Patients who visit emergency departments and outpatient clinics for dental disorders often leave with opioid prescriptions, according to a study in the Journal of Pediatrics.
The study analyzed National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey and National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey data from 2005 to 2015. Patients included in the study were aged 13 to 22 years old.
There were nearly 57 million emergency visits analyzed in the study. Of those, 14.9 percent of ED visits resulted in opioid prescriptions compared to 2.8 percent of outpatient clinic visits.
For patients who had dental disorders, 59.7 percent who visited an ED were given an opioid prescription. Around 57.9 percent of patients who visited outpatient clinics for dental care were written prescriptions for opioids.
"Rates of opioid prescribing in EDs and outpatient clinics remains high for adolescents and young adults, especially for certain emergency conditions. These findings inform targeted educational campaigns aiming to ensure judicious use of opioids in this high-risk population," the study authors concluded.
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The study analyzed National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey and National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey data from 2005 to 2015. Patients included in the study were aged 13 to 22 years old.
There were nearly 57 million emergency visits analyzed in the study. Of those, 14.9 percent of ED visits resulted in opioid prescriptions compared to 2.8 percent of outpatient clinic visits.
For patients who had dental disorders, 59.7 percent who visited an ED were given an opioid prescription. Around 57.9 percent of patients who visited outpatient clinics for dental care were written prescriptions for opioids.
"Rates of opioid prescribing in EDs and outpatient clinics remains high for adolescents and young adults, especially for certain emergency conditions. These findings inform targeted educational campaigns aiming to ensure judicious use of opioids in this high-risk population," the study authors concluded.
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From private practice to DSO: How Aspen Dental's Dr. Anita Imadomwanyi's career has evolved