Veterinary Dentistry Core
Oral Examination, Common Conditions, Periodontal Disease, and Referral Decisions
Four focused hours on the small animal dental cases seen in general practice: complete oral examination, common oral findings, periodontal disease assessment, and referral decisions.
Clinical Review Date: March 2026 • RACE #20-1379283 • Provider ID #50-29055
CE Hours
4.0 Medical CE
Format
Live Webinar
Price
$110 (Standard)
Audience
DVMs & Technicians
Species
Canine & Feline
Status
RACE-Approved
Saturday, June 20, 2026
Practical Takeaways for Your Practice
Organized clinical detail for the oral examination, common findings, periodontal disease, and referral decisions.
Complete oral examination
Use a repeatable approach for awake and anesthetized oral assessment in dogs and cats, including what to inspect, record, and follow up.
Common oral findings
Differentiate common abnormalities in the oral cavity and connect exam findings with practical next diagnostic steps.
Periodontal disease assessment
Review the clinical information needed to recognize, stage, and document periodontal disease clearly.
Referral decisions
Identify cases that can be managed in general practice and cases that should be referred for advanced dentistry or oral surgery.
Course Abstract
Live Online Interactive Webinar • Case-Based • Sponsor-Free
A practical review of small animal dentistry for veterinarians and technicians who examine, document, stage, and triage oral disease in dogs and cats.
This course is organized around four clinical tasks: perform a complete oral examination, recognize common oral conditions, assess periodontal disease, and decide which cases need referral. Dr. Brenda L. Mulherin, DVM, Diplomate AVDC, Clinical Professor of Dentistry and Oral Surgery at Iowa State University, presents the material as a structured clinical review with emphasis on examination quality, documentation, diagnostic thinking, and case selection.
Session Agenda
Four one-hour clinical sections with questions after each topic.
Oral Examination in Dogs and Cats
- •Repeatable oral examination sequence for awake and anesthetized patients.
- •Findings to document clearly in the medical record and dental chart.
- •When examination findings should lead to imaging or further workup.
Common Conditions in the Oral Cavity
- •Recognition of common oral findings in dogs and cats.
- •How to separate routine findings from abnormalities that need diagnostic follow-up.
- •Clinical next steps for lesions, trauma, missing teeth, masses, and other oral findings.
Periodontal Disease
- •Clinical signs used to assess periodontal disease severity.
- •How probing, mobility, furcation, and radiographs change staging and planning.
- •Documentation that helps the care team make consistent decisions.
Referral Decisions in Veterinary Dentistry
- •Which cases can be managed in general practice and which should be referred.
- •Risk factors that make a dental case more complex before treatment begins.
- •Information to include when referring a case for advanced dentistry or oral surgery.
Curriculum Overview
Four one-hour sessions. Each session is organized around a specific clinical task.
01. Oral Examination in Dogs and Cats
1.0 HourA structured approach to the complete oral examination, with attention to what should be evaluated before, during, and after the anesthetized dental procedure.
- Build a consistent oral exam sequence
- Improve lesion recognition and documentation
- Connect exam findings with dental charting and client communication
- Identify findings that require imaging or further workup
02. Common Conditions in the Oral Cavity
1.0 HourA clinical review of commonly encountered oral abnormalities in dogs and cats, with emphasis on recognition, differential diagnosis, and next steps.
- Recognize common oral lesions and patterns
- Separate benign findings from findings that need workup
- Choose practical next diagnostic steps
- Know when monitoring is not enough
03. Periodontal Disease
1.0 HourAssessment, staging, documentation, and treatment-planning considerations for periodontal disease in small animal patients.
- Review the clinical signs used to assess periodontal disease
- Use staging language consistently
- Understand how probing, mobility, furcation, and radiographs affect decisions
- Document disease severity in a way the care team can act on
04. Referral Decisions in Veterinary Dentistry
1.0 HourA focused review of when to manage a dental case in general practice and when to refer for advanced dentistry or oral surgery.
- Identify case factors that increase complexity or risk
- Recognize situations that warrant referral before treatment begins
- Prepare the clinical information needed for a useful referral
- Set clear expectations for owners and the receiving specialty team
What's Included
Live Q&A
Ask questions in real time
Digital Notes
Downloadable lecture PDFs
Recording Access
Re-watch at your own pace
CE Certificate
RACE-approved, instant download
Dr. Brenda L. Mulherin, DVM, Diplomate AVDC
Dr. Brenda Mulherin is a Clinical Professor of Veterinary Clinical Sciences at Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine, where she directs small animal dental and oral surgery education. She is a Diplomate of the American Veterinary Dental College (AVDC) and is recognized as the only board-certified veterinary dentist in Iowa. Dr. Mulherin earned both her B.S. in Animal Science (1998) and her DVM (2002) from Iowa State University before completing a Dentistry and Oral Surgery Residency at the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Veterinary Medicine (2010–2014). Her clinical and research interests center on feline tooth resorption, endodontic therapies, and periodontal disease. She has authored peer-reviewed articles in Today's Veterinary Practice and the Journal of Small Animal Practice and contributed chapters to major veterinary surgery references. In 2024, she authored Veterinary Oral Diagnostic Imaging (Wiley-Blackwell).
View Full Faculty BioFrequently Asked Questions
Veterinary Dentistry Core
All tiers include 4.0 RACE-approved CE credits, digital notes, and recording access.
If your schedule changes, you'll still have access to the recording and notes.
Standard
- 4.0 Hours Live RACE-Approved CE
- Interactive Q&A with Dr. Brenda L. Mulherin
- Digital Lecture Notes (PDF)
- Session Recording Access
- Official CE Certificate
Enrolling Your Team
Register 2 or more attendees in a single online checkout. Each registrant receives their own Zoom access, on-demand recording, and individual CE certificate.
- One checkout, one payment for the whole team.
- Each attendee receives their own Zoom link, on-demand access, and individual CE certificate.
- Add or update attendee names after checkout if your roster changes.
Need help with a special arrangement? Email support@vetonitce.org.
Every registrant gets full on-demand access — including registrants who enroll mid-lecture or after it airs. Live attendance earns CE automatically; on-demand viewing earns CE after a short quiz.
Veterinary Dentistry Core
Four hours of clinical review focused on oral examination, common conditions, periodontal disease, and referral decisions.