Open Forum Infectious Diseases (08/01/22) Vol. 9, No. 8 Goff, Debra A.; Mangino, Julie E.; Trolli, Elizabeth; et al.

Researchers compared antibiotic use by private practice dentists in the U.S. before and after dental antibiotic stewardship programs (ASPs) by infectious diseases (ID) experts. Fifteen dentists engaged in preeducation involving three months of retrospective antibiotic data and a presurvey of baseline antibiotic knowledge (phase 1); education entailing three Zoom sessions (phase 2); three months of posteducation/interventions (phase 3); and postsurvey/recommendations to teach more dentists (phase 4). Fourteen participants had no previous stewardship experience in phase 1, and the number of antibiotic prescriptions fell from 2,124 to 1,816 between pre- and posteducation. Procedures climbed from 8,526 to 9,063, and prophylaxis and treatment rose from 19% to 87.9%. "Dentists changed their antibiotic prescribing behavior and significantly improved appropriate use by 68.9% after antibiotic stewardship education with audit and weekly feedback interventions by ID ASP experts," the authors observed. Postsurvey respondents recommended making antibiotic stewardship mandatory for annual continuing education. Participants invited ID antibiotic stewardship experts to teach another 2,125 dentists through dental study clubs. "After learning dental antibiotic stewardship from ID antibiotic stewardship experts, dentists rapidly optimized antibiotic prescribing," the authors concluded. "Private practice dental study clubs are expanding dental antibiotic stewardship training to additional dentists, hygienists, and patients across the United States."

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