2026 Esther Wilkins Symposium

The numerous oral mucosal diseases can be difficult to identify even for experienced clinicians. This three-part session is designed to aid providers in the diagnosis and management of oral pathology with an emphasis on formulating differential diagnoses based on coloration. Red lesions, white lesions, and variously-colored pigmented lesions will be discussed with a focus on distinguishing benign from malignant pathology and on approaches to treatment.

At the completion of this activity, the participant will be able to:

• Clinically distinguish common benign reactive, immune-mediated, and infectious disorders of the oral mucosa from malignant and pre-malignant lesions
• Formulate reasonable differentials based on clinical presentations and histories
• Select appropriate diagnostic techniques for arriving at definitive diagnoses
• Assess when patients are best served with referral to specialists, or when they may be managed locally with immunosuppressive medications or antimicrobial agents

Speaker Bio:

Mark Lerman, DMD, largely divides his professional time between Tufts University and Quantum Pathology, a private biopsy laboratory he recently joined as Director of Oral Pathology. Since 2012, he has held an adjunct faculty position at MCPHS University, where he serves as Course Director of the Oral Pathology class for students in the Forsyth School of Dental Hygiene.

As a “Double-Jumbo,” he graduated from Tufts both with a B.A. in history and a D.M.D. before completing his general practice residency at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and his oral and maxillofacial pathology training at New York Presbyterian Queens.

He was elected Secretary-Treasurer of the American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology (AAOMP) and is a Diplomate of the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology. He is a former commissioner with the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) and has published multiple articles in the peer-reviewed oral pathology literature.

Optimize your clinical pain management skills with this 2-hour lecture for dental hygienists. This course provides an evidence-based update on the modern local anesthetic agents, with a special focus on 4% articaine protocols, as well as the science of sodium bicarbonate buffering to eliminate injection discomfort, accelerate onset, and increase diffusion. Master step-by-step Maximum Recommended Dose (MRD) calculations for legally compliant clinical documentation. Finally, review key neuroanatomical landmarks to troubleshoot failed blocks and anatomical variations. Return to practice better prepared to provide optimal pain management.

At the completion of this activity, the participant will be able to:

• Discuss the available local anesthetic agents and their best indications for use
• Explore advances in local anesthetics, including Articaine and buffering.
• Calculate dosage limits based on systemic health status (in milligrams of anesthetic and vasoconstrictor)
• Correlate neuroanatomy with successful anesthesia & troubleshooting

Speaker Bio:

Rebecca Haight, MHP, RDH, is an Assistant Professor at the Forsyth School of Dental Hygiene at MCPHS University, with more than 30 years of combined clinical practice and dental hygiene education. A pioneer in pain management instruction at Forsyth, Rebecca joined the faculty in 1994 and developed the school’s first hands-on local anesthesia course. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene from Idaho State University and a Master of Health Professions from Northeastern University. Rebecca resides in Belmont, MA, with her husband and is delighted to have welcomed their first grandchildren this summer.

Periodontal treatment decisions begin with an accurate diagnosis, but they do not end there. This course connects contemporary periodontal classification and patient-specific risk assessment to evidence-informed selection of nonsurgical treatment strategies. The first section reviews how local and systemic risk factors inform staging, grading, prognosis, and individualized care. The second section moves from diagnosis to clinical action, examining why mechanical instrumentation remains the foundation of periodontal therapy and where adjunctive approaches may add value.

Participants will compare selected adjuncts, including locally delivered antimicrobials, antiseptic and chemotherapeutic agents, laser-based approaches, subgingival air polishing, and desiccation technology, with attention to mechanism, indications, limitations, and strength of evidence. Desiccation technology will be used as an emerging clinical example to explore biofilm disruption, sequencing with instrumentation, case selection, and responsible implementation. Emphasis will remain on matching the intervention to the patient, site, treatment phase, and desired outcome rather than applying adjuncts routinely. Participants will leave with a practical framework for translating periodontal risk and clinical findings into individualized, evidence-informed treatment decisions.

At the completion of this activity, the participant will be able to:

• Identify patient-specific risk factors, comprehensive clinical findings, and current evidence to formulate accurate periodontal diagnoses.
• Differentiate between local and systemic periodontal risk factors and how they are incorporated into periodontal staging and grading to improve diagnostic accuracy.
• Compare the mechanisms, indications, evidence, and limitations of selected adjuncts used in nonsurgical periodontal therapy.

Speaker Bios:

Rashmi Pillai, MHSc, RDH, BDS, is an Assistant Professor at MCPHS, where she teaches Periodontology and Process of Care III and serves as a senior clinic coordinator. Previously, she taught Freshman Clinic and Pharmacology, contributing to both preclinical and didactic education. A foreign-trained dentist and registered dental hygienist, she is passionate about advancing dental hygiene education through evidence-based teaching, curriculum innovation, and student mentorship.

Rashmi earned her Master of Health Sciences in Education from MCPHS and is currently pursuing a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Health Professions Education at A.T. Still University. Her interests include periodontology, clinical education, faculty calibration, and competency-based assessment. She has also contributed to NIH-funded oral health research and is committed to preparing compassionate, competent, and practice-ready dental hygiene professionals while advancing excellence in dental hygiene education.

Jennifer McCarthy, MSDH, RDH, is a dental hygienist and Assistant Professor at MCPHS University. She has over 15 years of experience in dentistry and has spent almost a decade teaching dental hygiene. Jennifer earned her master’s in dental hygiene at MCPHS in 2019 and currently teaches Periodontology and Pharmacology and is a Clinic Coordinator for the 2nd-year clinical courses at Forsyth School of Dental Hygiene.

An innovative educator, Jennifer has developed highly successful didactic and clinical educational models to enhance student success. Her scholarly work focuses heavily on periodontology, faculty calibration, innovations in clinical education, and the impact of academic and workplace environments on personal wellbeing. Beyond the classroom, she serves as a peer reviewer for the Journal of Dental Education, mentors graduate thesis students, and is actively pursuing her Doctor of Health Science degree.

Nicole Fortune, MBA, RDH, is a dental hygienist, educator, and clinical education leader with more than 20 years of experience in dentistry. She serves as Clinical Education Manager for Young Innovations and as an adjunct clinical instructor at Vermont State University. Nicole spent more than 15 years providing periodontal and implant-maintenance care in clinical practice, with advanced training in periodontal endoscopy, diode, CO2, and Nd:YAG laser therapy, and guided biofilm therapy. Her educational work focuses on translating emerging science and technology into practical, evidence-informed protocols for dental teams. She has presented nationally on nonsurgical periodontal therapy, peri-implant disease, laser-assisted care, instrumentation, and clinical technology, and was named Vermont Dental Hygienist of the Year in 2017.

Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
Worcester Campus
10 Lincoln Square
Worcester, MA 01605

Directions to the MCPHS Worcester Campus. 

Parking is available in the parking lot in front of 10 Lincoln Square in Worcester.

Public transportation is accessible via the Worcester Regional Transit Authority (WRTA)

• Route #567: From City Hall, serving Routes 23, 24, 26, 30, and 31
• Route #649: Into City Hall, connecting with Routes 23, 24, 26, and 30.

The Forsyth School of Dental Hygiene is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation, American Dental Association. This event will provide 6 contact hours of continuing education.

Requirements for Credit

In order to receive credit, the participant must return to their Genius Dashboard, entering BlackBoard Ultra to confirm their attendance, complete an evaluation, and complete a post-test for each session. Upon submission, participants will be able to print a certificate of completion for each course.

Statement of Disclosure

No funding from industry was provided for this event. No exhibitors will be present.