Evaluating and Managing Dental Complaints in Primary and Urgent Care

Over the past 20 years, oral health has improved, but significant dental disease and dental disparities still exist. Providers other than dentists are being recruited to bridge this gap in health care. Being able to recognize, prevent, and treat dental pathology, along with improve access to preventive dental care, is paramount to good health. As nurse practitioners assume increasing roles in these areas, they are likely to encounter patients with dental complaints, such as dental caries and abscesses, dry socket, tooth eruption, dental fractures, luxation, avulsion, extrusion, pulpitis, cellulitis, pericoronitis, and biphosphonate-associated osteonecrosis of the jaw.