A survey of UK dental health professionals using a medicines information service: what questions do they ask and do they get useful answers?

Dentists prescribe a limited range of medicines but it is important that they consider the effects of all medicines their patients are taking when providing dental care. In the UK, a national medicines information (UKMi) service funded by the National Health Service is available to advise health professionals on prescribing and to support evidence-based practice. This paper presents the results of a survey of 151 dental health professionals who contacted the UKMi service for advice. Enquiries most commonly involved antibiotics (32%), but dental health professionals also asked for advice on legal issues relating to medicines (10%), and on managing patients receiving bisphosphonates (9%), local anaesthetics (6%) and antiplatelet drugs (5%). One hundred and forty-six (97%) enquirers used the advice provided: for managing current patients, planning the care of future patients, for continuing professional development and teaching others. Two thirds of enquirers used the information provided to check if current or proposed management was appropriate, one half to change therapy and over one quarter to identify, manage or avoid adverse effects or drug interactions.