Our Guest Speaker...

 Tracee is an adjunct instructor for the North Idaho College School of Dental Hygiene. In addition, Dahm serves as an   educator and moderator at Young Innovations. Tracee brings her deep educational expertise to the conference stage,   delivering impactful presentations both in person and virtually for audiences of every size. Dahm has been published in dental journals, magazines, webinars, and textbooks. Tracee’s publications have been featured on various dental podcasts. She is a key opinion leader in cutting-edge innovations in hygiene and is currently conducting a scoping review on access to care for the institutionalized elderly population. Tracee’s additional scholarly work includes research on periodontal pathogens, and her ongoing interests span emerging trends in dental hygiene, strategies to improve access to oral health care for underserved populations, and the role of mental health in dentistry.

Course Description: This course on Eosinophilic esophagitis (EOE) is a chronic, autoimmune response marked by eosinophil accumulation in the esophagus, often triggered by food or environmental allergens. EOE cases have been rising across all age groups and geographic regions, so dental professionals are at increased risk of encountering patients who struggle to identify EOE. Although traditionally managed in gastroenterology, EOE presents with symptoms—such as dysphagia, reflux, and food impaction—that may be observed during routine dental evaluations. Since many of these conditions are often discussed in the dental chair, dental professionals need to recognize the hallmark signs of EOE. This 1-hour presentation aims to raise awareness among dental professionals about EOE’s clinical presentation, risk factors, and referral pathways. Dental teams are uniquely positioned to identify early signs and support patients through empathetic communication and interdisciplinary collaboration. This course will equip dental professionals with the knowledge to guide patients through a quick and efficient screening process to identify risk factors or masked symptoms of EOE. By integrating EOE awareness into oral health screenings and patient education during dental appointments, dental professionals can make a meaningful contribution to early detection and improved outcomes. This presentation will provide practical resources for referral and nutritional counseling, empowering dental providers to serve as informed allies in the broader care continuum. Additionally, this presentation will recommend at-home strategies to help patients experiencing mild EOE symptoms. Finally, the course will walk through a case study of a patient who had EOE for years and was not diagnosed until they had to be hospitalized due to their EOE. Their life-altering case will shed light on several medical providers who missed all signs of EOE and, had they been recognized early, might have prevented the patient from needing hospitalization for EOE.

Learning Objectives: