Identifies clinical signs & symptoms of inflammation. Describes the connections between inflammatory processes and chronic illness. Describes the role of inflammation in specific illnesses such as heart disease, COPD, diabetes, arthritis, and dementia. Lists practical strategies to reduce levels of inflammation in clinical practice. Explains the rationale for good dental prophylaxis and skin care in patients with chronic illness. Describes how the information in this course can be utilized to improve patient care and patient outcomes. Describes, for this course, the implications for dentistry, mental health, and other health professions.

Identifies metabolism and physiology of lipids and carbohydrates in health and disease as well as in the aged individual. Lists the approaches to a patient suffering from metabolic disease from the nursing, pharmacological, psychological, and physical therapy standpoints. Compares and contrast appetite suppressants and other medications that induce weight loss. Discusses the recent discoveries in neurochemistry and neuroscience of the link between behavioral pathology and metabolic disease. Compares and contrast the healthy and the potentially dangerous weight loss strategies and long-term effects of fad diets. Describes the oral health implications of metabolic disease as well as eating disorders. Describes the empiric developments in bariatric treatments, their implications for nursing practice, and behavioral therapies. Lists sources of benecial lipids and carbohydrates and methods of improvement of palatability of the healthier foods. Identifies the role of the oral microbiome, periodontal disease, and S. mutans in appetite pathology, binge eating and obesity.