Boost your DentistryIQ: Take the mystery out of your medical history
Tom Viola, RPh, CCP, believes patients should update their medical histories every time they visit the dental office.
Pamela Maragliano-Muniz, DMD, asks what dentists should look for in the medical histories. What are some red flags in medical histories that dental professionals may not be aware of?
Viola acknowledges that dental professionals make major decisions about treatment in just minutes in a busy practice based on the information they have from the medical history. How do they correctly apply this information?
He recommends going beyond the form and having a conversation with patients, ideally while setting up for their appointment. Ask them when they last saw another medical professional, if they know their vital signs, what medications they’re taking, why they take them, and if they took them that day. He believes this conversation can help guide safe dental treatment.
Learn more from their conversation about your patients’ medical histories and medications and how it applies to your practice in this video.
For more informative and up-to-the-minute video chats with key industry experts, visit DentistryIQ Videos.
Pamela Maragliano-Muniz, DMD, is the chief editor of DentistryIQ and editorial co-director of Through the Loupes. Based in Salem, Massachusetts, Dr. Maragliano-Muniz began her clinical career as a dental hygienist. She went on to attend Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, where she earned her doctorate in dental medicine. She then attended the University of California, Los Angeles, School of Dental Medicine, where she became board-certified in prosthodontics. Dr. Maragliano-Muniz owns a private practice, Salem Dental Arts, and lectures on a variety of clinical topics. You may contact her at [email protected].
