The abuse and misuse of prescription drugs, especially narcotics (opioids), has been a growing problem since before the start of the 21st century. In the last decade, the issue has become a serious public health issue in urban, suburban and rural areas throughout the United States. Families and communities have been devastated by the loss of life, birth of drug-dependent infants, and the high cost of prosecution and addiction recovery. This has prompted policymakers and health advocates to partner with healthcare experts in order to establish comprehensive strategies that will address all facets in the culture of prescription drug use.

This course will discuss the most relevant dental practitioners’ standards of practice for prescribing controlled substances. It will also cover safe and effective guidelines for treating both chronic non-malignant (non-acute) pain and acute (post-surgical) pain and alternative therapies for pain management.