"Waiting to Inhale?” Will Cannabis Challenge the Dental Professions as Tobacco Has in the Past?

According to the DEA, cannabis is considered to have no accepted medical use and, thus, it is illegal to possess. Yet, almost every state has enacted legislation aimed at legalizing or decriminalizing cannabis for medical or recreational use. Despite this rise in social and legal acceptance, public health concerns regarding the use of cannabis remain, especially among dental professionals, since the major routes of administration of cannabis involve the oral cavity. This program will introduce dental professionals to the pharmacology of cannabis, including its various dosage forms, routes of administration and adverse effects. Special emphasis will be placed on the effects of cannabis use on oral health and dental treatment, as well as the proposed use of cannabis in dentistry for the management of patient anxiety and odontogenic pain.