www.metdental.com
Author Acknowledgements
Kenneth L. Kalkwarf, DDS
San Antonio, Texas
Dr. Kalkwarf has no relevant relationships
to disclose.
The following commentary highlights
fundamental and commonly accepted practices
on the subject matter. The information is
intended as a general overview and is for
educational purposes only. This information
does not constitute legal advice, which can only
be provided by an attorney.
© Metropolitan Life Insurance Company,
New York, NY. All materials subject to
this copyright may be photocopied for the
noncommercial purpose of scientific or
educational advancement.
Originally published November 2014.
Updated and revised February 2017.
Expiration date:
February 2020. The content
of this Guide is subject to change as new
scientific information becomes available.
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Introduction
Many general dentists are interested in including Sports
Dentistry as part of their practice. This desire may come
from an aspiration to give back to the community, a
pursuit to market their practice, or a combination of both.
They often have previous interaction with sports as a
competitor, coach or official, or may have a spouse or
children competing as athletes, promoting an eagerness
to combine professional skills with a personal pursuit.
This
Quality Resource Guide will discuss the history of Sports
Dentistry, its present status in the athletic community, the
scope of the sector, and the skill sets and commitment that
are required of the dentist participating in the field.
History
Sports Medicine
Although many athletic teams, especially at the
intercollegiate and professional levels, had previously
engaged physicians to assist with injuries of their athletes,
it wasn’t until the last half of the 20th century that Sports
Medicine began to be organized as a sector of health
care.
1,2
Subspecialists in Sports Medicine complete a
residency and are board certified in one of six (6) medical
specialties (Family Medicine, Physical Medicine and
Rehabilitation, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Emergency
Medicine or Orthopaedic Surgery), followed by a twelve-
Quality Resource Guide
Incorporating Sports Dentistry into a General Dentistry Practice
SECOND EDITION
MetLife designates this activity for
1.0 continuing education credit
for the review of this Quality Resource Guide
and successful completion of the post test.
Educational Objectives
Following this unit of instruction, the practitioner should be able to:
1.
Discuss the scope of Sports Dentistry.
2.
Outline the responsibilities of a dentist practicing Sports Dentistry.
3.
Discuss the soft and hard tissue oral injuries that can occur during athletic competition,
and their management.
4.
Outline the properties of an “ideal” athletic mouthguard.
5.
Identify and differentiate the three types of athletic mouthguards types that are typically
available.
6.
Summarize the components of a Sports Dentistry injury prevention education program.
month Fellowship in Sports Medicine or Orthopaedic
Sports Medicine. Sports Medicine physicians treat muscle,
ligament, tendon and bone injuries, and chronic illnesses
that can affect athletic performance. They serve as team
or league physicians at the youth, high school, college
and professional levels, as well as with Olympic teams.
Today’s Sports Medicine physicians typically have an
entire healthcare team available, including specialists
in the fields of hand surgery, foot and ankle surgery,
neurosurgery/neurology, ophthalmology, internal medicine,
general surgery, radiology and dentistry.
3
Sports Dentistry
Dentists in the United States interested in serving the
athletic community began to organize in the early 1980’s
when the Academy for Sports Dentistry (ASD) was
formed.
The ASD currently promotes a Team Dentist
TM
Program, certifying individuals that successfully complete
a course they sponsor and maintain active continuing
education.
4
Other dentists practicing Sports Dentistry in
the U.S. are not required to complete any type of special
training or an examination.
An online continuing education
course (2 credit hours) is available.
5
The International
Association of Dental Traumatology
is an international
group that focuses on the research of sports injuries and
publishes the journal,
Dental Traumatology
.
6