Join the Department of Preventive and Community Dentistry for the annual PCD CE Day on April 17th, 2026!
REGISTER HERE: https://apps.dentistry.uiowa.edu/CodCERegistration/Home/CELogin
Schedule of Events (subject to change)
9:00 – 9:45 AM | Check-in and Breakfast
9:45 – 10:00 AM | Introductory Remarks | Dr. Leo Marchini and invited guest
10:00 – 10:50 AM | Shaping the Profession: The Impact of Dental Advocacy in Iowa | Dr. Sara Stuefen
11:00 – 11:50 AM | Social Media and Nutrition Science… or Lack Thereof! | Dr. Teresa Marshall
12:00 – 1:00 PM | Lunch
1:00 – 1:50 PM | Dementia and Oral Health | Dr. Jen Hartshorn and Ms. Robin McNeil
2:00 – 2:50 PM | What the Hotel Industry Can Teach Us About Patient Care | Dr. Miles Sawaya
3:00 – 3:20 PM | Coffee Break
3:30 – 4:20 PM | Satisfaction, Burnout, and Resilience in Dentistry Careers | Dr. Brendan Young
4:30 – 5:00 PM | Museum Tour
Social | Time and Location TBD
10:00 – 10:50 AM
Shaping the Profession: The Impact of Dental Advocacy in Iowa
Course Description:
This lecture examines the role of dental advocacy in shaping oral health policy and the practice of dentistry in Iowa. Participants will explore how organized advocacy and state legislation have influenced dental Medicaid, workforce development, insurance policy, and the regulatory landscape of the profession. Intended for licensed dental professionals, this course provides the historical and legislative context necessary for informed civic and professional engagement in Iowa's evolving oral health environment.
Learning Objectives:
Explore the development of dental advocacy efforts in Iowa and their influence on state-level oral health policy.
Examine the impact of dental advocacy on Medicaid dental coverage and reimbursement in Iowa.
Evaluate how dental advocacy initiatives have shaped Iowa's dental workforce through legislation and regulatory efforts.
Assess the role of dental advocacy in influencing dental insurance policy and third-party payer regulations within Iowa.
Speaker Bio
Dr. Sara E. Stuefen, a general dentist in Vinton, Iowa, is the Tenth District Trustee of the American Dental Association.
Dr. Stuefen received her dental degree from the University of Iowa College of Dentistry. She recently served as District 10 Representative and Dental Benefit Information Subcommittee Chair for the ADA Council on Dental Benefit Programs, as well as a member of the ADA Special Committee on Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). She is a lecturer for the ADA Success Program, which provides her with opportunities to speak with dental students across the country. Dr. Stuefen is a past trustee for the Iowa Dental Association (IDA), and currently serves as vice chair of the Iowa Dental Political Action Committee.
Dr. Stuefen is a graduate of the ADA Institute for Diversity in Leadership and has been awarded Fellowship in the American College of Dentists, Pierre Fauchard Academy, and International College of Dentists. She serves on a national Dental Quality Alliance workgroup evaluating and developing quality measures for dentistry, and has presented nationally at conferences, webinars, and on podcasts regarding dental benefits. Dr. Stuefen also serves as the Board Chair of ADA Corporate Ventures. In 2022, she received the Iowa Dental Association’s Outstanding Service Award and in 2025 the President’s Award.
11:00 – 11:50 AM
Social Media and Nutrition Science … or lack thereof!
Course Description:
Join us for a deep dive into the world of diet-related mis- and disinformation. While many diet-related health claims are benign, others have the potential to adversely impact both systemic and oral health. Strategies for evaluating claims will enable office team to engage in proactive conversations with their patients to reduce the risk of oral disease. Strategies to address diet-related nonsense grounded in nutrition science will be discussed.
Learning Objectives:
Following this presentation, the attendee will be able to:
Distinguish between mis- and dis-information.
Evaluate diet-related health claims to determine the validity of such claims.
Identify the adverse effects of mis/disinformation on systemic and oral health.
Engage their patient in conversation to reduce adverse systemic and oral effects.
