Director: Petra E. Wilder-Smith, D.D.S., Ph.D., Sami Nammour, D.D.S., Ph.D., HDR, Denise Zezell, Ph.D.

Educational Needs
Goals of the Dentistry/O&M session include the introduction and validation of novel light-based diagnostic approaches for oral hard and soft tissues, and expert information on the latest laser-based dental procedures in a clinical and pre-clinical setting.

Participants
This session is suitable for dentists, dental specialists, hygienists, ancillary dental staff, researchers, and scientists.

Background Requirements
Participants should have a basic knowledge of oral physiology and lasers.

Instructional Content and/or Expected Learning Outcomes
Topics include an introduction to and validation of novel diagnostic tools for the oral cavity such as optical coherence and Doppler tomography, fluorescence, in vivo microscopy, laser speckle imaging, selective dyes and photosensitizers.  Dental and oral treatments using various lasers, selective dyes and photosensitizers will also be discussed.  It is expected that participants will develop an understanding of novel diagnostic approaches for the oral cavity, including their principles, capabilities and limitations, as well as their readiness for clinical usage. The effective and safe clinical use of dental lasers will be discussed in the light of clinical trials and latest technological developments.

Hot Topics

• Non-Invasive Diagnostics for Oral Cancer
• Laser-Assisted Adhesive Dentistry
• Imaging-Based Evaluation of Orthodontic Tooth Movement
• Optical Diagnosis of Decay Under Dental Sealants
• Laser Prosthetic and Soft Tissue Surgery
• Laser-Based Treatment of Root Fractures