The dental industry is continuing to prescribe large numbers of antibiotics, many of which are not necessary, according to a Feb. 24 article from the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis.
Here are 10 notes for dentistry:
- Dentistry wrote more than 27 million antibiotic prescriptions in 2025.
- Antibiotic prescribing by dentists increased 6% from 2020 to 2025, despite warnings and recommendations by experts and professional societies to do the opposite.
- Dentists often prescribe antibiotics to patients to fight off potential infections, but research published in JAMA shows that 80% of these antibiotics are unnecessary.
- Clindamycin, an antibiotic that has a high risk of leading to C difficile, is the second-most commonly prescribed antibiotic by dentists. In 2025, there were more than 2.3 million dental prescriptions for the antibiotic.
- From 2020 to 2025, dental prescriptions for clindamycin decreased 35%.
- Amoxicillin is the most-commonly used antibiotic in dentistry, with more than 19 million prescriptions in 2025.
- Hospitals have made progress against C difficile in part due to their antibiotic stewardship programs. Dentistry, which often operates in private practice settings, is not typically included in these programs.
- Dentistry has no guidelines related to the use of antibiotics for dental implants and tooth extractions. About half of all dental antibiotic prescriptions are for the two procedures.
- American Dental Association guidelines state that antibiotics are not needed to treat dental infections that cause pain and swelling, except in limited circumstances.
- The guidelines from the ADA still say that clindamycin can be used for treatment but have ruled it out as a prevention strategy.