Speaker Bio:
Dr. Teresa Marshall is a Professor in the Department of Preventive and Community Dentistry at the University of Iowa. In addition to teaching the nutrition curriculum, she currently serves as the Director of the Student Research Program and is the Michael W. Finkelstein Centennial Professor of Teaching.
Dr. Marshall’s primary research interests address the relationships among dietary behaviors including sugar sweetened beverage intakes, dental caries, and/or growth. She is also engaged in exploratory research to understand environmental and cultural factors impact caries risk via dietary behaviors.
She is a member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the American Society for Nutrition, the International Association for Dental Research, and the American Academy of Cariology.
1:00 – 1:50 PM
Dementia in Focus: Trends, Patient Reality, and Lessons from Simulation
Course Description:
This course provides dental providers with clinical insights and practical strategies for delivering care to patients living with dementia. As cognitive decline alters communication, behavior, and the ability to cooperate with treatment, dental visits can become uniquely challenging for patients, providers and caregivers. This presentation reviews the disease process and its impact on oral health, highlights common behavioral and functional barriers encountered in the dental setting, and discusses approaches for patient management. A key component of this course will include discussion of an immersive simulation experience that was designed to illustrate what daily life is like for patients with dementia. This perspective building experience reinforces the importance of empathy, patience, and person-centered care in improving patient comfort, cooperation, and clinical care.-building experience reinforces the importance of empathy, patience, and person-centered care in improving
Learning Objectives:
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
Explain Background and Foundational Concepts of Dementia
• Define dementia and differentiate it from normal age-related cognitive changes.
• Identify the major types of dementia (e.g., Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia) and describe their pathophysiologic basis at a high level.
• Summarize common risk factors and epidemiologic trends influencing dementia prevalence.
• Discuss current national and global prevalence statistics of dementia and aging populations.Recognize Key Characteristics and Challenges of Individuals Living with Dementia
• Describe cognitive, behavioral, sensory, and communication changes commonly experienced by individuals with dementia.
• Identify common obstacles that individuals with dementia encounter in daily life, including challenges related to memory, processing, navigation, social engagement, and judgment.
• Explain how environmental factors, caregiver communication, and task design can positively or negatively impact a dementia patient’s functioning and sense of well-being.Analyze the Dementia Simulation Experience
• Summarize the purpose of the dementia simulation and its role in increasing empathy and understanding.
• Describe the sensory, cognitive, and environmental modifications used during the simulation (e.g., altered vision, sound distortion, tactile challenges, task complexity) and how these mimic real dementia-related difficulties.
• Reflect on faculty members’ experiences during the simulation, including emotional responses, moments of confusion or frustration, and insights gained about the patient perspective.Apply concepts from Simulation to Clinical setting
• Identify connections between the simulation experience and best practices for patient-centered dementia care.
Speaker Bios:
Dr. Jennifer Hartshorn, D.D.S., D.A.B.S.C.D., is a Clinical Professor in the Department of Preventive & Community Dentistry at the University of Iowa College of Dentistry. She specializes in geriatric and special needs dentistry and holds advanced certification in Geriatric and Special Needs Dentistry from the University of Iowa. Dr. Hartshorn is a Diplomate of the American Board of Special Care Dentistry and a Fellow of the International College of Dentists.
Her work focuses on improving oral health outcomes for older adults and individuals with complex medical or behavioral needs. She has been recognized with numerous honors, including the Jackson H. and Nona Seberg Roe Faculty Fellowship, the McLearan Faculty Award, and the Ronald L. Ettinger Award, along with multiple top-downloaded publications in Special Care in Dentistry. Dr. Hartshorn’s recent initiatives include developing and implementing teledentistry programs in long-term care settings to expand access for vulnerable populations.
Robin McNeil, RDH, BS, MSDHE, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Community & Preventive Dentistry at the University of Iowa College of Dentistry and a Clinical Dental Hygienist in the Geriatric and Adult Special Needs Clinic. She holds an MSDHE and BS in Dental Hygiene from the University of Missouri–Kansas City, and an AS in Dental Hygiene from Kirkwood Community College.
Robin facilitates the College’s Geriatric 6-Month Program and Fluoride Program, mentors dental hygiene students in nursing home clinical settings, and collaborates with the University of Iowa College of Nursing on geriatric oral-care research. Her professional memberships include Iowa CareGivers, ADHA, IDHA, and ADEA, and her published work in Special Care in Dentistry addresses preventive care for adults with autism.
