Antimicrobial prescribing across dental specialties at a dental hospital

INTRODUCTION Antimicrobial drugs form an important adjunctive therapy for treating oral infections. Inappropriate prescribing of antimicrobials can exacerbate the issue of antimicrobial resistance, which leads to antibiotics no longer being effective in treating even simple infections. The aim of this study was to ensure that antimicrobial prescriptions from the relevant dental specialties at the Eastman Dental Hospital (EDH) are consistent with current guidelines and best practice as set out by the Faculty of General Dental Practice (UK) guidelines in 2020. The standard to achieve in the audit was that 90% of prescriptions should be prescribed in line with the 2020 guidelines. METHODS Retrospective data were collected for patients seen at EDH between March and June 2024. Details were retrieved from the prescription logbook used by clinical staff from the relevant dental specialties across different floors at EDH. This information was cross-referenced with patient clinical records to check whether diagnosis, justification and prescription details were recorded. Specialties involved included oral surgery, restorative dentistry, paediatric dentistry, oral medicine and special care dentistry. Prescription entries were categorised into three groups: appropriate, inconclusive and inappropriate. RESULTS The total number of prescriptions recorded across all specialties at EDH was 381 and the overall percentage of prescriptions meeting the standard was 71%. Eighty-six prescriptions were excluded owing to no evidence of the prescription being recorded in the clinical notes. CONCLUSIONS This audit highlights important gaps in antimicrobial prescribing practices across dental specialties at EDH. Addressing record keeping deficiencies, enhancing clinician education and reinforcing non-antibiotic management strategies are critical steps to improving antimicrobial stewardship.