USAAW: Antibiotic Stewardship Resources for Dentists

U.S. Antibiotic Awareness Week (USAAW) is observed each year from November 18th-24th. This year’s USAAW theme is “Fighting Antimicrobial Resistance Takes All of Us.” According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), antimicrobial resistance happens when germs, like bacteria and fungi, develop the ability to defeat the drugs designed to kill them. That means the germs are not killed and continue to grow. Antimicrobial resistance is an urgent global public health threat that is estimated to cause more than 1.27 million deaths around the world and nearly 35,000 deaths in the United States each year.

Improving antibiotic prescribing and use is critical to effectively treat infections, protect patients from harms caused by unnecessary antibiotic use, and combat antibiotic resistance. CDC’s Safe Healthcare Blog provides valuable information on how dental prescribers can improve patient care and save lives by changing prescribing behaviors and optimizing how antibiotics are used in practice.

DHCP Resources

As part of ASAAW promotional efforts, the CDC has created antibiotic stewardship resource bundles for different healthcare providers and organizations, including dental healthcare personnel (DHCP). To access the resource bundle for DHCP, click here and then scroll down to the heading “Dental Care”.

Additionally, the Association for Dental Safety (ADS), previously the Organization for Dental Safety and Asepsis (OSAP), provides valuable information on antibiotic stewardship in the dental setting.

OSHA Review, Inc. a registered continuing education provider in the State of California, specializing in Dental Practice Act, infection control, and Cal/OSHA training. OSHA Review subscribers in California receive updated regulatory compliance and infection control training thorough our bi-monthly newsletter.