Dentists are the second largest group of opioid prescribers in Ontario, and contribute substantially to new opioid prescribing among opioid-naïve Ontario residents. Recent studies have shown that long-term opioid use, defined as continued opioid prescription fills typically in the 90 to 365 days following new opioid prescribing, is associated with characteristics of the initial prescription, including dose, duration, and formulation. However, little is known about the effects of these prescription characteristics on the risk of long-term opioid use among dental indications specifically.
Given the limited availability of guidance for opioid prescribing in the management of acute dental pain, this study aims to understand the association between initial prescription characteristics and long-term opioid use to guide appropriate prescribing among dental patients.
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