M Mian1,2, L Teoh3, M Hopcraft3. 1. Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Unit, Royal Dental Hospital of Melbourne, Carlton, Victoria, Australia. 2. Melbourne Medical School, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. 3. Melbourne Dental School, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and subsequent restrictions on dental services have had a significant impact on the provision of dental care in Australia and around the world. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the impact of COVID-19 on medications prescribed by dentists under the Australian Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). METHODS: Data on the number of dental prescriptions dispensed for all medications listed on the PBS Dental Schedule, from January 2019 to June 2020, were extracted from publicly available data sets. Analysis of prescription trends was performed for 1) total medications, 2) each major medication class, and 3) individual medications. The number of prescriptions dispensed in each month from January 2020 to June 2020 was compared to the same month in 2019 to determine the relative (percentage) change, and z statistics were used to determine whether changes were statistically significant. RESULTS: There was a significant decrease in dental prescriptions in April 2020 compared to April 2019 (14,785, 18%; P < 0.05). Decreases in prescriptions for antibiotics (10,512, 16%; P < 0.05) and opioid analgesics (3,129, 18%; P < 0.05) were smaller compared to other major medication classes. There was a significant increase in June 2020, compared with June 2019, for prescriptions of amoxicillin with clavulanic acid (4,903, 20%; P < 0.05), tramadol (89, 46%; P < 0.05), and oxycodone (381, 73%; P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Dental service restrictions during COVID-19 likely drove an unmet need for routine dental treatment, which had significant implications for public oral health following easing of restrictions. During the initial surge and subsequent lockdown, antibiotics and opioid analgesics may have been used an as alternative to routine operative treatment. Continued professional guidance is required to ensure dental prescribing remains evidence based during the pandemic period. KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER STATEMENT: The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent restrictions on dental practice have had a profound impact on the provision of dental care in Australia and elsewhere in the world. In this context, population-level medication surveillance is important to identify and respond to changes in prescribing patterns that have arisen due to COVID-19 and restrictions on the provision of dental care. This research is particularly important for governments, regulators, and professional associations to ensure therapeutic guidelines and recommendations during the pandemic period remain relevant and evidence based.
INTRODUCTION: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and subsequent restrictions on dental services have had a significant impact on the provision of dental care in Australia and around the world. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the impact of COVID-19 on medications prescribed by dentists under the Australian Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). METHODS: Data on the number of dental prescriptions dispensed for all medications listed on the PBS Dental Schedule, from January 2019 to June 2020, were extracted from publicly available data sets. Analysis of prescription trends was performed for 1) total medications, 2) each major medication class, and 3) individual medications. The number of prescriptions dispensed in each month from January 2020 to June 2020 was compared to the same month in 2019 to determine the relative (percentage) change, and z statistics were used to determine whether changes were statistically significant. RESULTS: There was a significant decrease in dental prescriptions in April 2020 compared to April 2019 (14,785, 18%; P < 0.05). Decreases in prescriptions for antibiotics (10,512, 16%; P < 0.05) and opioid analgesics (3,129, 18%; P < 0.05) were smaller compared to other major medication classes. There was a significant increase in June 2020, compared with June 2019, for prescriptions of amoxicillin with clavulanic acid (4,903, 20%; P < 0.05), tramadol (89, 46%; P < 0.05), and oxycodone (381, 73%; P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Dental service restrictions during COVID-19 likely drove an unmet need for routine dental treatment, which had significant implications for public oral health following easing of restrictions. During the initial surge and subsequent lockdown, antibiotics and opioid analgesics may have been used an as alternative to routine operative treatment. Continued professional guidance is required to ensure dental prescribing remains evidence based during the pandemic period. KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER STATEMENT: The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent restrictions on dental practice have had a profound impact on the provision of dental care in Australia and elsewhere in the world. In this context, population-level medication surveillance is important to identify and respond to changes in prescribing patterns that have arisen due to COVID-19 and restrictions on the provision of dental care. This research is particularly important for governments, regulators, and professional associations to ensure therapeutic guidelines and recommendations during the pandemic period remain relevant and evidence based.
Authors: Malcolm B Gillies; David P Burgner; Lorraine Ivancic; Natasha Nassar; Jessica E Miller; Sheena G Sullivan; Isobel M F Todd; Sallie-Anne Pearson; Andrea L Schaffer; Helga Zoega Journal: Br J Clin Pharmacol Date: 2021-08-17 Impact factor: 3.716
Authors: Fernando de Sá Del Fiol; Isaltino Pereira de Andrade-Jr; Marcus Tolentino da Silva; Silvio Barberato-Filho; Luciane Cruz Lopes; Cristiane de Cassia Bergamaschi Journal: Int J Dent Date: 2022-06-06
Authors: Taito Kitano; Kevin A Brown; Nick Daneman; Derek R MacFadden; Bradley J Langford; Valerie Leung; Miranda So; Elizabeth Leung; Lori Burrows; Douglas Manuel; Dawn M E Bowdish; Colleen J Maxwell; Susan E Bronskill; James I Brooks; Kevin L Schwartz Journal: Open Forum Infect Dis Date: 2021-10-30 Impact factor: 3.835