Antibiotic Stewardship: Protecting our Patients from Unnecessary Antibiotic Use
Antibiotic stewardship refers to a set of recommendations for clinicians to follow to guide decision-making with appropriate antibiotic use.
Antibiotic stewards seek to eliminate unnecessary antibiotic use to combat the growing problem of microbial resistance. This course will review strategies to promote antibiotic stewardship among dental professionals. Proper use of antibiotics, including antibiotic use for premedication in at-risk individuals, will be reviewed based upon current scientific literature.
Learning Objectives:
- Discuss current antibiotic prophylaxis recommendations for reducing risk for infective endocarditis and prosthetic joint infection.
- Demonstrate critical thinking when determining the need for antibiotic prophylaxis.
- Discuss strategies to reduce risk for promoting development of resistant organisms.
- Advocate for patients when encountering conflicting recommendations for antibiotic use between medical and dental providers.