Special Screening Resources
The prescription drug crisis has affected all sectors of the population, and so it is inevitable that dentists will increasingly see at-risk patients or those with substance use disorders in…
Opioid Prescribing in Dental Practice
Dentistry should be proud of its history of providing responsible pain relief, as well as becoming more cautious in prescribing opioid medications when other safer pharmacologic options exist. Our training…
Interprofessional Collaboration in the Assessment and Management of Substance Use Risk
Substance use disorder assessment strategies are increasingly being employed by dentistry, while adequate evaluation requires reaching out to other cotreating providers and collaborating on patient care. The field of dentistry…
Special High-Risk Populations in Dentistry
Comprehensive and compassionate treatment of vulnerable patients is an important service to the community, although dental treatment of special populations can represent a challenge. The dental provider must be able…
Brief Motivational Interventions
Motivational interviewing (MI) is an evidence-based approach to resolving patient ambivalence to change. MI techniques can be effectively used by dentists in assessing and managing substance use risk and may…
Assessment and Management of the High-Risk Dental Patient with Active Substance Use Disorder
Every dentist cares for patients with a history of substance use disorder (SUD), regardless of a patient’s socioeconomic status, education, or ethnicity. SUD is a global epidemic, with approximately 8%…
Managing Acute Dental Pain
Pharmacotherapy forms an integral part of acute dental pain management. In a majority of cases, safe and effective management of acute dental pain can be accomplished with a non-opioid medication…
Comorbid Conditions in Relation to Controlled Substance Abuse
Dental patients who experience comorbid psychiatric and medical conditions present an elevated risk of medication misuse, abuse, substance use disorders, and overdose. The authors review the role of notable comorbidities…
Dentistry’s Role in Assessing and Managing Controlled Substance Risk
Dentistry is in a unique position among the health care professions to assess and manage the patient with controlled substance risk. The concern over opioid risk is not new, and…
Patient Interviewing Strategies to Recognize Substance Use, Misuse, and Abuse in the Dental Setting
Brief and effective clinical interviewing is critical for identifying patient risk factors, including those associated with substance use. Dental practitioners may perceive identifying patient substance misuse and abuse as a…
