Pain Control I – [local anesthesia] – the students start with patient evaluation, then they learn the neurophysiology, pharmacology, and specific actions of local anesthesia and the associated vasoconstrictors, along with dosage calculation, and then they learn the armamentarium, anatomy and all of the different maxillary and mandibular techniques and management of all complications. The students then get a chance to perform all of the techniques on each other in two clinical sessions. The course is twenty-six hours and is in the second year curriculum.
Oral Surgery– also in the second year – the students start with surgical patient evaluation, then they learn the principles of surgery, wound repair, asepsis, and the surgical armamentarium. Next, they learn the techniques of exodontia including uncomplicated extractions and complicated extractions with sectioning and removal of roots and the management of surgical complications. This course specifically prepares the students for the oral surgery clinic, which is in the third year, and consists of eighteen hours.
Pain Control II A – [emergencies and Nitrous Oxide] – also in the second year, the first part of this course is devoted to medical emergencies in the dental office. This is by far their most thorough and comprehensive course in emergencies. All emergencies are dissected into causes, recognition, and management. This first part is twelve hours and prepares them for whatever type of emergency they will need to deal with in the oral surgery clinic. The second part of this course is devoted to nitrous oxide and oxygen sedation and the students learn the history, rationale, and pharmacology of Nitrous Oxide and Oxygen and the anatomy, and physiology of the lung and then the armamentarium, techniques of administration, complications and current concerns associated with the use of Nitrous Oxide and Oxygen. They also get to use Nitrous oxide and Oxygen on each other in rotating groups and then also need to document at least twelve cases in their third and fourth years. This second part is also twelve hours. The entire course is twenty-four hours.
Pain Control II B - This course is in the third year and is ten hours in length and deals with enteral and parenteral sedation and general anesthesia. The students are taught the history, rationale, pharmacology, anatomy, techniques of administration, and associated complications and considerations with the use of all of these different types of sedation and general anesthesia. The actual performance of these techniques, other than occasional enteral sedation, is not accomplished in the undergraduate curriculum at this time.
Clinical Oral Surgery – all of the prior courses prepare the student for this clinical course where they get a chance to put it into practice. This course starts with a four hour simulation lab experience where they get to review oral surgery armamentarium, the techniques of uncomplicated extractions and complicated surgical extractions with sectioning and removal of roots. They also get to observe developing of flaps and repair with suturing and the review of local anesthetic blocks on the skull all done in small groups. They then get to perform these things on simulated models in the lab. The rest of the year they get to go on scheduled rotations at University Hospital in New Orleans and Chabert Clinic in Houma, Louisiana to perform extractions on patients under supervision of faculty. They also can perform uncomplicated extractions on the dental school clinic floor with regular faculty and can perform more complicated surgeries or extractions in the Oral Surgery clinic area at the dental school with Oral Surgery faculty or residents. During the junior year after at least ten extractions they must successfully complete a local anesthesia and uncomplicated extraction clinical competency. The students average approximately sixty extractions in their junior year and then continue to do extractions in their senior year. They experience a majority of surgery that they will see in their private practice. This course is fifty-four hours.
Advanced Oral Surgery – this course is toward the end of the third year and consists of twenty hours. The students learn more advanced techniques in oral surgery including removal of impacted third molars, treating complex odontogenic infections, techniques of performing major preprosthetic surgery, orthognathic surgery, major facial trauma, cosmetic surgery, temporomandibular joint disorders, and management of the hospital patient. Even though the students may never get to do this type of surgery, it is important that they know about it and who to refer it to, if they see it.
Pain Control III – this last course, given in their fourth year, is eighteen hours and consists of alternative and adjunctive techniques including hypnosis, acupuncture, acupressure, tens, and others. Practical considerations, including State Board and A.D.A. requirements for administration of sedation and general anesthesia, medications for pain control, monitoring, and a summary of medical emergencies in the dental office are also included.
Other Opportunities – third and fourth year students are also given an opportunity to do two-week externships in oral surgery in the school and at various hospitals. Also the fourth year students are encouraged to bring all of their more complicated or extensive surgeries, in other clinics, to the fourth floor surgery suite, where they can be performed under the guidance of the oral surgery staff. The oral surgery staff also does consults throughout the school to ensure a coordinated treatment for all patients and an additional learning experience for the student.
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The undergraduate program at L.S.U. gives a well rounded surgical experience to all of the students and prepares them for private practice or to further their experience in a nationally renown residency program in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery here at L.S.U.