Opioid Use Disorder

Course #56964 -

Overview

Morphine and heroin were first synthesized and used medicinally in the nineteenth century, and recreational and illicit use followed. Historically, heroin dependence has been difficult to treat successfully, with poor outcome being attributed to patient characteristics, environmental factors, and the powerful reinforcing effects of the drug. Agonist-replacement therapy was introduced 40 years ago and represented a breakthrough in the management of heroin addiction. Advances in treatment have included newer pharmacotherapies, psychosocial therapy, and the growth and accessibility of 12-step programs such as Narcotics Anonymous. This course will provide the most pertinent, up-to-date information regarding the characteristics of the patients with opioid use disorder; the mechanism of opioid action and the neurobiology of opioid addiction; the epidemiology, diagnosis and risk factors of opioid abuse and dependence; and pharmacologic, psychosocial, 12-step/self-help, and alternative therapies that are effective in treating opioid use disorders. Additionally, the demographics, characteristics, comorbidity and treatment of synthetic and prescription opioid use disorder will be addressed.

Education Category: Psychiatric / Mental Health
Release Date: 04/01/2024
Expiration Date: 03/31/2027

Table of Contents

Audience

This course is designed for dental professionals who may be involved in identifying or treating opioid use disorder.

Accreditations & Approvals

NetCE Nationally Approved PACE Program Provider for FAGD/MAGD credit. Approval does not imply acceptance by any regulatory authority or AGD endorsement. 10/1/2021 to 9/30/2027 Provider ID #217994. NetCE 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 ADA CERP at www.ada.org/cerp. NetCE is approved as a provider of continuing education by the Florida Board of Dentistry, Provider #50-2405. NetCE is a Registered Provider with the Dental Board of California. Provider Number RP3841. Completion of this course does not constitute authorization for the attendee to perform any services that he or she is not legally authorized to perform based on his or her license or permit type.

Designations of Credit

NetCE designates this activity for 10 continuing education credits. AGD Subject Code 157. This course meets the Dental Board of California's requirements for 10 unit(s) of continuing education. Dental Board of California course #10-3841-24416.

Course Objective

Practice guidance for opioid use disorder in primary care has not kept pace with rapid, profound changes in this area, leaving healthcare professionals with outdated and incomplete information to guide the clinical management of opioid use disorder and related morbidity. The purpose of this course is to close this gap to allow dental professionals to provide the best, evidence-based care to patients with opioid use disorder.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this course, you should be able to:

  1. Define key terms associated with opioid abuse and dependence.
  2. Outline the background and epidemiology of opioid use and abuse, including risk factors for misuse and dependence.
  3. Describe the pharmacology and clinical effects of opioids.
  4. Discuss characteristics of specific opioid drugs and opioid antagonists.
  5. Review the natural history, pathophysiology, and effects of opioid abuse and dependence.
  6. Identify signs and symptoms of opioid overdose and withdrawal.
  7. List the issues associated with the abuse of or dependence on legitimately prescribed opioids.
  8. Discuss the role of crisis intervention and harm reduction in the management of opioid abuse and dependence.
  9. Identify methods of managing the detoxification and withdrawal associated with cessation of opioid abuse or dependence.
  10. Discuss therapies used to maintain extended abstinence from opioids, including agonist replacement and abstinence therapies.
  11. Identify common psychologic comorbidities present in opioid-dependent patients and implications for treatment.
  12. Outline the effects of opioid use on fetuses and neonates and appropriate interventions for opioid-dependent pregnant women.
  13. Identify factors associated with favorable/unfavorable treatment outcome.

Faculty

Mark Rose, BS, MA, LP, is a licensed psychologist in the State of Minnesota with a private consulting practice and a medical research analyst with a biomedical communications firm. Earlier healthcare technology assessment work led to medical device and pharmaceutical sector experience in new product development involving cancer ablative devices and pain therapeutics. Along with substantial experience in addiction research, Mr. Rose has contributed to the authorship of numerous papers on CNS, oncology, and other medical disorders. He is the lead author of papers published in peer-reviewed addiction, psychiatry, and pain medicine journals and has written books on prescription opioids and alcoholism published by the Hazelden Foundation. He also serves as an Expert Advisor and Expert Witness to law firms that represent disability claimants or criminal defendants on cases related to chronic pain, psychiatric/substance use disorders, and acute pharmacologic/toxicologic effects. Mr. Rose is on the Board of Directors of the Minneapolis-based International Institute of Anti-Aging Medicine and is a member of several professional organizations.

Faculty Disclosure

Contributing faculty, Mark Rose, BS, MA, LP, has disclosed no relevant financial relationship with any product manufacturer or service provider mentioned.

Division Planner

Mark J. Szarejko, DDS, FAGD

Division Planner Disclosure

The division planner has disclosed no relevant financial relationship with any product manufacturer or service provider mentioned.

Director of Development and Academic Affairs

Sarah Campbell

Director Disclosure Statement

The Director of Development and Academic Affairs has disclosed no relevant financial relationship with any product manufacturer or service provider mentioned.

About the Sponsor

The purpose of NetCE is to provide challenging curricula to assist healthcare professionals to raise their levels of expertise while fulfilling their continuing education requirements, thereby improving the quality of healthcare.

Our contributing faculty members have taken care to ensure that the information and recommendations are accurate and compatible with the standards generally accepted at the time of publication. The publisher disclaims any liability, loss or damage incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, of the use and application of any of the contents. Participants are cautioned about the potential risk of using limited knowledge when integrating new techniques into practice.

Disclosure Statement

It is the policy of NetCE not to accept commercial support. Furthermore, commercial interests are prohibited from distributing or providing access to this activity to learners.

Technical Requirements

Supported browsers for Windows include Microsoft Internet Explorer 9.0 and up, Mozilla Firefox 3.0 and up, Opera 9.0 and up, and Google Chrome. Supported browsers for Macintosh include Safari, Mozilla Firefox 3.0 and up, Opera 9.0 and up, and Google Chrome. Other operating systems and browsers that include complete implementations of ECMAScript edition 3 and CSS 2.0 may work, but are not supported. Supported browsers must utilize the TLS encryption protocol v1.1 or v1.2 in order to connect to pages that require a secured HTTPS connection. TLS v1.0 is not supported.

Implicit Bias in Health Care

The role of implicit biases on healthcare outcomes has become a concern, as there is some evidence that implicit biases contribute to health disparities, professionals' attitudes toward and interactions with patients, quality of care, diagnoses, and treatment decisions. This may produce differences in help-seeking, diagnoses, and ultimately treatments and interventions. Implicit biases may also unwittingly produce professional behaviors, attitudes, and interactions that reduce patients' trust and comfort with their provider, leading to earlier termination of visits and/or reduced adherence and follow-up. Disadvantaged groups are marginalized in the healthcare system and vulnerable on multiple levels; health professionals' implicit biases can further exacerbate these existing disadvantages.

Interventions or strategies designed to reduce implicit bias may be categorized as change-based or control-based. Change-based interventions focus on reducing or changing cognitive associations underlying implicit biases. These interventions might include challenging stereotypes. Conversely, control-based interventions involve reducing the effects of the implicit bias on the individual's behaviors. These strategies include increasing awareness of biased thoughts and responses. The two types of interventions are not mutually exclusive and may be used synergistically.