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Antibiotic Stewardship | Adverse Events | Penicillin Allergies | Additional Resources | Continuing Education

Dental team members have an active role in antibiotic stewardship efforts within the dental setting by promoting the appropriate use of antibiotics, helping to improve patient outcomes, and decrease the spread of drug-resistant organisms. Auxiliary team members often initiate patient interviews, review medical histories, and assess potential drug-drug interactions and the potential for other adverse drug events. Team members may also provide patient education regarding antibiotic prescribing and usage, and have an opportunity to improve patient adherence to the antibiotic prescription. Dental team members can find guidance on stewardship efforts for dental team members and useful tools to help implement this important strategy for patient safety. 

What does Antibiotic Stewardship mean for the dental team?

• Considerations for responsible antibiotic use in dentistry
• Using antibiotics wisely
• “Taking a bite out of “antibiotic prescribing”: The need for antimicrobial stewardship in dentistry (Podcast)
• Improve patient safety by optimizing antibiotic prescribing (CDC Blog)
• Beating antimicrobial resistance takes all of us (JADA Commentary)
  
  

Resources and Tools

• Core Elements of Outpatient Antibiotic Stewardship (CDC) 
• Clinician Checklist for Antibiotic Prescribing in Dentistry (CDC)
• Antibiotic Use for a Safe Dental Visit (CDC)
• Measurement Tools
• Antibiotic Stewardship Chart Audit Tool
• CHARM Project Dashboard (contact Dr. Mike Klepser for details)
• Delayed Prescribing Notepad
• Antibiotic Stewardship in the Dental Office
• Antibiotic Safety at the Dentist (Brochure)
• Educational Resources for Healthcare Professionals (CDC)

What are Adverse Events that can occur with antibiotic use?

• CDC: Adverse Drug Events from Antibiotics (CDC)
• Antibiotic Resistance (MedlinePlus)

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Penicillin Allergies

• Penicillin Allergy—What do you need to know?
• CDC Factsheet: Is It Really a Penicillin Allergy? 
• Tools for evaluating penicillin allergies:
• Penicillin-Allergy Assessment Tool
• Penicillin Allergy Reassessment for Treatment Improvement (PARTI) Tool
• Do You Really Have a Penicillin Allergy Patient Education (Poster)
• How to Approach to Patients Reporting Penicillin Allergies? (Video)
  
  

Opportunistic Infections Clostridium difficile (C. diff) & Antibiotic Resistance

• What is C. diff (Clostridioides difficile) (CDC)?
• Why is C. diff so dangerous? (Sepsis Alliance)
• Clostridium difficile (C. diff) infection Update
• What you need to know about Clostridium difficile? (APIC)?
• Advocacy: Peggy Lillis Foundation for C. diff Education & Advocacy

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Additional Resources

• State Toolkits offer templates and tools. Click HERE to access successful toolkits and policy information.
• Patient educational tools are available HERE.
• Prescriber tools and resources are available HERE.
• Antibiotic Stewardship Commitment Poster for dental practice. Available for Download.

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Continuing Education

Live 

• TIME SENSITIVE! Register NOW for the Third Annual National Dental Antibiotic Stewardship Summit on February 2, 2025 in Atlanta, GA. The Summit immediately precedes the Dental Infection Control Boot Camp.

On-demand

• Guideline on Antibiotic Use for the Urgent Management of Dental Pain and Intraoral Swelling (ADA Online Course)
• Antibiotics Stewardship (ADA Online Course)
• "SparkNotes" Version of 2024 Dental Antibiotic Stewardship Summit (On-Demand)
• 2024 OSAP Antibiotic Stewardship Summit (On-Demand package of 7 hours CE)
• Antibiotic Considerations in Dentistry (CDC)

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Click on the boxes below to view resources for prescribers, policymakers, and patients receiving dental care.

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