Communication is Key: Improving Collaboration Among Dentists, Oral Surgeons, and Osteoporosis Treaters through Effective Education

Clinical Consultations™: Improving the Coordination of Care Between Dentists, Oral Surgeons, and Osteoporosis Specialists to Reduce the Risk of ONJ was an online video panel discussion developed in collaboration with expert faculty and the Rutgers School of Dental Medicine.

There is a gap in care between dentists and physicians when it comes to coordinating the management of their patients. This educational activity was designed to improve clinicians’ knowledge about the incidence and risk of ONJ associated with antiresorptive therapies and guideline-recommended strategies on how to optimize treatment and mitigate the risk for ONJ to improve clinical outcomes for patients affected by this prevalent disease.

 - PER^® used quantitative data (pre-activity and post-activity-administered questions that were presented via embedded pre- and post-test questions to obtain current vs. planned clinical practice patterns as well as evaluate changes in knowledge and competence.
- The learners were presented with these questions prior to the presentation of educational content (baseline) and immediately following (post-activity).
- Qualitative data, derived from the learners’ online evaluation responses were also used to determine the educational success of this activity.

 Upon completion of the activity, we expected to see the following outcomes:

• Learners would have improved competence to recognize and appropriately manage patients at risk for ONJ


• Learners would have improved knowledge of efficacy and safety of current and developing agents for treatment of patients with osteoporosis and their impact on ONJ risk


• Learners would have improved competence to apply a multidisciplinary approach and individualized treatment to patients with osteoporosis

“Clinical Consultations” are engaging case-based activities that allow participants to hear thought leaders discuss patient management and treatment issues, experience case-based learning, and commentary from thought-leaders regarding treatment decisions supported by evidence through pre-recorded video clips.

Faculty discussions were video recorded and interspersed throughout the case presentations.  To begin, the endocrinologist, a dentist, and an oral surgeon presented an overview of osteoporosis and ONJ. Following, the faculty will review a case study related to the management of osteoporosis and a case study related to the management of ONJ. At key decision points during the cases, both clinicians will discuss issues surrounding the management of the patient and their approaches to care. The “consultations” between these thought leaders allows participants to watch experts discuss their unique approach to treatment, based on their clinical specialty or individual practice setting. Case-based educational programs like the Clinical Consultations^TM allow learners to apply expert recommendations to their own practice.

PER worked with an expert in the field of osteoporosis to identify the needs and subsequently, identify the best format to address those needs. PER also worked with the Rutgers School of Dental Medicine  (RSDM) to further refine gaps specific to dentists and oral surgeons and they helped disseminate the education to their network. As an added value, through our collaboration with RSDM, we were able to offer ADA CERP accreditation in addition to ACCME, CBRN credit to ensure each target audience would be able to claim the credit specific to their field.

Patient-Level Outcome(s) Measured:

Ultimately, 1,147 healthcare professionals took part in this educational activity, with 1,025 claiming CE credit. There was an improvement in knowledge and competence across all intended outcomes, which can be seen in in the pre- and post-test data. Learners showed improved competence to recognize and manage risk for ONJ, improved knowledge of efficacy and safety data for agents used for the treatment of patients with osteoporosis and the impact on ONJ risk, and improved competence to apply multidisciplinary approaches to care. The data was segmented to look at the pre- and post-test comparison for endocrinologists and the pre- and post-test comparison for dentists and oral surgeon and there was an improvement in knowledge and competence across the board. Aside from the knowledge/competence gained through the pre-and post-test, learners identified several measurable practice changes they are considering implementing as a result of taking the activity. Some of the proposed changes included, getting in contact with patients’ dentist’s themselves to discuss the use of antiresorptive therapies, screening patients undergoing dental extractions to identify ONJ risks, having conversations with patients to determine if they receive regular dental care, and having better overall interactions with the physicians involved in care. This qualitative data is impactful and offers direct insights into multidisciplinary perspectives regarding potential shifts in practice that can have a positive outcome on long-term patient outcomes.