Dental School SBIRT Curriculum – Foundational Training for Substance Use Disorders-MODULE 2

MODULE 2_Opioid Case.

Pdf Summary

This dental school training module uses a case-based scenario to teach substance use disorder (SUD) screening, especially opioid use disorder, in a clinical setting. The patient, Mr. Rubin, is a 45-year-old man with chronic pain after a motor vehicle accident and spinal fusion surgery. He reports jaw pain and asks for “something strong,” while also describing long-term use of multiple opioid medications, frequent access to prescriptions from several doctors, and occasional street opioid purchases. His presentation includes possible signs of opioid withdrawal or opioid-related misuse, such as sweating, constipation, restless behavior, and strong medication-seeking language.<br /><br />The module emphasizes that dental professionals should recognize that patients may have multiple comorbid substance use issues and should be prepared to screen for alcohol, tobacco, prescription drug, and illicit drug use. It reviews opioid withdrawal symptoms and treatment options, including methadone, buprenorphine (such as Suboxone and Sublocade), naltrexone, and supportive care. It also explains opioid agonist treatment and highlights that medication-assisted treatment works best with counseling, though medication should still be offered if counseling is unavailable.<br /><br />The case teaches motivational interviewing strategies for resistant patients, such as using open-ended questions, staying nonjudgmental, and rolling with resistance. It also includes multiple-choice questions on risk screening tools, opioid misuse prevention strategies, pain management, and common sources of nonmedical opioid use. Finally, the module ends with a reflective exercise to help learners identify barriers and facilitators to implementing SBIRT (Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment) in dental practice.

Keywords

substance use disorder

opioid use disorder

dental screening

SBIRT

motivational interviewing

opioid withdrawal

medication-assisted treatment

buprenorphine

methadone

pain management