Looking Beyond the Tonsils: Point-of-Care Glucose Testing in Dentistry
In this new era of medical-dental integration, the expectation is that dental professionals will become more involved in risk assessment, early diagnosis, and co-management of various medical conditions.
Diabetes screening is one of the most important examples of procedures, traditionally delivered by physicians and nurses, that oral health practitioners have been asked to provide.
This course provides a cut-to-the-chase tutorial on how to implement HbA1c and Capillary Blood Glucose (aka Random Blood Glucose) point-of-care testing in the dental setting, including identifying patients who are candidates for the testing procedures, performing the procedure, interpreting the results and how they might influence dental treatment plans, billing for the procedures, discussing test results with patients and their primary care providers, and considering the challenges associated with implementing chairside glucose testing. With recently ADA-approved codes for providing glucose testing, this course is a must for progressive practitioners.
Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:
- Identify the roles of oral healthcare providers in performing a number of primary care services which have traditionally been delivered by physicians and nurses.
- Describe the various types of glucose testing, including Fasting Plasma Glucose, Oral Glucose Tolerance, and HbA1c, and their thresholds for diagnosis of diabetes and prediabetes.
- Utilizing the American Diabetes Association’s risk-based criteria for type 2 diabetes in asymptomatic adults, children and adolescents, identify patients who are candidates for point-of-care testing for HbA1c and Capillary Blood Glucose.
- Apply CDT codes, recently approved by the American Dental Association, for billing for HbA1c and Capillary Blood Glucose testing, or utilize patients’ medical insurance for reimbursement.
- Identify types of equipment and supplies needed for point-of- care HbA1c and Capillary Blood Glucose testing, and describe how these testing procedures are performed.
- Interpret the results of these two point-of-care glucose testing procedures, and describe how the results may influence dental treatment plans.
- Inform patients of test results, and close the referral loop with the patent’s physician.
- Identify challenges to implementing diabetes screening and glucose testing.