outcomes have been sustained . In 2021 , we realized a 48-percent decrease to date . In fact , non-narcotic prescriptions have been 81.97-percent of our scripts – a remarkable attainment at an institution that provides nearly 3,000 pain medication prescriptions per year .”
Healthcare providers who take The Costello Pledge demonstrate their commitment to carefully and responsibly weigh important criteria and consciously avoid the preferential use of addictive medications whenever possible , based upon the most current wisdom and principles .
To take The Costello Pledge , or obtain more information about The Costello Guidelines , clinicians are invited to visit the Pitt School of Dental Medicine website .
About the Costello Pain Care Pledge ( The Costello Pledge )
The Costello Pledge offers a means to demonstrate a commitment to responsible pain management . Developed by Dean Bernard J . Costello , DMD , MD at The University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine , it is a core part of the curriculum . The principles outlined reinforce the protocol established in The Costello Guidelines for Prescribing Pain Medications . Taking the Costello Pledge distinguishes healthcare professionals who agree to hold themselves to account regarding the prescription of addictive narcotic substances .
In its first year of implementation , we achieved a significant reduction ( i . e ., 54.3-percent ) in opioid prescriptions with no deleterious effects for our patients .”
MARCH / APRIL 2022 | PENNSYLVANIA DENTAL JOURNAL 21