Dentists: Improve Patient Safety by Optimizing Antibiotic Prescribing

Dentists prescribe approximately 10 percent of all outpatient antibiotics in the U.S., but many of these antibiotic prescriptions may not be needed based on existing guidelines. In the past, antibiotic prophylaxis was commonly prescribed to patients with prosthetic joints before certain dental procedures to prevent joint infections. However, expert guidelines no longer recommend pre-dental procedure antibiotic prophylaxis for most patients with prosthetic joints. Read more about antibiotic stewardship in dental settings in the CDC Safe Healthcare Blog.