LaRee Johnson – Restorative Dentistry-2025 CSPD Friday Session 1 Restorative Dentistry Part 1 Speaker LaRee Johnson

Video Transcription

Video Summary

Dr. Lurie Johnson, a distinguished pediatric dentist and current dental director at Raleigh’s Children's Surgery Center, presented an extensive lecture on pediatric restorative dentistry, sedation, and compassionate care. She emphasized the profound challenges in treating children—especially in the context of rising caries, complex medical histories, and behavioral management. Dr. Johnson highlighted the critical role of fluoride, the impact of sugary diets, and the complexities of treating special needs children. She underscored the importance of involving parents as partners, utilizing tailored behavioral techniques (like weighted blankets and PD wraps), and establishing trust, especially with “orchid” (sensitive) children.<br /><br />She detailed her practice’s systematic approach, including using comprehensive medical history drug reports, baby oral health programs, and a clear treatment guide for informed consent, which emerged after navigating board complaints. Dr. Johnson advocates strongly for ethical patient management, including strict x-ray refusal policies to protect patient care and practitioner liability.<br /><br />A significant part of the lecture focused on sedation and anesthesia—advocating confident, evidence-based nitrous oxide use, intraosseous anesthesia via advanced devices for efficient, less painful local anesthesia, and cautious multimodal sedation approaches for different patient needs. She also reviewed her practice’s balance of Medicaid ("Wonderful Wednesdays") and private pay care.<br /><br />On restorative techniques, Dr. Johnson stressed technique-sensitive sealants, thorough composite preparation with emphasis on removing affected tissue, and artistic use of opaquer to mimic natural tooth aesthetics. She discussed managing hypomineralized teeth, trauma cases, orthodontic collaborations, and pulp therapy updates aligned with the latest Academy guidelines, emphasizing the superior use of calcium silicates over traditional agents.<br /><br />Throughout, Dr. Johnson’s message was clear: quality care demands a blend of compassion, technical excellence, patient/parent education, and team coordination to improve outcomes and experiences for pediatric dental patients.

Keywords

Pediatric dentistry

Restorative dentistry

Sedation techniques

Compassionate care

Fluoride treatment

Behavioral management

Special needs children

Parent involvement

Weighted blankets

PD wraps

Medical history reports

Informed consent

Nitrous oxide

Intraosseous anesthesia

Calcium silicates