Dr Rachel Leeson. BDS, MSc, PhD, FDSRCS, FHEA
Associate Professor University College London (UCL) Eastman Dental Institute. Honorary Consultant UCLH NHS Foundation Trust
Rachel is actively involved in clinical practice, research and education within Oral surgery and allied subjects.
Rachel has been the Programme Director and Chair of Examiners for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at UCL since 2010 and many of the taught and research postgraduates have gone on to secure senior leadership roles around the globe. In 2019, Rachel was elected to serve on the board of the Faculty of Dental Surgery of the Royal College of Surgeons of England.
Rachel is also the Head of the ECPgR (Eastman Centre for Postgraduate Research), which encompasses microbial diseases, biomaterials, tissue engineering and clinical research. Rachel supervises both MSc and PhD research projects and has been principal investigator on a series of randomised controlled trials of novel therapeutic agents in both acute and chronic pain management.
Rachel enjoys her collaboration with colleagues from other scientific, medical, and dental specialties, including endodontics. With endodontic colleagues, orofacial pain has long been an area of interest, and her lecture topic reflects this.
Facial Pain update
Diagnostic dilemmas surrounding endodontic pain can be challenging. However, patients presenting with oro-facial pain of non-odontogenic origin, which perhaps mimics endodontic pain, may potentially present an even more complex conundrum, even for the experienced clinician. A systematic history, examination and an understanding of pain mechanisms often holds the crucial key to diagnosis and successful management. This lecture will provide a brief update on facial pain history, examination, diagnosis and management.
Learning outcomes
On completion of this lecture you will be able to:
Recognise key factors in the facial pian history and examination indicative of diagnosis
Identify patients who require specialist referral