Dental Education on the Opioid Epidemic

Opioid abuse is a serious public health issue in the United States. Results from the 2016 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) indicate that 3.3 million people over age 12, and an estimated 239,000 adolescents aged 12 to 17, abused prescription pain relievers in 2016. Common prescribers of opioids—internal medicine physicians, primary care physicians and dentists—must have ready access to the tools and resources required to identify and address addiction problems with their patients.

Recent News

Association of Opioid Use With Pain and Satisfaction After Dental Extraction

In this quality improvement study of 329 patients who underwent either surgical or routine extractions, patients who used opioids after the procedure reported higher levels of pain compared with nonopioid users. Those who did not use opioids reported similar satisfaction levels as the opioid users.

March 13, 2020 | JAMA Network Open

The Final Reort on Best Practices: Updates, Gaps, Inconsistencies, and Recommendations

The Pain Management Best Practices Inter-Agency Task Force was established to propose updates to best practices and issue recommendations that address gaps or inconsistencies for managing chronic and acute pain. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is overseeing this effort with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and U.S. Department of Defense.

May 9, 2019 | Pain Management Best Practices Inter-Agency Task Force

Op-Ed: For Some Dentists, Prescribing Opioids Reflexively is a Bad Habit

At the Rutgers School of Dental Medicine, and dental schools across the nation, we are educating a new generation of providers who are keenly aware of the deadly effects of opioid abuse, who, hopefully, will never develop the habit of prescribing opioids reflexively.

May 8, 2018 | NJ Spotlight

UMN faculty member appointed to new federal pain management task force

Harold K. Tu, DMD, MD, FACS, associate professor and director of the Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery in the University of Minnesota’s School of Dentistry, was appointed to the new, federal Pain Management Best Practices Inter-Agency Task Force.

May 2, 2018 | University of Minnesota News

Study: Ibuprofen, acetaminophen more effective than opioids in treating dental pain

Ibuprofen and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) alone or in combination with acetaminophen are better at easing dental pain, according to new research conducted with the School of Dental Medicine at Case Western Reserve University.

April 26, 2018 | The Daily, Case Western Reserve University

ADEA Resources

Dental Schools Addiction Education Regional Summit Proceedings	Effect on Dental Hygiene Students of a Substance Use Simulation Conducted with Nursing Students	The Role of Dental Education in the Prevention of Opioid Prescription Drug Misuse
Confronting the Opioid Epidemic: How Dental Schools Can Lead	Massachusetts Dental Schools Respond to the Prescription Opioid Crisis: A Statewide Collaboration	2018 ADEA Summary of State Legislation and Regulations Addressing Prescription Drug and Opioid Abuse
Post-SAMHSA Summit Interviews	First-ever Regional ADEA–SAMHSA Summit on the Opioid Epidemic (Includes resources.)	ADEA United States Interactive Legislative Tracking Map (Select "Prescription Drug Monitoring" from the drop-down menu.)
ADEA United States Interactive Regulatory Tracking Map (Select "Prescription Drug Monitoring" from the drop-down menu.)	ADEA Webinar: Opioid Abuse in the U.S. and Its Impact on Dental Education	Dental Opioid Guidelines - Center for Opioid Research and Education

Additional Resources 

Military Health System Communications Office: There is Hope	SAMHSA Behavioral Health Treatment Services Locator	TIP 54: Managing Chronic Pain in Adults With or In Recovery From Substance Use Disorders
SAMHSA Opioid Overdose Prevention Toolkit	Opioid Prescriber Training Program, University at Buffalo School of Pharmacy	ADA Webpage on Prescription Opioid Abuse