approaches to remineralizing therapy, pH management, antimicrobial care, sensitivity control, and more frequent monitoring.
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Describe the remineralizing properties of nano-hydroxyapatite and discuss its potential role in enamel repair, dentinal sensitivity reduction, and the prevention and management of dental caries in patients with dry mouth.
Dr. Kirsten Roling, DDS
Dr. Kirsten Roling, DDS, serves as the Chief Education Officer for Dental CE Academy, which is administered by Virtual Dontics® Education LLC. She completed her dental training at the University of California, San Francisco, during the critical period of the HIV/AIDS Pandemic. Prior to her achievement as a dentist she was a Registered Dental Assistant and dental practice management consultant. As a public health dentist, Dr. Roling is recognized as an early pioneer of Teledentistry, formerly in clinical practice that encompassed both pediatrics and geriatrics. Her previous roles include Assistant Clinical Professor at UCSF and Public Health Preceptor at the Arizona School of Dentistry and Oral Health. Additionally, she served as Chief of the Office of Oral Health for Maricopa County's Department of Public Health, where she managed the nation's largest pediatric oral health prevention programs within the third largest public health department in the U.S. As a mobile dental provider, she led a significant teledentistry practice focused on treating homebound geriatric patients and is a recipient of the Pediatric Oral Health Access Program scholarship. She is published in the Journal of Public Health Dentistry: "Temporal association of implementation of the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) with changes in dental-related emergency department visits in Maricopa County from 2006 to 2012" and a featured guest on NPR, National Public Radio: "Quality Oral Care A Concern For Older Arizona Adults In Long-Term Care."
DISCLOSURE OF SPEAKER AND FACULTY COMMERCIAL RELATIONSHIPS: According to Dental CE Academy's Conflict of Interest and Disclosure Policy, faculty and speakers for any course are expected to disclose any economic support, personal interests, or potential bias that may be perceived as creating a conflict related to the material being presented. Disclosure statements are printed in each course description and announced by moderators or individual speakers at the beginning of each presentation. This policy is intended to alert the audience to any potential bias or conflict so that participants may form their own judgments about the material being presented.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE OF SPEAKER: This webinar is sponsored by Dr. Jen Oral Care. Dr. Kirsten Roling, DDS is the Chief Education Officer and an employee of Dental CE Academy. She declares no financial relationship with Dr. Jen Oral Care. For inquiries contact support@dentalcenow.com
DENTAL CE ACADEMY DISCLAIMER: The views expressed and opinions and materials presented during these live and recorded presentations represent the personal views and opinions of the individual speaker and do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of Dental CE Academy or its parent company, Virtual Dontics®. Dental CE Academy assumes no responsibility for the content of the presentations made by the individual speakers. Any suggested protocols for treatment, materials, or services may be based upon the speaker's own clinical experience and should not be construed as Dental CE Academy recommended or endorsed. Selected presentations may include exploratory research or experimental procedures and are intended for informational purposes that may lead to interest and scientific breakthroughs in the fields of dentistry. Dental CE Academy appreciates its educators who share their knowledge and expertise. This level of dedication to dentistry allows our profession to expand and thrive and provokes necessary discussion and understanding.