Dental Caries is a Whole Person Disease & Wellness Coaching for Dental Caries

Kim Kutsch, DMD

Dr. V. Kim Kutsch received his undergraduate degree from Westminster College in Utah and then completed his DMD at University of Oregon School of Dentistry in 1979. He is an inventor holding seventeen patents in dentistry, author, researcher, product consultant, internationally recognized speaker, award winning clinician, and is past president of the Academy of Laser Dentistry and the World Congress of Minimally Invasive Dentistry. He also has served on the board of directors for the World Clinical Laser Institute and the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. As an author, Dr. Kutsch has published over 100 articles and abstracts on minimally invasive dentistry, caries risk assessment, digital radiography and other technologies in both dental and medical journals and contributed chapters to numerous textbooks. He coauthored Balance, a textbook on dental decay with 150,000 copies in print, and just authored the patient workbook on dental caries titled Why Me? He also wrote the Rough World novels, a young adult science fiction trilogy. He acts as a reviewer for several journals including the Journal of the American Dental Association and Compendium. Dr. Kutsch also serves as CEO of Dental Alliance Holdings LLC, manufacturer of the Carifree system; CEO of Dental Safety First Inc., manufacturer of  DAX; and Remin Media. As a clinician he is a Graduate, Mentor and Scientific Advisor of Dental Caries at the prestigious Kois Center. Dr. Kutsch maintains a private practice in Beaverton, Oregon.

Course Description:

Dental Caries is a Whole Person Disease

Dental caries is a complex biofilm mediated disease, significantly influenced by pH, and results in net mineral loss from the teeth. Current research indicates there are multiple known risk factors for the disease including genetic factors. P4 medicine promotes an approach that is predictive, preventive, personalized and participatory. Caries Risk Management meets all of these criteria and is considered best practice in the prevention and treatment of dental caries disease. Unfortunately, early attempts at Caries Risk Management were complicated, confusing and not easily implemented in daily practice. This program will review the most current scientific literature on caries management and present a simplified approach that is both efficient and effective in clinical practice. In summary, the program will help the participant answer the questions: How can I successfully implement Caries Risk Management into my daily practice? How can we effectively use a P4 medical mode to help our patients manage this disease?

Course Objectives:

1. Upon completion, participant will be able to discuss the current dental caries biofilm disease model.
2. Upon completion, participant will be able to describe different caries management strategies including coaching language.
3. Upon completion, participant will be able to implement a simple caries management

system.

Wellness Coaching for Dental Caries

Caries Risk Management is considered best practice in the prevention and treatment of dental caries disease, although early attempts in clinical practice have been overly complicated. Implementing this concept into daily practice affects all management systems in the office, but more importantly, really requires new skills to help coach the patient along their journey to health. This approach has been called Motivational Interviewing, Patient Centered Dentistry, and/or Wellness Coaching. But regardless of the name, the skills are the same. This lecture will present this philosophy and review verbal coaching skills.

Course Objectives:

1. Upon completion, the participant will be able to identify the commonly known risk factors and treatment strategies for dental caries.
2. Upon completion, the participant will be able to discuss the strategic decisions necessary to successfully implement caries risk assessment into daily practice.
3. Upon completion, the participant will have learned new verbal coaching skills to help their patients achieve health.