Register now for our Live Distance CE Program on April 24th.
Register here: https://apps.dentistry.uiowa.edu/CodCERegistration/Home/CELogin
Cost: $99
CE Credit Hours: 4
8:30 am - 12:30 pm | Managing Patients with Diabetes and Obesity in Dental Practice: Clinical Decision-Making and Pharmacologic Considerations
Course Objectives:
At the conclusion of this course, participants will be able to:
1) Differentiate type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, and prediabetes based on core pathophysiology and clinical relevance to dental care.
2) Identify common oral and periodontal manifestations associated with diabetes and obesity, including implications for wound healing, infection risk, and treatment outcomes.
3) Explain key inflammatory and molecular mechanisms linking hyperglycemia and metabolic dysfunction to altered host responses in the oral cavity.
4) Recognize major classes of antidiabetic and anti-obesity medications and describe their mechanisms of action and common interactions and adverse effects relevant to dental practice.
5) Assess risk for acute medical complications in the dental setting, including hypoglycemia and medication-related adverse events, using targeted chairside screening questions.
6) Develop evidence-informed dental management strategies for patients with diabetes and/or obesity, including appointment planning, procedural modifications, and post-operative care considerations.
7) Apply a case-based clinical decision framework to determine when dental treatment can proceed safely and when medical consultation or referral is warranted.
Course Description:
Patients with diabetes and obesity represent a rapidly growing proportion of the dental population, and these conditions influence far more than systemic health alone. Metabolic dysfunction can alter inflammatory pathways, immune responses, and wound healing, with direct implications for periodontal disease, surgical outcomes, implant therapy, and the management of dental infections.
This 4-hour, case-based continuing education course will provide a practical, evidence-informed framework for managing patients with diabetes and obesity in dental practice. Participants will review the pathophysiology of type 2 diabetes and obesity, key oral manifestations, and high-yield molecular mechanisms that connect metabolic disease to the oral environment. The course will also emphasize clinical pharmacology, including common antidiabetic and anti-obesity medication classes and the chairside implications of their mechanisms, drug interactions, and adverse effects.
Through interactive clinical scenarios, attendees will learn risk assessment strategies, recognize potential medical emergencies such as hypoglycemia, and develop dental treatment plans that incorporate medication timing, procedural modifications, and appropriate medical coordination. This course is designed for general dentists, specialists, hygienists, and dental teams seeking practical tools to improve safety and outcomes when treating medically complex patients.
Speaker Bios:
Dr. Sukirth M. Ganesan DDS, PhD, MPH is board-certified in Periodontics and Dental Implant Surgery, serving as an Dentistry Centennial Associate Professor, Director of the Advanced Education Program in Periodontics, and Director of Clinical Research at the University of Iowa College of Dentistry and Dental Clinics. He earned his PhD and certificate in Periodontics from the Ohio State University, along with a Master’s in Public Health focusing on Health Policy and Administration from the University of Illinois, Chicago. Prior to his tenure at the University of Iowa, Dr. Ganesan completed a post-doctoral fellowship at the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda. He is a Fellow of the International College of Dentists, the American College of Dentists, the ADEA Leadership Institute, and a member of the OKU Honor Society. Dr. Ganesan has received numerous awards from the AAP and AAP Foundation and serves on committees for both organizations and the AADOCR, as well as on the advisory board of the Academy for Advancing Leadership (AAL) Institute for Teaching and Learning and on Board of the Midwest Society of Periodontology.
In addition to delivering patient care and holding a permit for moderate conscious sedation, Dr. Ganesan is actively engaged in teaching periodontal residents and leading a funded research program. He is the CODA commissioner of Periodontics and serves as an examiner for the American Board of Periodontology. His research explores the intricate connections between the human microbiome, oral health, and systemic diseases, with a particular focus on host-microbial interactions in Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome, and in pathogenesis of periimplantitis. Dr. Ganesan has secured funding from prestigious sources such as the Osteology Foundation, Diabetes Center Research grant, American Cancer Society Young Investigator grant, NIH NIDCR, and Carver Foundation. He advocates for a holistic approach to healthcare, integrating clinical, research, and public health expertise
Dr. Amy Greenwood, PharmD is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Oral Pathology, Radiology, and Medicine and a Clinical Assistant Professor of Pharmacy Practice and Science at the University of Iowa. Dr. Greenwood earned her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy. She completed a one year post graduate residency in community-based pharmacy practice. She currently teaches and contributes to interdisciplinary education focused on pharmacy practice and oral health.