Therapeutic and Cosmetic Botulinum Toxin in Oral Health: Proper Use, Efficacy, and Clinical Pitfalls

About this Seminar

Therapeutic and Cosmetic Botulinum Toxin in Oral Health:

Proper Use, Efficacy, and Clinical Pitfalls Learning Objectives

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

1. Identify appropriate therapeutic and cosmetic indications for botulinum toxin use in oral health practice.

2. Evaluate efficacy and safety considerations, including dosing principles, anatomical accuracy, and patient selection.

3. Recognize common pitfalls and complications associated with botulinum toxin use and apply strategies to prevent adverse outcomes.

Session Summary

Botulinum toxin has become an increasingly utilized adjunct in oral health care for both therapeutic and cosmetic purposes. This session will review evidence-based indications, mechanisms of action, and expected clinical outcomes of botulinum toxin use in dentistry and oral medicine. Emphasis will be placed on proper patient selection, anatomical considerations, realistic outcome expectations, and risk mitigation. Common challenges and complications encountered in clinical practice will be discussed, providing attendees with practical guidance for safe and effective use.

Presenters

Dr. Firoozeh Samim

Dr. Elham Emami

About Dr. Firoozeh Samim

Dr. Firoozeh Samim is an Assistant Dean of Student Affairs and Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, and Director of the Graduate Diploma in Oral Medicine at the Faculty of Dental Medicine and Oral Health Sciences, McGill University. She is Canadian- and American–board certified in Oral Medicine and Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology and has several years of combined academic and clinical experience. Dr. Samim’s clinical practice focuses on temporomandibular disorders (TMD), orofacial pain, oral medicine, oral precancerous and cancerous lesions and oral pathology. She provides specialized care to patients across Quebec, and Newfoundland and Labrador, with an emphasis on complex diagnostic and management cases requiring interdisciplinary expertise. In her academic role, Dr. Samim is deeply committed to education, mentorship, and curriculum development. She is actively involved in undergraduate and graduate teaching, program leadership, and faculty development. She is a recipient of the Howard S. Katz Award for Excellence in teaching and the Ralph Silverstone Teaching Award , recognizing her outstanding contributions to education and learner engagement.

About Dr. Elham Emami

Dr. Elham Emami is a clinician–scientist, Full Professor, and Dean of the Faculty of Dental Medicine and Oral Health Sciences at McGill University. She has a MSc in Prosthodontics and a PhD in Biomedical Science and postdoctoral fellowships in Dental Public Health and Cancer Epidemiology. Dr. Emami has held numerous leadership roles, including service on the CIHR Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis Advisory Board and as past president of the IADR e-Oral Health Network. She is the Dentistry Discipline Director on the Board of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences (CAHS). She also serves as a research expert for the Quebec government’s Commissaire à la santé et au bien-être (2025–2028) and has served on the boards of several educational and non-profit organizations. Dr. Emami is the recipient of numerous distinctions, including CIHR Clinician-Scientist Awards I and II. She is a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences, the Académie dentaire du Québec, the American College of Dentists, and the Pierre Fauchard Academy. In 2024, she also received the Prix Mérite from the Conseil interprofessionnel du Québec, awarded by the Ordre des dentistes du Québec.