Package Description

Pneumonia is the most common healthcare-associated infection in the United States, with Non-ventilator Healthcare-associated Pneumonia (NV-HAP) estimated to make up 65% of all healthcare-associated pneumonia cases. Preventing NV-HAP can reduce costs, length of hospitalization, and death. While all patients can be at risk for developing NV-HAP, the risk is associated with both modifiable and non-modifiable factors.

Oral care is a modifiable risk factor that applies to virtually all patients. Dental plaque begins to form in the mouth within hours after toothbrushing and will continue to grow rapidly if not removed, e.g., with toothbrushing. Plaque can contain pathogenic bacteria, and NV-HAP can be caused by aspirating these microbes into the lungs, and the failure of host defense mechanisms to eliminate aspirated bacteria. Hospitals that deliver consistent oral care to their patients experience decreased rates of NV-HAP with corresponding cost savings rising into the millions of dollars.

During this webinar, CDC’s Division of Oral Health and OSAP will discuss a new Oral Health in Healthcare Settings to Prevent Pneumonia Toolkit for hospital staff and members of the NV-HAP prevention team. This toolkit serves as a ready-to-use resource on how to educate healthcare personnel and patients on the best quality oral care practices and the potential role of oral care in preventing NV-HAP and increasing overall good health.

This toolkit will serve as a primary resource for a new collaborative workgroup in CDC’s efforts to advance medical-dental integration in the US. Learn about CDC’s forthcoming national action framework that will outline opportunities to integrate medical and dental services in different healthcare settings and will include strategies that can be implemented at local, state, national, and healthcare system levels. The webinar will also highlight partnership opportunities to support whole-person integrated care through medical-dental collaboration to prevent NV-HAP.

Learning Objectives:

1. Describe how to engage hospital leadership support and train staff
2. Outline the steps in conducting oral health assessments
3. List steps in oral care procedures
4. Identify ways to provide oral health education to patients
5. Increase awareness of various opportunities to accelerate integration of medical, dental, and public health services to support whole-person integrated care.

Price:

• Members & Non-Members: Free

Continuing Education

OSAP is an ADA CERP Recognized Provider.

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.

Concerns or complaints about a CE provider may be directed to the provider or to the Commission for Continuing Education Provider Recognition at ADA.org/CERP.

Please email the OSAP office at office@osap.org or call +1 (410) 571-0003 if you wish to be in contact with the course author/creator(s) with any questions or for clarification of course concepts or for technical assistance in completing the online test.

All participants assume individual responsibility for providing evidence of contact hours of continuing education to the appropriate authorities and for the maintenance of their individual records.

Learn more about OSAP’s CE Program & Provider Recognition.

CE Credits: 1.0
Educational Method: Lecture, Recorded, Self-instructional (self-study)
Location: Online
Publication Date: September 2023
Expiration Date: September 30, 2026

Speaker:

Alyssa Aberle, MBA, RDH, CDIPC

Alyssa Aberle has spent her dental hygiene career working with several local nonprofit organizations, including Kids In Need of Dentistry, Salud Family Health Centers, Colorado Orthodontic Foundation, and STRIDE Community Health Center. Through her work within these organizations, she decided to increase her knowledge of business operations and management to complement her clinical background. A 2009 graduate of the University of Colorado’s (CU) Dental Hygiene Program, Alyssa earned a Master of Business Administration from the Leeds School of Business at CU Boulder in 2013.

Over the past 11 years, she has overseen a school-based dental program, worked in the medical/dental integration program, practiced clinical hygiene within the dental clinic setting, and served as an infection control coordinator. Recently, she began working for a dental hygienist-owned mobile practice serving temporary housing shelters and substance use transitional housing and rehabilitation residences. In addition to her clinical role, Alyssa works part-time for the Colorado Dental Hygienists’ Association as the executive director. She has played a variety of roles in the professional association and is passionate about advocacy, advancing the profession of dental hygiene, and increasing access to preventive dental care for underserved communities.

Disclosures: No relevant financial relationships to disclose.

Kimberly Grensavitch, MJ, BA, RDH

Kim Grensavitch is a Registered Dental Hygienist with a master’s degree in Health Care Law and has been in the dental field since 1999. She also earned the OSAP-DALE Foundation Dental Infection Prevention and Control Certificate™. She served as a Quality Assurance leader for a large accredited dental organization in WI prior to her current role as the Director of Client Learning with the AAAHC. She is passionate about patient safety and has spoken, and been published, nationally on infection control in dentistry. She is dedicated to public health and helped start a free dental clinic in her community in 2015 and continues to serve on their Board of Directors. Kim also enjoys promoting patient safety in the dental infection control industry through publications, speaking engagements, and serving on the Organization for Safety, Asepsis, and Prevention (OSAP) Board of Directors.

Disclosures: No relevant financial relationships to disclose.

Michelle Strange, MSDH, RDH, CDIPC

Michelle Strange has more than two decades of dental expertise, beginning as a dental assistant and completing a bachelor’s degree in health science from the Medical University of South Carolina and a master’s in dental hygiene education from the University of Bridgeport. She continues to invest in ongoing education, earning the OSAP-DALE Foundation Dental Infection Prevention and Control Certificate™ and the Certified in Dental Infection Prevention and Control certification. Her community and global endeavors demonstrate her passion for dentistry, from volunteer work to worldwide missions. She is the owner of Level Up Infection Prevention, MichelleStrangeRDH, a practicing dental hygienist, and was the co-founder of A Tale of Two Hygienists podcast.

Disclosures: No relevant financial relationships to disclose.

Gregory Holder, MPH

Mr. Holder serves as a Policy Analyst at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion in the Division of Oral Health, where he analyzes state and local legislation and other health policy to determine its impact on oral health, the use of infection prevention guidelines, and responds to public inquiries. Mr. Holder is recognized as an insightful, engaging public speaker, and serves as a docent at the David J. Sencer CDC Museum, volunteering his time to act as an ambassador for CDC to students, public health professionals, and the public by providing tours to guests on the history and current activities of the CDC. He earned a Master of Public Health in Analysis and Management with a focus in infectious disease epidemiology from East Carolina University in Greenville, NC, and a Bachelor of Political Science focusing on constitutional law from Piedmont College in Demorest, GA.

Disclosures: No relevant financial relationships to disclose