ADEA eLearn
Cannabis Use and Dentistry – Part II: Ethics, Communication and Clinical Practice
Recorded On: 03/05/2026
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Cannabis use continues to present complex clinical, ethical, and communication challenges in dental practice. Building on the scientific foundation established in Part 1 (link here), this session focuses on practical application in real-world settings. Participants will explore ethical decision-making frameworks related to informed consent, impairment, confidentiality, and professional responsibility. The program will also examine communication strategies, including motivational interviewing and stigma-reduction approaches, to support patient-centered discussions about cannabis use, including motivational interviewing and stigma-reduction approaches. Risk management and documentation considerations will be integrated throughout to help clinicians navigate these scenarios safely and confidently.
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.
Learning Objectives
- Apply ethical and professional decision-making principles when managing patients who use cannabis, including considerations of informed consent, impairment, and confidentiality.
- Utilize evidence-informed communication strategies—including motivational interviewing and stigma-reduction approaches— to engage patients in discussions about cannabis use, including motivational interviewing and stigma-reduction approaches.
- Incorporate risk management and documentation practices to support safe, patient-centered clinical care in cases involving cannabis use.
Original Release Date: March 5, 2026
Expiration Date: March 5, 2029
Teaching Methods: Self-instruction
Questions? Contact [email protected]
Disclaimer
The purpose of this program is to educate and inform. Information provided in this program is not a substitute for professional care and is not intended for use in the diagnosis or treatment of individual conditions. Guests at this presentation express their own experience, opinions and conclusions, which do not necessarily reflect those of their employer or any organization or group with whom they may be affiliated. Expressed viewpoints and opinions by speaker(s), presenter(s), guest(s) and/or facilitator(s) are also not those of the American Dental Education Association (ADEA), ADEA staff or the ADEA Board of Directors. The mention of any product, service, organization, activity or therapy should not be construed as an endorsement by ADEA.
CE Information
ADEA is an ADA CERP recognized provider.
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. Concerns or complaints about a continuing education (CE) provider may be directed to the provider or to the Commission for Continuing Education Provider Recognition at CCEPR.ada.org.
ADEA designates this activity for 1.0 continuing education credits.
CE credit is awarded for overall participation in the ADEA eLearn webinar, "Cannabis Use and Dentistry – Part II: Ethics, Communication and Clinical Practice."
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.
Manish K Bhagania, B.D.S., M.D.S., FICD, FIBCSOMS
Clinical Associate Professor in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine
Dr. Manish K. Bhagania, B.D.S., M.D.S., v is a Clinical Associate Professor of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine, where he serves as Director of Predoctoral Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Education and Minor Oral Surgery Training. He is also an attending oral and maxillofacial surgeon at Boston Medical Center.
Dr. Bhagania’s academic interests span oral surgery education, pain management, medical emergencies, medically complex patients, addiction education, curriculum innovation, and the responsible integration of emerging technologies into dental education and clinical practice. He currently serves as Chair-Elect of the American Dental Education Association (ADEA) Section on Addiction Education, where he has been involved in advancing education and awareness surrounding substance use, stigma, and the implications of substance use for dental practice and patient care.
His scholarly and educational work includes interdisciplinary initiatives addressing cannabis use and dentistry, pain management, access to care, patient safety, and innovations in dental education. He has presented at national dental education forums, including multiple ADEA Annual Sessions, and has contributed to discussions at the intersection of oral health, addiction, public health, and clinical education.
Dr. Bhagania is deeply committed to preparing dental educators, clinicians, and future dental professionals to approach substance use and related clinical challenges with evidence-based knowledge, ethical decision-making, compassion, and a non-stigmatizing approach to patient care.
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.
Jennifer Cullen, RDH, M.P.H.
Clinical Assistant Professor and Director of the Division of Dental Hygiene
University of Michigan School of Dentistry
Jennifer Cullen, RDH, M.P.H. is a Clinical Assistant Professor and Director of the Dental Hygiene Division in the Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry. She lectures in and directs several didactic and clinical courses in the undergraduate, degree completion, and graduate DH programs. Ms. Cullen has presented or published on a range of topics including dental hygiene care in alternative settings, care for special patients, cannabis and oral health, oral-behavioral health integration, strengths-based teaching, and leadership. She is current president of the U-M Nu Chapter of the Sigma Phi-Alpha Dental Hygiene Honor Society. Ms. Cullen serves as the Chair of the ADEA ADPDC Planning Committee and is a Fellow in the Class of 2026 ADEA Leadership Institute.
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.
L. Brendan Young, Ph.D., M.B.A.
Director of Behavioral Science and Associate Professor of Preventive and Community Dentistry
The University of Iowa College of Dentistry and Dental Clinics
Dr. Brendan Young, Ph.D., M.B.A., is the Director of Behavioral Science and Associate Professor of Preventive and Community Dentistry at the University of Iowa College of Dentistry. He holds degrees from Duke University, Tulane University, The University of West Florida, and a Ph.D. in Communication from the University of Iowa. He completed a postdoctoral research fellowship with the Veterans Health Administration’s Office of Rural Health.
Dr. Young is co-author of Communication Skills for Dental Health Care Providers, published by Quintessence. At the University of Iowa he serves as course director for all predoctoral courses in interprofessional communication and patient-provider communication.
Dr. Young has researched substance use disorders for more than 20 years, publishing his work in Addiction Research & Theory, Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly, Addictive Disorders & Their Treatment, and Substance Use & Misuse. Dr. Young serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Dental Education and is currently the secretary of ADEA’s Section on Behavioral Sciences.
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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