Dentists private prescriptions

Dentists are regarded as practitioners and can legally prescribe any licensed or unlicensed medicinal product on a private prescription form (see Section 5.1), although they are ethically expected to limit their prescribing to within their individual area(s) of competence. 

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. 

A suitable alternative for a dental infection would be amoxicillin capsules 250 mg/500 mg tds. Alternatively the dentist could give Mrs Brown a private prescription. 

You explain to Mrs Brown that she now has capsules rather than tablets and that you have agreed the change with the dentist. Mrs Brown wants to know what was wrong with what was on her prescription already. You explain that dentists are only permitted to prescribe certain drugs on NHS prescriptions. As Mr Drillett has a large private practice the restrictions had slipped his mind. However he has chosen an alternative that is allowed on the NHS and this course of antibiotics should clear up her dental infection. 

PBS listed medicines are eligible for subsidy if they are prescribed by a registered medical practitioner or, for certain medicines, a registered dental practitioner, in accordance with the regulations governing the scheme. The prescription must be dispensed by an approved pharmacist or, in limited cases, by an approved medical practitioner. The vast majority of medical practitioners, dentists, and pharmacists involved with the scheme are private practitioners. 

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See also in sourсe #XX -- [ , ]

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