If you allow us to, we use cookies to see how this website is used so that we can make it better. Learn about cookies

Customize Consent Preferences

We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions. You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below.

The cookies that are categorized as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site. ... 

Always Active

Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site, such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data.

No cookies to display.

Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collecting feedback, and other third-party features.

No cookies to display.

Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.

No cookies to display.

Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.

No cookies to display.

Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customized advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyze the effectiveness of the ad campaigns.

No cookies to display.

CDO Letter on Antimicrobial Prescribing

Posted by: Nicole Alterado - Posted on:

The Scottish Government

In this letter from the Chief Dental Officer, dentists are notified of changes to prescribing guidance in the light of the remobilisation of services after COVID-19.

Recently the dental sub-group of the Scottish Antimicrobial Prescribing Group (SAPG-D) made a recommendation to me on two issues which I have accepted:

1) As face to face dental treatment has remobilised, then the first line management of acute dental conditions should again be clinical management and not antibiotic prescribing;

2) Where an antibiotic needs to be prescribed then phenoxymethylpenicillin (Pen V) should be the first line drug.

The move towards Pen V is due to its narrower antimicrobial spectrum but having equivalent efficacy to amoxicillin for dental conditions. It also reduces the potential for antimicrobial resistance.

Scottish Dental Clinical Effectiveness Programme (SDCEP) guidance has been changed online and in the app to reflect the change.

SAPG-D is undertaking further work on the prescribing of metronidazole in dentistry and when completed I will communicate this to you.