To prescribe or not to prescribe? A review of the Prescribing Competencies Framework for dentistry

Leanne Teoh; Joon Soo Park; Geraldine Moses; Michael McCullough; Amy Page

doi:10.1016/j.jdent.2023.104654

To prescribe or not to prescribe? A review of the Prescribing Competencies Framework for dentistry

J Dent. 2023 Oct:137:104654. doi: 10.1016/j.jdent.2023.104654. Epub 2023 Aug 12.

Authors

Leanne Teoh¹, Joon Soo Park², Geraldine Moses³, Michael McCullough⁴, Amy Page⁵

Affiliations

¹ Melbourne Dental School, The University of Melbourne, Carlton, Victoria, Australia. Electronic address: leanne.teoh@unimelb.edu.au.
² UWA Dental School, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia.
³ School of Pharmacy, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, Queensland, Australia.
⁴ Melbourne Dental School, The University of Melbourne, Carlton, Victoria, Australia.
⁵ School of Allied Health, University of Western Australia, Western Australia, Australia.

PMID: 37574106
DOI: 10.1016/j.jdent.2023.104654

Abstract

Objectives: Dentists in Australia are the second largest prescriber group, and are generally not formally taught how to prescribe. The objective of this review is to describe the Prescribing Competencies Framework and its relevance to dentistry.

Data: The four-model stage of prescribing by Coombes and colleagues, and the seven competencies within the Prescribing Competencies Framework devised by the Australian National Prescribing Service MedicineWise, are discussed and applied to dentistry.

Sources and study selection: Each of the seven competencies are analysed and detailed in the context of clinical dental practice. Competencies 1-5 describe the skillset and tasks required by dentists to safely prescribe, whereas Competencies 6 and 7 describe the clinical environment and recommended resources to support dentists to prescribe safely and effectively.

Conclusions: The Prescribing Competencies Framework provides an overview of safe and effective prescribing. Prescribing is a process, and a separate skillset to clinical dentistry. The process involves information gathering, clinical assessment, effective communication and review of the patient. Access to timely and appropriate resources and relevant electronic sources of health information for clinicians are important to provide the support required for better informed prescribing decisions. The framework describes a patient-centered prescribing process, and ultimately prescribing should be a shared decision between the dentist and the patient.

Clinical significance: Safe and effective prescribing is an integral part of dentistry and dentists are the second largest prescriber group. However, dentists display high rates of inappropriate and unnecessary prescribing, and to minimise errors, the Prescribing Competencies Framework has been established. This article details how the Framework applies to clinical practice dentistry.

Keywords: Antibiotics; Dental prescribing; Drugs in dentistry; Inappropriate prescribing; Opioids; Prescribing competency.

Publication types

Review
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Australia
Dentistry*
Dentists*
Humans