Opioid Overview
Since the 1990s, when the amount of opioids prescribed to patients began to grow, the number of overdoses and deaths from prescription opioids has also increased. From 1999 to 2022, approximately 294,000 people died in the United States from overdoses involving prescription opioids, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In 2022, almost 14% of all drug overdose deaths involved prescription opioids. Today, the number of U.S. drug overdoses involving prescription opioids is 4 times higher than in 1999.
As future dentists, dental students need to be prepared to prescribe opioids responsibly, which includes communicating risks and being aware of signs of misuse.
ASDA Policy
ASDA wants to ensure students are able to effectively discuss opioids with their patients. ASDA’s B-13 policy states:
The American Student Dental Association encourages all dental schools to provide education
on evidence-based prescribing as outlined in the CODA-accreditation Standards.
ASDA urges dental schools to provide resources for dental students to appropriately
address opioids with their patients.
ASDA encourages the American Dental Education Association to create resources that
establish evidence-based prescribing practices for dental school clinics.