Current Concepts in Dentistry Day 2

Course description

Practical Oral Surgery for the General Dentist 

Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025
Presented by Antonella C. Trache, CD, BSc, DDS, CertOMS

General dentists are the principal oral care givers. They are the backbone of the profession and have a tremendous responsibility to maintain, and improve, the oral health of their patients. Consequently, dental patients often expect to be treated by their primary dentist—the clinician they are most comfortable with and trust.

This course is designed to discuss challenges encountered by general practitioners when planning and performing oral surgery treatment. We will review case selection, timing of third molar removal, surgical techniques, management of complications and practical surgery pearls.

Whether you are a seasoned general dentist who enjoys surgery, or a novice who would like a confidence boost, you will gain practical tips to increase your knowledge and comfort zone in your everyday practice.

Learning objectives

By end of the course, you will be able to:

• Review rationale behind removal of third molars and case selection
• Review extraction techniques including local anesthesia, flap design and methods of tooth sectioning
• Discuss potential complications and their management
• Review pre-prosthetic surgery techniques that can be accomplished by a general dentist (alveoplasty, reduction of tori and exostoses, socket grafting).
• Review biopsy techniques in general practice

About the presenter

Antonella Trache, CD, BSc, DDS, CertOMS is an oral and maxillofacial surgeon who is currently the discipline lead for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at the University of Alberta School of Dentistry.

She retired from the Canadian Armed Forces after a 21-year career where she accumulated a vast array of memorable and valuable experiences. Dr. Trache was the first female oral and maxillofacial surgeon in the Royal Canadian Dental Corps. The highlight of her military career are two tours of duty in Afghanistan, as the Maxillofacial Trauma Surgeon at the Role 3 Multinational Hospital at Kandahar Air Base.

Since leaving the military, she has been involved with the School of Dentistry as an Associate Clinical Professor on a part-time basis before joining the faculty full-time. She is actively involved with the General Practice Residency program, where she mentors four GPR residents in clinic-based dentoalveolar surgery.

Dr. Trache is also a clinical instructor with Continuing Dental Education in the Intravenous Sedation program and the Alberta Implant Residency program. She presented lectures and workshops on maxillofacial trauma topics to various military and civilian organizations, and study clubs throughout the country.  Additionally, Dr. Trache is a member of several committees and maintains a private practice at Contours Oral Surgery in Edmonton.