Dental Practitioners Formulary

Dentists may only prescribe, on an NHS prescription form, those items listed in the Dental Practitioners Formulary (DPF) in the Drug Tariff. 

Therefore, it would not be uncommon for a dentist to prescribe analgesic medication on a non-NHS (private) prescription form for a patient under his care, even if that item was not in the Dental Practitioners Formulary (see Section 3.2.2). However, it would be unusual for them to prescribe, for example, medication for the treatment of schizophrenia. If a pharmacist received a non-NHS (private) prescription form from a dentist for medication to treat schizophrenia, the pharmacist should query the supply with the prescribing dentist to confirm that the dentist is prescribing within their area of competence. 

Legally written Yes. The item (clarithromycin) is not listed within the Dental Practitioners Formulary however, as this is a private prescription form, the dentist is not limited to prescribing from within this list. 

Item(s) allowable on the NHS No. The Dental Practitioner s Formulary indicates that dentists are only allowed to prescribe aspirin dispersible tabs 300 mg on an NHS prescription form. Return prescription to the dentist for the addition of dispersible or (if the patient is not exempt from prescription charges) as this item is available for purchase from pharmacies (a P medicine - see Section 1.3.2), offer to sell the item to the patient. 

In a similar way to dental prescribing in the NHS (see Section 3.2.2) it is important that pharmacists are aware of the contents of the respective parts of the Drug Tariff(s) dealing with nurse prescribing on the NHS. The British National Formulary also indicates whether an item would be able to be prescribed on an NHS prescription by a nurse by listing the Nurse Presenters Formulary for Community Practitioners. However, the British National Formulary is not usually as up to date as the Drug Tariff as indicated above. 

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