Presented at the 3 Rivers Dental Conference at Nemacolin
Wednesday, November 4th, 2026 – Meeting Kickoff
Opioids in Dentistry (Act 124)
Pain Management, Identification of Addiction, Prescribing, and Recordkeeping
2 Credit Hours
This course outlines opioid prescribing principles with the emphasis on the safe and competent use of opioids for managing acute dental pain. Current information will be provided on minimizing opioid abuse through patient education, careful patient assessment, and patient screening for substance abuse disorders (using tools such as prescription monitoring programs).
Learning Objectives:
- Discuss the epidemiology and the genesis of the opioid crisis
- Review trends in opioid prescribing by specialties
- Describe industry standard pain management procedures
- Describe the types of opioids and their pharmacokinetics
- Practice safe opioid prescribing for acute pain, and identify misused prescriptions
- List commonly prescribed opioid and NSAIDs in dentistry and their side effects
- Recognize opioid tolerance and withdrawals symptoms
- Discuss pharmacologic agents used to treat opioid disorder (opioid antagonists)
- Discuss the risks of abuse and addiction associated with opioid medication
- Current evidence-based consensus recommendations and guidelines on the use of opioids
in dental practice - Evaluate patient risk factors, treatment needs, and overall substance abuse risk
- Discuss the Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMPs)
PRESENTED BY:
Ms. Autumn Bupp
CLYM Environmental Services, LLC
Autumn Bupp joined Clym Environmental Services in 2020 as the Compliance Program Manager. Utilizing in-person trainings, “Mock OSHA Audits”, and written safety plans, she helps to relieve the burden of compliance for dentists. As the former Director for the Muscular Dystrophy Association in Pittsburgh, Autumn worked to increase public awareness of the types of diseases classified as MD, while also partnering with local researchers and clinical directors to improve the lives of those affected by MD. Autumn also worked with the Beaver County Rehabilitation Center to prepare curriculum for and implement the P.E.T.S. (Pre-Employment Transition Services) program to high school students with special needs. She is a graduate of Grove City College, and her hobbies include cake decorating and reading. She and her husband, David, have four children and reside in Harmony, PA.
Ms. Bupp has no financial relationships relevant to this presentation to disclose.
Dental Society of Western PA is an ADA CERP Recognized Provider Approved by Pennsylvania Dental Association.
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.
Dental Society of Western PA designates this activity for 6 continuing education credits.