Limited Immunization (COVID-19 and Influenza) Certificate Course Description:

In 2019, Oregon became the first state to allow dentists to offer any vaccination to patients of any age. An additional access to care, dentists help prevent the spread of infectious diseases and improve the immunization rates in Oregon. Based on the national education standards for immunization training from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, along with guidance from the Oregon Health Authority (OHA), the CDE training program has become a model for other states in the US. Our curriculum represents the fusion of science and clinical dentistry, which emphasizes a disease prevention health care team approach.

The purpose of this program, (limited to currently licensed dentists and Hygienist in Oregon) is to prepare dentists with the knowledge, skills, and resources necessary to safely provide COVID-19 and Influenza immunizations to their patients or while participating at a public vaccination event. Once the self-paced (approximately 4-6 hours) online training is complete and the posttest has been successfully passed, the dentist will be offered a code to register for a hands-on training module (approximately 1.5 hours, additional fee) to be eligible to provide intra-muscular injections. The dentist must maintain documentation of every module they have completed in their personal files.

CDE will issue an immunization certificate limited to COVID-19 and Influenza, along with CE verification of 6.5 hours, within ten business days of completing the hands-on module.

As additional COVID-19 vaccines receive EUA (emergency use authorization) the dentist is required to take the related OHA/CDC required modules for each COVID-19 vaccine they plan to give. CDE does not require documentation of this additional training; the dentist must keep this in their personal files as evidence of training.

After receiving the limited immunization certificate (COVID-19 and Influenza) should the dentist choose to offer any childhood vaccine, they must register, pay for and complete the required online modules offered by CDE to receive a complete immunization certificate and CE verification. Modules do not need to be repeated. Please note, the hands-on training is limited to intra muscular injections only and does not include subcutaneous or intra nasal immunizations. The dentist will independently identify training and document these competencies in these new skills.

Course Objectives:

· Learn required vaccine storage and handling to maintain a safe inventory;

· Learn how COVID-19 and Influenza vaccines work, contraindications, and general best practices for safe vaccine administration;

· Understand vaccine side effects, patient education, and required (patient record) documentation;

· Understand the differences between EUA (COVID-19 vaccines) vs. VIS (Influenza vaccine) for healthcare providers and recipients;

· Learn how to manage and overcome a patient/parent hesitancy, knowledge gap and fears;

· Learn how to report a serious adverse event to VAERS, and the Board of Dentistry reporting requirements;

· Know how to refer a patient/recipient to V-Safe;

· Identify resources at OHA, CDC, and ACIP;

Understand why education and training, including annual continuing education is critical in preventing patient harm and harm to your practice;

· Learn to safely give an IM injection and how to prevent SIRVA (during hands-on training),

· Learn what emergency medications and equipment are required to manage an emergency after vaccination (during hands-on training).

Mary Pat Califano, BSN, RN, MBA

Mary Pat, Associate Director Infection Prevention and Control Instructor, Department of OMFS joined the OHSU Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery department as a faculty member in 2014.  A graduate of the Medical College of Virginia/Virginia Commonwealth University and Danville University, she has served as a registered nurse since 1982.  She has provided nursing care in acute, long term, rehabilitation, hospice and home health settings, having responsibility for community-based services for five hospitals concurrently, and teams of up to 1,000 employees.  Mary Pat has also served as an executive director for a large nonprofit organization.  She has been an educator her entire career, teaching leadership to graduate nursing students and managing medical emergencies and infection control to dental students.  She works with faculty and dental students in the didactic and practical aspects of the School of Dentistry’s innovative immunization program.

Oregon Health & Science University 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.