Join the NEDDS for a special event honoring Dr. Michael Till, along with a CE course on opioids with Dr. Harold Tu.

Topic

Opioid Epidemic: University of Minnesota School of Dentistry Initiative

Schedule & Information

8:30 a.m.    Sign In
9:00 a.m. – 11 a.m.    CE Event with Speaker Harold Tu, DMD, MD

A physician and oral surgeon, Dr. Tu is a leading voice on the topic of opioids and opioid prescribing protocols.  Recently, he led the School of Dentistry’s initiative to adopt new, evidence-based prescribing protocols to address pain of dental origin.  He has been a frequent presenter on the topic at dental and dental education meetings, and in public and professional media as diverse as Minnesota Public Television, the New York Times, the American Education Pharmacists Association and the Association of Health Care Journalists, and Scientific American.

In March, Dr. Tu accepted a citation from the American Dental Education Association for his field-shaping leadership to help shift attitudes and policies about opioid prescribing in the dental office.  Recently, Dr. Tu was appointed to the new, federal Pain Management Best Practices Inter-Agency Task Force.  Formed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the task force is charged with proposing updates to best practices and recommending solutions to gaps or inconsistencies in managing chronic and acute pain.

2 CE hours

11 a.m. – 12 p.m.    Lunch – Honoring Dr. Michael Till

Dr. Michael Till has been identified as a “very special person” by a multitude of people not just over a year or two but also over several generations. He did it by just being himself a kind and respectful educator who leads by example.  Mike is a true professional who while serving as Head of the Pediatric Dentistry Department at the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry educated an entire generation of dental professionals on the nuances of providing quality pediatric care to their patients.

While serving as Head of the Pediatric Department, he also realized the importance of organized dentistry and went up the chairs at the Minnesota Dental Association serving as its President in 1989.  To this date he is the only dental professional who has served as both President of the MDA and as Dean of the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry, (a position he held from 1996 – 2000.)

As Dean of the Dental School, Dr. Till was “the quarterback” that guided the process that led to the establishment of the first University of Minnesota School of Dentistry outreach clinic at Hibbing Community College.  It was the first successful joint venture between the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota State Colleges & Universities System and served as a prototype as other outreach clinics where established.  While serving as our Dean, he also served as 10^th District Trustee to the American Dental Association.