2:00 – 2:50 PM
What the Hotel Industry Can Teach Us About Patient Care
Course Description:
Drawing on lessons from the luxury hotel industry, this presentation explores how hospitality-based communication strategies can meaningfully enhance patient care in the dental setting. Prior to entering the dental field, Miles spent 6 years behind the concierge desk of a four-star hotel. Daily exercises in verbal and non-verbal communication, critical thinking, emotional intelligence, and a service-oriented mindset created a unique foundation for clinical practice. These same concepts can stimulate self-reflection while giving actionable strategies to approaching a multitude of common patient encounters. Through a variety of example scenarios, providers will be able to adapt these hospitality principles, not as scripts, but as flexible frameworks that can be customized to each clinician’s personal style and expertise.
Learning Objectives:
Understand the role and importance of patient communication in dentistry
Identify relevant hospitality principles and their application to dental practice
Refine chairside verbal and non-verbal communication strategies
Improve detection and interpretation of patient cues and strengthen provider adaptability
Speaker Bio:
Dr. Miles Sawaya is a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Iowa College of Dentistry. Originally from San Antonio, Texas, he received his Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Family Sciences at The University of Texas at Austin. He then received his dental degree at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis. Following graduation, he completed a one-year general practice residency at the University of Mississippi Medical Center where he developed a great passion for hospital dentistry and treating individuals with special healthcare needs. After residency, he accepted a faculty position at UMMC focused on providing dental clearance to patients in need of life-saving medical care in both the inpatient and outpatient settings. In 2024, Miles joined the faculty at the University of Iowa in the Department of Clinic Administration, where he continues to divide his time between teaching and various avenues of clinical practice. Miles has been married to his wife Katherine, a fellow of Gynecologic Oncology at The University of Iowa, for 2 years.
3:30 – 4:20 PM
Satisfaction, Burnout, and Resilience in Dentistry Careers
Course Description:
Dentistry can be a rewarding career, but it also entails persistent challenges: physical strain, cognitive overload, emotion labor, financial pressures, and conflicts at the interpersonal, organizational, and systemic levels. This course explores satisfaction and dissatisfaction in dental careers, distinguishes dissatisfaction from burnout syndrome, and offers evidence-based solutions for preventing burnout and developing resilience.
Learning Objectives:
At the completion of the course, participants should be able to:
Contrast factors associated with dental career satisfaction and dissatisfaction.
Explain three aspects of burnout syndrome, the scope of the problem, and the factors associated with increased burnout prevalence.
Develop resilience against burnout by implementing effective individual and organizational responses.
Speaker Bio:
Brendan Young, PhD, MBA, is the Director of Behavioral Science and an associate professor in the Department of Preventive and Community Dentistry at the University of Iowa College of Dentistry. He is the course director of the courses in interprofessional communication and patient-provider communication. He also administers the college's standardized patient program. His research interests include dental curriculum development, clinician empathy, telehealth, and team-based care. He is a co-author of Communication Skills for Dental Health Care Providers, published by Quintessence Publishing. His research has appeared in the Journal of Dental Education, the European Journal of Dental Education, Dentistry Journal, Patient Education and Counseling, Communication Teacher, and the Archives of Internal Medicine. He serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Dental Education and is currently the secretary of the American Dental Education Association's Section on Behavioral Sciences.
GENERAL INFORMATION
The College of Dentistry will make every reasonable effort to assure that requested continuing education programs are provided but assumes no liability for failure to deliver beyond the refunding of fees paid to the University of Iowa. The University of Iowa reserves the right to limit registration to the size of the available classroom or clinical space. Sponsorship of this course does not imply subject matter, product, or technical endorsement.
REGISTRATION: Register using our online portal: https://apps.dentistry.uiowa.edu/CodCERegistration/
CANCELLATIONS/REFUNDS: Fees paid will be refunded less a $45 per person processing fee following notice of cancellation. Refunds will not be granted for cancellations received after the course begins.
*This is made possible by the generous support of our sponsor: Colgate