Educational antimicrobial stewardship interventions in dental schools: A scoping review

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is increasing at an alarming rate, with dentists contributing to over 10% of global antibiotic use. Antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) interventions help reduce AMR, but dental education often lacks focus on such initiatives. Our study aims to systematically map existing evidence on AMS initiatives in dental education, identify knowledge gaps, and inform future research. A scoping review was conducted by searching six databases (Web of Science, Medline, Embase, Scopus, ERIC, and CINAHL) using key terms surrounding AMS and dental education on May 9, 2025. Inclusion criteria targeted studies focusing on interventions promoting AMS in dental schools. Exclusion criteria removed commentaries, book chapters, letters, editorials, opinion pieces, and conference abstracts. No restrictions were placed on publication year, setting, or language. Two reviewers independently screened articles and extracted data. Descriptive and qualitative content analysis were employed to synthesize the studies' characteristics, participant populations, and intervention approaches. From 523 records screened, 18 articles were included. These studies highlighted a variety of AMS interventions, all differing in their approaches to facilitate learning. The content taught formed seven categories, spanning teachings directly related to AMR and material building a background knowledge, including infectiology and pharmacology. A total of 12 categories were developed from the learning strategies present in initiatives. This included both traditional techniques, as seen in lectures, and non-conventional modalities, such as games and roleplay. Findings will inform the development of future interventions in dental school settings, collectively contributing to the fight against the growing AMR crisis.