Prescribing and Maintaining Drugs
2023
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Quick Tips for the Dental Office
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State Board of Dentistry Regulations
• Drug storage areas must be clean and orderly.
Prescribing and Maintaining Drugs
• Drug storage areas must be dry, well ventilated and well lit.
• Must ensure adequate dust, humidity and temperature controls.
• Drug storage areas should contain only drugs and related supplies and equipment necessary for the administration and dispensing of drugs to the dentist’ s own patients.
• Drugs should be adequately labeled and kept in the manufacturer’ s original container showing the lot number and expiration date, until the drug is administered or dispensed.
• Drugs should be free from adulteration. Appropriate procedures must be in place to minimize the chances of cross contamination.
• Outdated or deteriorated drugs should be segregated in the storage area until their return to the manufacturer or appropriate disposal. Dentists must maintain records reflecting the final disposition of these drugs.
• Controlled substances must be stored in a substantially constructed, locked container. Dentists must be present to supervise whenever the locked container is opened to clean, replenish supplies or perform other necessary tasks.
• Dentists must provide for the safe, secure and sanitary disposal of drug-containing refuse.
• Dentists must be cognizant and compliant with other state and federal laws regarding the storage of drugs.
Pennsylvania Prescription Drug Monitoring Program
In an effort to empower health care professionals to identify patients struggling with addiction as soon as possible, the state launched a new Prescription Drug Monitoring Program( PDMP). Registration for the PA PDMP opened in August 2016. All schedule II – V prescriptions dispensed to outpatients are collected by the PA PDMP within 72 hours of having been filled. By using the PA PDMP system, dentists and other providers will play a key role in reducing opioid abuse and overdoses.
Prescribers may query the system for each patient when the patient is prescribed a controlled substance for the first time. Providers may also search the system if they have reason to believe that a patient may be abusing or diverting drugs. To make consistent use of the PA PDMP system more practicable, prescribers can grant access to any delegates under their employment or supervision to query the system on their behalf. Log on to www. health. pa. gov for more information.
2023