SAN ANTONIO AGD - SAFE: New Dentist Study Club 2026 Series

Management of Oral Surgery Complications for the General Dentist
Presented by Dr. Ernest Valdez
Wednesday, September 23, 2026
Registration 5:45 PM | Presentation 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
No Onsite Registration Available
3 Hr Lecture Credit | Subject Code: 310 Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

$200 series rate; must be an AGD member to be a SAFE member. 
Dinner Included

Course Description
This course identifies oral surgery complications and provides details for management of these oral surgery complications especially in dental extractions and other pre-prosthetic surgical procedures performed by general dentists.

Course Objectives

• Predict, prevent, identify, and manage intra-operative and post-operative oral surgery complication encountered by general dentists
• Be aware of factors that increase the risk of complications
  -Procedure complexity
  -Dentist experience
  -Patient’s medical history
  -Patient’s adherence to postoperative instructions and care
• Recognize and manage oral surgery complications encountered by general dentists including 
  -Local anesthesia complications (e.g., persistent paresthesia, hematoma, allergic reactions, cardiovascular issues, anesthetic toxicity, methemoglobinemia)
  -Trauma to lips, cheeks, chin, gingiva, tongue, floor of mouth, hard and/or soft palate Fracture of adjacent teeth/roots/restorations
  -Swallowing of a crown, tooth, or dental instrument (e.g., endo files, implant driver, dental implant, tooth structure, etc.)
  -Tooth/root fracture while attempting dental extraction
  -Oro-antral communication (i.e., maxillary sinus exposure, tooth or root fragment into maxillary sinus)
  -Subcutaneous emphysema
  -Dental alveolar bone fracture;
  -Maxillary or mandibular jaw fracture
  -Intra-operative and post-operative excessive bleeding due to medication(s), hemophilia, thrombocytopenia, blood thinners, surgical technique/procedure, management of liver clots).
  -Localized alveolitis/dry socket
  -Infections (i.e. vestibular infection, fascial space infections, cellulitis vs abscess, osteomyelitis)
  -Trismus
  -Bone spurs/spicules/flakes
  -Bone dehiscence
  -Postoperative nerve complications

About the Speakers
Dr. Ernest Valdez is a native of San Antonio, Texas. He earned his Bachelors of Science in Biology from St. Mary's University and his Doctorate of Dental Surgery from the prestigious University of Texas Health San Antonio (UTHSA). Upon completion of dental school in 1993, Dr. Valdez entered community health as a staff dentist at Las Clinical Del Norte, a community health center in rural North Central New Mexico, where he also was active as a volunteer firefighter and first-responder for the community of Ojo Caliente.

Dr. Valdez eventually moved to Harlingen, Texas in the Lower Rio Grande Valley to serve as the dental director of a community health center, Su Clinica Familiar. In 1999, Dr. Valdez returned to the UTHSA completing a two-year General Practice Residency with intensive training in hospital-based dentistry, oral surgical techniques, implant dentistry, advanced dental techniques, and intravenous sedation. In 2001, Dr. Valdez entered private practice as an associate dentist at Orsatti Dental in north San Antonio before being invited to apply for a faculty position at the UTHSA as a general dentist in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (OMS). He held a full-time position as an Assistant Clinical Professor for 11 years with the Department of OMS providing clinical instruction with direct patient contact at both the UTHSA and The University Health System - University Hospital, presenting lectures on various OMS and sedation topics to dental students, OMS residents, and general dentists, treating his private patients at the UTHSA Faculty Practice Clinic, holding various committee and board appointments at the UTHSA, and authoring book chapters and publishing articles in dental journals. In 2014, Dr. Valdez decided to leave the University and return to private practice as an associate general dentist providing sedation, oral surgical, and general dental services.

Dr. Valdez currently provides itinerant oral surgical and/or sedation services as a general dentist to multiple dental offices throughout San Antonio, Texas through the company SedaSurge. Dr. Valdez continues to lecture for the UTHSA Office of Continuing Dental Education presenting courses in Nitrous Oxide Sedation, Medical Emergency Prevention and Management in the Dental Office as well as co-directs an online Combination Enteral and Nitrous Oxide (Level 1) Sedation course. Dr. Valdez is a member of the American Dental Society of Anesthesiology and an active member of the Texas Chapter of the American Dental Society of Anesthesiology. He is also a member of the American Dental Association, Texas Dental Association, San Antonio District Dental Society, The American Association of Hospital Dentists, The Special Care Dentistry Organization, and The International Association of Student Clinicians. Additionally, he is a founding and executive member of the Lone Star Dental Sedation Study Club and a founding member of the Greater San Antonio Hispanic Dental Association. In his spare time, Dr. Valdez enjoys community service and the outdoors.

About the 2026 SAFE - New Dentist Study Club
Join the San Antonio AGD for their 2026 SAFE - New Dentist Study Club. The New Dentist Study Club (SAFE) is uniquely and specifically designed to help new dentists in their professional growth through cutting-edge CE, opportunities to build dental, professional, and leadership skills, and the development of camaraderie. You must be an AGD member to join and have paid the 2026 AGD dues.
 

Upcoming CE 2026 Dates - FALL SERIES 

• Oct 28: Dr. Babak Najafi, DDS | The Evolution of Periodontal and Peri-Implant Plastic Surgery: From Open Flaps to Minimally Invasive Approaches

 These courses are on the Pathway 2 Fellowship program and qualify for credit toward Fellowship in the AGD.

This course is for Texas Residents Only.
 

Cancellations received in writing up to seven (7) business days prior to the event date will receive a refund - minus a 20% handling fee. If you cancel less than (7) business days or do not cancel prior to the event date, the entire fee is non-refundable. Registrations are non-transferable.