General Membership Meeting: Identifying Eating Disorders in Dental Practice

Dentists are often the first to see and identify eating disorders in their patients. There is a large stigma about these common illnesses and often patients are not seeking help out of either shame or ignorance. As a dentist, there may be a strong connection with patients and their families that has occurred over time due to regular visits. This allows dentists a chance to educate individuals if it appears from the exam that an Eating Disorder is affecting oral health and to help prevent further destruction. This talk will give an overview of different types of eating disorders and their prevalence in populations. We will then further explore how these illnesses present in the oral cavity and what to ask in the history if suspicions arise. Finally we will discuss how to bring this up to patients and families in non- threating ways so that they can pursue treatment.