Speaker: Lisa J. Heaton, PhD, Hannah Cheung, MPH, MS, RDH

Program Track: Clinical

Course Description: Traumatic experiences can impact individuals' oral health and how they experience dental treatment in unanticipated ways. As approximately half of children and two-thirds of adults in the United States have experienced some type of traumatic event, it is critically important for providers to appropriately provide trauma-informed care to their patients when needed. This presentation will introduce links between traumatic history, poor oral health, and dental anxiety, and describe how dental hygienists can provide compassionate trauma-informed care that considers patients' comfort, health goals, and prior experiences. Specific recommendations for providing trauma-informed care to children and adults will be provided, as will suggestions for acknowledging a patients' prior trauma and tailoring dental care to accommodate patient's experiences and concerns.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe links between traumatic history, poor oral health, and dental anxiety.
• Evaluate how traumatic experiences can impact how dental patients experience and react to receiving dental treatment.
• Describe what is meant by trauma-informed care and how this type of care is applied in the dental setting.
• Discuss how trauma-informed care is delivered to pediatric and adult dental patients.

CE Credit Hours: 1.0

Original Date of Session: August 21, 2024

The American Dental Hygienists' Association is designated as an approved provider by the American Academy of Dental Hygiene, Inc. #AADHADH (Jan. 1, 2024–Dec. 31, 2024). Approval does not imply acceptance by a state or provincial Board of Dentistry. Licensee should maintain this document in the event of an audit.

The American Dental Hygienists’ Association is an approved provider of dental continuing education as recognized by the Dental Board of California, Provider #5238.