2025 Chemical Dependency & Prescription Writing
This course offers an update on the opioid epidemic and evidence-based cannabis use, examining their impact on dental practice. Participants will review standards of care for pain management before, during, and after treatment, along with effective communication strategies for opioid prescribing, safe use, and disposal. A new post-operative analgesic for moderate to severe pain will be introduced. Emphasis will be placed on applying the Tennessee Chronic Pain Guidelines to improve patient outcomes, reduce risk, and support evidence-based, responsible prescribing in dentistry.
Learning Objectives:
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
- Evaluate current trends in the opioid epidemic and evidence-based cannabis use, and their implications for dental practice.
- Apply reasonable standards of care for pain management before, during, and after dental procedures, with emphasis on safe prescribing and communication strategies.
- Integrate new post-operative analgesic options and the Tennessee Chronic Pain Guidelines into clinical decision-making to improve patient outcomes and reduce opioid reliance.
Speaker: William "Bill" Claytor, Jr.
Dr. J. William “Bill” Claytor, Jr. is a nationally recognized dental professional with extensive expertise in the areas of general dentistry, substance use disorders, mental health, and burnout prevention within the dental community. He currently serves as the Executive Director of North Carolina Caring Dental Professionals, a position he has held since January 2022. He is also a Key Opinion Leader for Dentsply Sirona and serves as a visiting faculty member at Spear Education in Scottsdale, AZ.
Dr. Claytor has earned numerous accolades throughout his career. He is the 2025 recipient of the American Dental Association’s Distinguished Service Award, which denotes the highest honor given by the ADA Board of Trustees each year. He also holds both Fellowship and Mastership distinctions from the Academy of General Dentistry (FAGD/MAGD), as well as the prestigious AGD Lifelong Learning and Service Recognition Award (LLSR). He is a Consultant to the American Dental Association (ADA) Council on Scientific Affairs (2022-2023) and has contributed as a panelist at the ADA’s Health & Well-being Summit and its Clinical Practice Evidence-based Guidelines on acute dental pain.
In addition to his current roles, Dr. Claytor is a recognized speaker and educator, lecturing extensively on topics such as the opioid epidemic, issues concerning dental patient marijuana use, and the management of burnout and perfectionism. He has presented at numerous universities and national conferences, including the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, New York University College of Dentistry, the Annual Meetings of the Michigan and Colorado Dental Associations, the North Carolina Dental Society, and the Annual Meeting of the Federation of State Physician Health Programs.
His earlier roles include serving as an adjunct clinical faculty member at the UNC Adams School of Dentistry and as a consultant to the ADA’s Dental Well-Being Advisory Committee (2016-2021). His written contributions include articles in peer-reviewed journals, textbook chapters, and an eBook addressing burnout and perfectionism in dentistry.
Dr. Claytor’s commitment to advancing mental health and well-being in dentistry, combined with his in-depth knowledge of substance use disorders, makes him a highly sought-after speaker and consultant in his field.
Conflict of Interest: None Reported
The TDA is an ADA CERP provider (May 2024 – June 2028)
ADA CERP is a service of the American Dental Association to assist dental professionals in identifying quality providers of continuing 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 ADA CERP at ada.org/cerp.