ADEA eLearn
Cannabis Use and Dentistry – Part I: Public Health, Pharmacology, and Clinical Implications
Recorded On: 10/09/2025
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Cannabis use is rapidly increasing across the United States with growing implications for oral health care. Dental professionals are increasingly frequently more likely to encounter patients who use cannabis in various forms, yet evidence-based guidance for managing these patients remains limited. This first webinar in our three-part series will focus on three essential domains: the public health perspective, pharmacology and toxicology of cannabis, and the clinical implications for dental practice.
Panelists will provide a foundation for understanding how cannabis affects oral and systemic health; the various methods of consumption and their pharmacologic impacts; and how clinicians can adapt care to ensure patient safety, effective communication and ethical practice. By building this foundation, participants will be prepared for deeper discussions in later sessions, which will address patient management, ethical considerations, and educational and policy implications.
Learning Objectives
- Describe current trends in cannabis use and their public health impact on dental care.
- Explain the pharmacological aspects and toxicology considerations of commonly used cannabis products and delivery methods.
- Understand clinical implications for pre-operative assessment and identify when to defer care.
This webinar is presented by the ADEA Section on Addiction Education. Learn more about joining this Section, as well as ADEA's other Sections and Special Interest Groups (SIGs) online.
Original Release Date: Oct. 9, 2025
Expiration Date: Oct. 9, 2028
Questions? Contact learn@adea.org
Disclaimer
The purpose of this presentation is to educate and to inform. This is not a substitute for professional care and is not intended for use for the diagnosis or treatment of individual conditions. Guests on this presentation express their own experience, opinions and conclusions. Guest statements do not express the viewpoint of ADEA. The mention of any product, service, organization, activity or therapy should not be construed as an ADEA endorsement.
CE Information
An evaluation form is available to participants after the conclusion of the live webinar. To earn continuing education (CE) credit for participation in the webinar, the online evaluation must be completed in full by Oct. 9, 2028. After completing the evaluation, webinar participants can print and save the CE Verification Form.
ADA CERP is a service of the American Dental Association to assist dental professionals in identifying quality providers of continuing dental education. ADA CERP does not approve or endorse individual courses or instructors, nor does it imply acceptance of credit hours by boards of dentistry.
The American Dental Education Association designates this activity for 1.0 continuing education credit.
All speakers agree that neither they nor members of their immediate family have any financial relationships with commercial entities that may be relevant to their presentation.
Ammaar Abidi, D.D.S, Ph.D.
Associate Dean of Research / Associate Professor of Pharmacology
Lincoln Memorial University College of Dental Medicine
Dr. Ammaar Abidi is an Associate Professor of Pharmacology and the Associate Dean of Research at Lincoln Memorial University College of Dental Medicine. He is the first graduate of the dual D.D.S./Ph.D. program at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, where he trained in both dentistry and biomedical sciences.
Dr. Abidi’s career is dedicated to integrating the pharmacology of the endocannabinoid system (ECS) with clinical dentistry to develop therapies for oral inflammation and improve public oral health. His research centers on discovering pro-resolution, anti-inflammatory agents as adjuncts to periodontitis and other oral inflammatory diseases.
Early in his career, he investigated molecular signaling pathways in glioblastoma multiforme, synthesizing cannabinoid compounds such as KM-233 that demonstrated potent anti-cancer effects. He also developed pharmacologic screening tools for cannabinoid compounds, including optimization of receptor-based cell models that identified agonist, antagonist, and inverse agonist activities. His work extended to endogenous cannabinoids such as 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) and anandamide (AEA), highlighting their roles in regulating cell proliferation, immune modulation, and inflammatory resolution.
Building on this expertise, Dr. Abidi has examined the therapeutic impact of non-psychoactive phytocannabinoids such as cannabidiol (CBD) and selective CB2 receptor ligands like SMM-189. His studies demonstrated that these compounds reduce cytokines, chemokines, and vascular markers in periodontal fibroblasts, restore tissue homeostasis, and enhance wound healing. These findings provide strong support for targeting CB2R and cannabinoid-based therapies as viable strategies for oral inflammatory disease management.
Beyond cannabinoid pharmacology, Dr. Abidi’s research explores salivary diagnostics, oral microbiome dynamics, and translational approaches to regulate inflammation, pain, and systemic health. His long-term vision is to bridge basic science and clinical care to accelerate the development and repurposing of drugs that improve both oral and systemic health outcomes.
Speaker agrees that neither they nor members of their immediate family have any financial relationships with commercial entities that may be relevant to their presentation.
Manish K Bhagania, B.D.S., M.D.S.
Clinical Associate Professor in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine
Dr. Manish Bhagania is an oral and maxillofacial surgeon and educator whose work bridges clinical care, public health, and academic leadership. He currently serves as Chair of the Section on Addiction Education of the American Dental Education Association (ADEA) and is Clinical Associate Professor in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine.
His teaching and scholarship emphasize preparing future dental professionals to manage substance use and its implications in dental practice, particularly through simulation-based medical emergency training and curriculum innovation. Dr. Bhagania has published on topics related to access to care, perioperative management, and addiction education, and he has contributed to national and international dialogues on advancing dental education.
He has presented at recent ADEA Annual Meetings, including short talks in 2024 and 2025, and has an accepted proposal for the 2026 ADEA Annual Session in Montreal. His public presentations have included Management of Pain in Dentistry and Medical Emergencies in Dental Settings.
Dr. Bhagania is leading this three-part ADEA webinar series and is currently working with JADA on supplementary article series exploring cannabis use and dentistry — with the goal of equipping dental educators and clinicians with evidence-based strategies for patient care, ethical decision-making, and educational policy development.
He is deeply committed to service, interdisciplinary collaboration, and supporting the profession in addressing the intersection of oral health, addiction, and public health.
Speaker agrees that neither they nor members of their immediate family have any financial relationships with commercial entities that may be relevant to their presentation.
Mary Tavares D.M.D., M.P.H.
Professor of Health Policy and Health Services Research / Residency Director for the Dental Public Health Graduate Program
Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine
Dr. Mary Tavares is a Professor of Health Policy and Health Services Research and the Residency Director for the Dental Public Health Graduate Program at Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine. She is also a Senior Clinical Investigator at The ADA-Forsyth Institute and a Corresponding Member of the Faculty at Harvard School of Dental Medicine.
A graduate of Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, she received an MPH from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and a Certificate in Dental Public Health from Boston University.
She is a Diplomate of the American Board of Dental Public Health and currently, the Secretary-Treasurer of the Board.
Dr. Tavares' research has focused on the connection between systemic and oral health, with a particular focus on obesity and diabetes.
Speaker agrees that neither they nor members of their immediate family have any financial relationships with commercial entities that may be relevant to their presentation.
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