February General Membership Meeting

Course Description

Pain is the most common reason patients seek dental care—yet not all “tooth pain” originates from the teeth. An estimated 15% of facial and oral pain stems from non-dental sources, making accurate diagnosis both challenging and essential.

This course explores common non-dental contributors to orofacial pain, including musculoskeletal, neuropathic, neurovascular, and somatic symptom disorders. Through evidence-based frameworks and clinical case examples, participants will learn how to perform focused history taking, conduct targeted examinations, determine appropriate diagnostic testing, and recognize when referrals are indicated.

Special emphasis is placed on identifying muscle-related and other non-odontogenic sources of pain, equipping clinicians to more effectively manage persistent symptoms that have not responded to prior dental treatment.

Speaker Bio

Mridul Chakarvarty, DDS
Dr. Chakarvarty is a practicing dentist with a clinical focus on the diagnosis and management of orofacial pain. She is passionate about helping clinicians expand their diagnostic perspective beyond odontogenic causes of pain and emphasizes evidence-based, patient-centered care. Through education and case-based learning, Dr. Chakarvarty aims to provide practical tools that improve clinical decision-making, interdisciplinary collaboration, and patient outcomes.