Strengthen your skills in managing patients on complex medications. Get practical insights, refresh your knowledge, and earn CE credits with Dr. Leslie Fang, MD, PhD.
By Genni Burkhart
New drugs constantly enter clinical use, often at a pace that challenges how dental teams manage patient care. Some are becoming increasingly popular and carry implications for common procedures, from cleanings to oral surgery. For dental professionals, understanding how these therapies affect bleeding risk, drug interactions, and treatment planning is essential.
This topic is the focus of Dr. Leslie Fang's MD, PhD continuing education course, "Update on New Drugs with Significant Dental Implications." This online course qualifies for 1.5 hours of CE credit that is automatically issued with a digital certificate upon completion.
Anticoagulants in Dentistry
Dr. Leslie Fang, MD, PhD
For decades, Coumadin was the standard oral anticoagulant. It reduced the risk of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation but required frequent monitoring, careful dose titration, and came with numerous drug interactions. Its challenges led to inconsistent patient adherence and gaps in protection.
The arrival of newer anticoagulants, often referred to as NOACs, has shifted this landscape. Pradaxa, Xarelto, Eliquis, and Savaysa are increasingly prescribed because they are effective, easier to manage, and don't require the constant monitoring of Coumadin. These drugs are now first-line therapy for conditions such as atrial fibrillation, deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, and post-surgical clot prevention.
For dentistry, this means that more patients are presenting on NOACs, and providers must understand how to balance the benefits of anticoagulation with the realities of dental bleeding risk. The short half-lives of these drugs allow for relatively quick interruption and resumption when needed, but management decisions depend heavily on the planned procedure and the patient's overall health.
Case-Based Learning
Consider a 55-year-old patient with atrial fibrillation who requires three hours of dental care that will likely involve bleeding. He is taking Eliquis alongside several medications for hypertension and cardiac rhythm control. Should the anticoagulant be stopped the day before, held the morning of, resumed that evening, or not interrupted at all?
Scenarios like this illustrate the type of clinical questions the course addresses. Dr. Fang presents evidence-based guidance and practical frameworks that dental professionals can use to collaborate effectively with physicians while ensuring patient safety during procedures.
Reversal Agents and Safety Advances
One of the most significant developments in recent years is the approval of targeted reversal agents. Praxbind, for example, can neutralize the effects of Pradaxa. Andexanet alfa offers a reversal option for Factor Xa inhibitors such as Xarelto, Eliquis, and Savaysa. These agents add an important layer of safety when urgent dental or surgical intervention is required.
Understanding how and when these reversal agents are used helps dental teams better evaluate risk, particularly for patients with complex medical histories. It also underscores the importance of staying current with evolving standards of care.
New Antiplatelet Drugs and Dental Considerations
Antiplatelet medications remain central in cardiology, especially for patients who have experienced myocardial infarction, stroke, or stent placement. Aspirin, Plavix, Effient, and Brilinta are widely prescribed, with many acting irreversibly on platelet function. For dentistry, this creates considerations that extend well beyond a routine extraction.
Bleeding risk is heightened for patients on dual antiplatelet therapy. Elective surgical procedures are discouraged within six months of stent placement, and collaboration with the prescribing physician is often necessary. In many cases, routine dental care can proceed safely on single antiplatelet therapy, but surgical interventions require a careful plan.
Why This Course Is Essential
Patients are living longer, taking more advanced therapies, and arriving with health histories that demand careful review before treatment begins. Anticoagulants and antiplatelet agents have transformed standards of care in medicine, but they also bring new challenges to dentistry.
This course provides clarity, case-based learning, and practical recommendations that every dental professional can apply. From understanding which medications require adjustments to knowing when to coordinate with physicians, Dr. Fang's course helps clinicians improve patient safety and confidence in decision-making.
Register today to earn 1.5 CE credits on recognizing how these commonly used medications interact with sedation dentistry.
Author: With over 15 years as an award-winning journalist, editor, and writer, Genni Burkhart has covered everything from news, politics, and healthcare to finance, corporate leadership, and technology. As editor-in-chief of The Incisor newsletter and blog and editorial writer at DOCS Education, she brings a refreshing insight and a passion for storytelling to the world of sedation dentistry.
