We Are Committed to Continuing Education!
At Smiles by Holsinger & Higgins, we believe that ongoing education and training are two of the most important things we can do to continue providing our patients with the most up-to-date oral health care. We are always looking for new opportunities to grow in these areas, and we take advantage of various educational and training experiences as often as possible.
A few areas of oral health that are close to our hearts include:
- Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD) and craniofacial pain
- Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)/sleep-related breathing disorders
- Nutrition and inflammation
So, you might imagine how pleased we were to be able to attend the recent AACP Symposium in Toronto where we were able to devote our undivided attention to learning more about these health issues and more.
Team Participation Means Better Patient Care
Some of the sessions we attended focused on:
- TMD and Craniofacial Pain — Team members attended learning sessions that helped them to identify causes and early signs of TMD abnormality and pathology, and craniofacial pain. They can recognize diseases that are associated with sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and how they relate to the development of craniofacial pain and TMD. A better understanding of the diagnosis and treatment for the most common TMD disorders will increase their effective participation in patient treatment and care.
- Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)/Sleep-Related Breathing Disorders — OSA involves a physical obstruction that prevents the patient from breathing properly. The condition can affect adults as well as children. In every case the cause must be identified before treatment can occur. Team members studied the basic physiology involved in both normal and abnormal sleep, as well as other sleep disorders. Particular attention was devoted to bruxism during sleep and the interaction between TMD/orofacial pain and sleep.
- Nutrition and Inflammation — We learned how diet can cause an imbalance in the gut that triggers inflammation and affects the immune system. Takeaways included the benefits of probiotics and prebiotics in digestion, inflammation reduction and absorption of nutrients.
Up Next: Certification
We have more learning to come in order to receive certification in various areas. We are looking forward to completing Part Two in the near future!
We Do It All for You
We do love to learn and grow in our knowledge and skills, but the force that drives us is our shared desire to bring you the best in oral health care. We look forward to each day as another opportunity to serve you. If you work or live in Denton, Maryland or the surrounding area, contact our office for a consultation. We look forward to serving your oral health needs.