Preventing medication errors in dental practice: An australian perspective

Introduction: Prescribing errors are a common type of medication error, even in dental practice. However, prescribing is a skill to which little attention is paid, as the profession is mostly focussed on performing dental procedures, eschewing the use of drugs, to treat dental conditions. Most dentists in Australia report learning little about prescribing during their university training, gaining these skills informally on the job after they graduate. Despite this, dentists are the second largest prescriber group in Australia and prescribe a wide variety of drugs including antibiotics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, opioid analgesics, muscle relaxants and anxiolytics. Objectives: To summarise medication safety, medication and prescribing errors in the context of dental practice. Data: The sources of medication and prescribing errors are reviewed. Sources: For this narrative review, pivotal concepts regarding sources of medication error and types of prescribing error are highlighted. The Swiss Cheese model of prescribing errors is also discussed, highlighting possible interventions when errors can be detected and averted. Study selection: Case reports of prescribing error in dentistry in Australia are presented, highlighting examples of how dental prescribing is prone to error. Conclusions: Solutions lie in addressing the systems and processes in which dentists work. Examples include implementing forced functions such as checklists and electronic prescribing tools. Clinical significance: Dentists are the second largest prescriber group in Australia and prescribe a wide variety of drugs. As such, prescribing errors are common in dental practice. Solutions to reduce medication and prescribing errors lie in addressing the systems which govern dentistry, as well as implementing forced functions such as prescribing tools.