DTME0510

On the other hand, the loss of ability to articulate clearly when speaking or singing, be- cause of a change in anterior tooth shape, position or angula- tion, or perhaps because of lin- gual or inferior alveolar nerve damage, would have a more pro- found affect on an opera singer, lecturer or telephonist than for an agricultural worker who did not depend upon singing for his livelihood. Similarly, there are many jobs in which appearance is important and an adversely al- tered appearance can either lose a patient a job or severely affect a patient’s confidence, particularly if they have to face the public in their working life. Awareness of information such as this is criti- cal when contemplating any aes- thetic/ cosmetic procedures. History of present complaint When a patient attends with a spe- cific problem it is helpful to know how long the problem has existed, when it was first noticed, whether it has ever occurred before, wheth- er any previous treatment has sought to resolve the problem and if so, with what success. If the patient is complaining of pain, for example, it is helpful to know what kind of pain it is (dull ache, or throbbing, or acute bursts of pain), or how long it lasts, and what makes it worse or better and whether it has oc- curred previously and if so un- der what circumstances. Each of these findings needs to be recorded carefully in the notes to demonstrate this im- portant part of the diagnostic process. The significance of this becomes apparent on occasions when a mistaken diagnosis is made. If, however, the diagnosis is supported by the information which was available to the clini- cian at the time, as noted in the records, such situations can of- ten be defended successfully. Summary It will be appreciated that there is very little value in gather- ing information from the above sources if the responses are not collected and recorded in a clear and logical fashion. Hav- ing a structured and systematic approach to history taking and record keeping makes it less likely that critical information will be overlooked, or lost. Later in the treatment plan- ning process, when it becomes a little clearer what treatment possibilities are under consid- eration, it may be necessary to explore some aspects of the his- tory in greater depth, in order to ensure that the patient is aware of any way in which their treat- ment (and its prognosis) might be affected by some aspect of their history. DT Contact Information Dental Protection is the world’s largest specialist provider of dental profession- al indemnity and risk management for the whole dental team. The articles in this series are based upon Dental Pro- tection’s 100 years of experience, cur- rently handling more than 8,000 cases for over 48,000 members in 70 Coun- tries. Email querydent@mps.org.uk or visit www.dentalprotection.org. • Aerodontalgia in (pilots and cabin crew) • Stress and its relation to peri- odontal disease (including epi- sodes of pericoronitis involving young adults in the armed forces, or studying for examinations) The outcome of treatment can have a general effect or a more specific effect on a given patient. For example, chronic se- vere pain, which can arise from some form of nerve damage, or TMJ/muscle disturbance asso- ciated with dental procedures, or perhaps a facial paralysis, or permanent loss of sensation in the lip or tongue, would all be likely to reduce the quality of life for most patients. DENTALTRIBUNE Middle East & Africa Edition Media CME 7 The article has been accred- ited by Health Authority - Abu Dhabi as having educa- tional content and is accept- able for up to 2 (Category 1) credit hours. Credit may be claimed for one year from the date of subscrip- tion. Dental Tribune Middle East & Africa in collabora- tion with CAPP introduce to the market the new project mCME - Self Instruction Program. mCME gives you the opportunity to have a quick and easy way to meet your continuing education needs. mCMEoffersyoutheflexibilitytoworkatyourown pacethrough thematerialfromanylocationatany time. The content is international, drawn from the upper echelon of dental medicine, but also pres- ents a regional outlook in terms of perspective and subject matter. How can professionals enroll? They can either sign up for a one-year (10 exer- cises) by subscription for the magazine for one year ($65) or pay ($20) per article. After the pay- ment, participants will receive their membership number and will be able to attend to the program. How to earn CME credits? Oncethereaderattendsthedistance-learningpro- gram, he/she can earn credits in three easy steps: 1. Read the articles. 2. Take the exercises 3. Fill in the Questionnaire and Submit the an- swers by Fax (+971 4 36868883) or Email :info@cappmea.com After submission of the answers, (name and mem- bership number must be included for processing) they will receive the Certificate with unique ID Number within 48 to 72hours. ArticlesandQuestionnaireswillbeavailableinthe website after the publication. www.cappmea.com MEDIA CME Self-Instruction Program AD