What does NICE have to say about antimicrobial prescribing to the dental community?

Slowing the emergence of antimicrobial resistance is essential to ensuring antimicrobials remain an effective treatment for infections. Professor Dame Sally Davies, the UK Chief Medical Officer, has compared the threat posed by resistance to that from global terrorism. Antimicrobial use is a key driver of antimicrobial resistance, so reducing unnecessary prescriptions is a high priority. NICE has developed guidance aimed at optimising prescribing within publically-funded health and care services. With primary care dentists responsible for 5% of all NHS antibacterial prescriptions, the dental community has a role to play in guarding the effectiveness of antibacterial drugs. This article describes three recent NICE publications that have implications for dentists. Antimicrobial Stewardship: Systems and Processes (NG 15) is an overarching guideline for the NHS aimed at commissioners and providers of health and care services, together with more specific guidance for prescribers. Prophylaxis against infective endocarditis (CG64) was reissued in 2015 following a review of the latest evidence prompted by concerns that the incidence of infective endocarditis had increased since initial publication of CG64 in 2008. Changing risk-related behaviours of the public in relation to expectations for antimicrobial prescriptions is currently in production (PHG89) . This paper outlines the key recommendations from these NICE guidelines as they relate to the dental community.