Work

Trends of Dispensed Opioids Prescribed by Australian Dentists: 2013–2022

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: In Australia, the prescribing of opioid medicines by dentists has increased in recent years, despite opioids not being first-line treatment for dental pain. The aim of this longitudinal study was to examine the dispensing of opioids prescribed by dentists in Australia during 2013-2022. METHOD: A nationally representative 10% sample of patients identified from the Australian Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme dispensing data from 2013 to 2022 was used. Three outcomes were assessed: (1) incidence of dispensing of all dental prescriptions; (2) incidence of dispensing of opioids prescribed by dentists; (3) average number of tablets/capsules of dental opioid supply. Outcomes pertaining to opioid use were examined overall, and by year, age and sex. RESULTS: From 2013 to 2022, 998 774 dental prescriptions (of any kind) were dispensed to 470 118 patients. The mean annual incidence rate for dispensing any dental medication was 48.4 (95% CI: 48.3-48.5)/1000 person-years. Opioids accounted for 183 303 prescriptions (18.4%), with a mean annual incidence rate of 11.0 (95% CI: 11.0-11.1)/1000 person-years. The majority of patients (99.1%) were dispensed ≤ 4 opioid prescriptions across the 10-year period, with 0.9% of patients (n = 1312) receiving between 5 and 149 dispensed opioids. Over the study period, the average annual incidence of dispensed dental opioids increased by 4.4% (95% CI: 1.0-8.2). A reduction in the mean quantity of opioid pills dispensed was observed over time. Dental opioids were dispensed to 2727 children and adolescents. CONCLUSION: The incidence of dispensing of dental opioids in Australia increased by an average of 4.4% per year over a decade. While there was a reduction in opioid quantities dispensed, dispensing of opioids for children occurred, and a small number of patients were dispensed excessive quantities of dental opioids. Evidence-based tailored opioid stewardship interventions need to include dentists, and dentists should be provided access to drug monitoring programmes to enable more informed prescribing decisions.

Source: Community Dentistry And Oral Epidemiology

DOI: 10.1111/cdoe.70022