Treating Adolescents With Major Depressive Disorder

With training and empathy, oral health professionals can provide quality care for adolescent patients with major depressive disorder.

EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES
After reading this course, the participant should be able to:

1. Describe the prevalence and rates of severe impairment of major depressive disorder (MDD) in adolescents, and the effects of depression on daily activities and oral health.
2. Explain common symptoms of MDD in this patient population, risk factors, and the role of screening in dental settings.
3. Discuss clinical tools, techniques and treatments dental teams can use in support of adolescent patients with MDD.

This course was issued in March 2021 and expires March 2024. The authors have no commercial conflicts of interest to disclose. This 2 credit hour self-study activity is electronically mediated.