Xerostomia: Insights into Dry Mouth and Its Impact on Communication and Swallowing

Presented by: Katharine Ciarrocca, DMD, MSEd

AUDIENCE: Undergraduate, graduate students, Clinical Fellows, experienced clinicians, clinicians who would like to transition from school-based SLP to medical-based SLP.

In this webinar, Dr. Kate Ciarrocca, Director of Oral Medicine at Duke University Hospital, will discuss the pathophysiology of xerostomia and its impact on swallowing, speech, and voice. Dr. Ciarrocca will discuss the diagnostic approach for identifying xerostomia as well as evidence-based strategies for the management of your dysphagia patients and how to achieve the best possible outcomes. There will be ample time for questions and answers.

Learning Objectives:

1) Define xerostomia, salivary gland hypofunction, including common causes and pathophysiology relevant to clinical practice.

2) Identify the impact of xerostomia on speech, swallowing, and voice production, with emphasis on how salivary flow supports oral and pharyngeal function.

3) Recognize key oral and systemic conditions associated with xerostomia, including medication-related, autoimmune, and radiation-induced causes.

4) Describe the diagnostic approach used by oral medicine specialists to evaluate and manage xerostomia

5) Discuss evidence-based strategies for xerostomia management, including behavioral, pharmacologic, and non-pharmacologic interventions

THIS RECORDED WEBINAR IS FREE THANKS TO THE SPONSORSHIP SUPPORT FROM AQUORAL.

This webinar is approximately 60 minutes in length. This is a recording of a live webinar.

This webinar is offered for Professional Development Hours (PDHs), previously Certification Maintenance Hours (CMHs). For more info: https://www.asha.org/certification/factdef/.

Certificate of completion available upon request once completed.

Presenter:

Katharine Ciarrocca, DMD, MSEd is the Director of Oral Medicine at Duke University Hospital, where she is a Consulting Provider in both the Division of Plastic, Maxillofacial, and Oral Surgery and the Department of Head and Neck Surgery & Communication Sciences. Dr. Ciarrocca received her DMD from the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine and her MSEd from the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Oral Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania Health System. Prior to coming to Duke, she was Associate Professor, Chief of Oral Medicine and the Director of Interprofessional Education at the UNC Adams School of Dentistry. She also spent part of her career as faculty at both the Dental College of Georgia as well as Penn Dental Medicine. She is a Diplomate of the American Board of Oral Medicine. She is a fellow of the UAB Geriatric Faculty Scholars program. She has authored chapters in Burket’s Oral Medicine textbook, and is currently the Secretary of the American Board of Oral Medicine. She practices full-time at Duke University Hospital in both the outpatient clinic, the operating room, and the Duke Blood Cancer Center. Her practice focuses on medically complex patients and how that complexity affects the oral cavity including the diagnosis and management of oral complications of head and neck radiation therapy, chemotherapy, bisphosphonate treatment, solid organ transplant, bone marrow transplant, and cardiac surgery.