NEW YORK--MetLife has announced two new additions to its series of Web-based self study continuing education guides for the dental community, Medical Emergencies: Preparation and Management and Treatment Planning.
MetLife is approved by the American Dental Association as a recognized provider under its Continuing Education Recognition Program, and these new offerings may be used to fulfill licensing requirements where applicable. MetLife's educational offerings are also approved by the Academy of General Dentistry.
The first new guide, "Medical Emergencies: Preparation and Management" was developed by Stanley F. Malamed, DDS, a professor of Anesthesia & Medicine at the University of Southern California, School of Dentistry.
By highlighting the most common medical emergencies that may occur in a dental setting, Dr. Malamed underscores the essentials of prevention and preparation when it comes to emergency management.
The guide addresses how to prepare a dental office, the assignment of responsibilities to various members of the dental team and the essential drugs and equipment that should be readily available to manage emergency situations.
The second guide, "Treatment Planning" by Clarence Trummel, DMD, PhD, Emeritus Professor of Periodontology at the School of Dental Medicine, University of Connecticut, addresses the steps needed to develop a comprehensive and integrated treatment plan tailored to the unique needs of
patients, starting with the use of well-designed forms for documenting and evaluating a patient's oral examination and his or her medical and dental history.
The guide emphasizes the importance of understanding patients' desires and expectations, the need for patient education as well as the need to establish realistic objectives for determining the effectiveness of the treatment plan.
The purpose of the MetLife Quality Resource Guides is to provide dentists with easy to access, up-to-date information important to their dental practices. MetLife was the first commercial dental carrier to develop educational offerings recognized by the ADA Continuing Education Recognition Program.
The MetLife continuing education courses are designed so that dental practitioners or dental hygienists can view or print the materials from the Internet and, at their convenience, take an online test to determine their familiarity with the course material.
Test results are immediate, and certificates can be printed on demand. The ability to receive continuing education credits online saves dentists the time and expense of traveling to a physical site and provides the convenience of access 24-hours-a-day.
The continuing education credits from MetLife are free to network dentists and available at a minimal charge to dentists not in the MetLife network.
The MetLife Dental Advisory Council reviews data and identifies the educational needs of dentists who participate in the Preferred Dentist Program. The DAC is comprised of practicing and academic dentists, as well as corporate benefit representatives.
The Council serves as the oversight committee for the MetLife Quality Initiatives Program. The DAC has recommended important changes designed to make participating in the MetLife Preferred Dentist Program easier for dentists and their support staff.
Access to Quality Resource Guides in MetLife's Dental Continuing Education Program are available at MetLife Dental.