Prescription Opioid Abuse

• Sign the Surgeon General's Turn the Tide pledge to learn about modern pain management techniques in dentistry, screen patients for substance use disorders, refer them for appropriate treatment when indicated, and talk about addiction as a chronic illness rather than a moral failing.


• Register for the next round of free, ADA CERP-recognized continuing education webinars on safe and effective opioid prescribing in the context of modern drug-seeking behavior.


• Use your state prescription drug monitoring program (if available) to determine whether a patient may be "doctor shopping" based on their prescription history.


• Review the ADA Practical Guide to Substance Use Disorders and Safe Prescribing.


• Visit the ADA Center for Professional Success to obtain answers to frequently asked questions about safe and effective opioid prescribing. (ADA Members Only)


• Tell your patients to visit MouthHealthy.org/meds, where they can learn about the dangers of using opioid pain medications for non-medical purposes.


• Ask your patients, especially parents, to visit MedicineAbuseProject.org, where they can sign the Medicine Abuse Project pledge to safeguard their medicines and talk with their families about medicine abuse.


• Tell your patients how to find local prescription drug disposal sites and National Prescription Drug Take-Back events in their area.


• Participate in (or possibly host) a National Recovery Month event in September.

The ADA participates in a number of campaigns and initiatives to raise professional awareness about the prevalence of opioid abuse, and encourage dentists to review the latest techniques for managing dental pain in the context of modern drug-seeking behavior.

• AMA Task Force to Reduce Prescription Opioid Abuse
• Medicine Abuse Project (Partnership for Drug-Free Kids)
• National Prescription Drug Take-Back Initiative (DEA)
• National Recovery Month (SAMHSA)
• Search and Rescue (Partnership for Drug-Free Kids)
• Providers' Clinical Support System for Opioid Therapies (PCSS-O)
• Turn the Tide (Surgeon General)
• White House Partnership to Address Prescription Drug Abuse

• November 28, 2016—Coalition letter (PDF) urging Congress to fund the opioid prescriber education and training activities authorized in the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA).
• September 15, 2016—Letter (PDF) expressing support for the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids Search and Rescue opioid prescriber education campaign.
• September 6, 2016—Comments (PDF) responding to a Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) request for information about how federal opioid analgesic prescriber education and training activities can be improved.
• August 25, 2016—Letter (PDF) expressing support for the Surgeon General's Turn the Tide campaign to end opioid abuse.
• July 14, 2016—Coalition letter (PDF) commending Congress for passing the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA), and urging that the activities authorized eventually be funded.
• May 10, 2016—Letter (PDF) reiterating the Association's support for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration's (SAMHSA) National Recovery Month.
• April 28, 2016—Letter (PDF) reiterating the Association's support for the Drug Enforcement Administration's (DEA) National Prescription Drug Take-Back Initiative.
• February 24, 2016—Letter (PDF) urging Senate leadership to bring several provisions in S. 524, the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2015, to the floor for a vote by the full Senate.
• February 24, 2016—Letters urging the House Committees on Education and Workforce (PDF), Energy and Commerce (PDF), and the Judiciary (PDF) to issue favorable reports on several provisions in H.R. 953, the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2015, so they may be considered for a vote by the full House of Representatives.
• October 21, 2015—Letter (PDF) outlining the Association's commitment to a partnership to the White House to prevent the widespread abuse of opioid pain medications.

Select opioid-related stories from the dental profession's most widely read news source, ADA News.

• ADA, others ask Congress for funding to curb opioid addiction (ADA News 12/12/16)
• ADA pledges support for Partnership for Drug-Free Kids campaign (ADA News 9/15/16)
• ADA urges HHS to elevate dental pain management in opioid training activities (ADA News 9/7/16)
• ADA joins Surgeon General campaign to raise opioid abuse awareness (ADA News 8/25/16)
• ADA, others thank Congress for efforts in curbing opioid addiction (ADA News 7/20/16)
• ADA president urges dentists to renew commitment to prevent opioid abuse (ADA News 7/5/16)
• July JADA takes a look at opioids, dentists (ADA News 6/20/16)
• ADA supports National Recovery Month (ADA News 5/10/16)
• ADA supports April 30 Drug Take Back Day (ADA News 4/25/16)
• ADA asks lawmakers to help combat prescription opioid abuse (ADA News 2/29/16)
• WVDA president attends Obama forum (ADA News 10/22/15)
• ADA, White House partner on opioid prevention initiative (ADA News 10/21/15)
• New book focuses on opiates, other substance use (ADA News 8/10/2015)
• ADA joins AMA Task Force to Reduce Opioid Abuse (ADA News 8/6/15)
• CEO of The Partnership for Drugfree.org delivers keynote at wellness conference (ADA News 10/21/13)
• CDC to interview dentists on state prescription drug monitoring programs (ADA News 8/19/13)
• Survey says prescription drug abuse declining (ADA News 10/8/12)
• ADA announces professional, public drug abuse initiatives (ADA News 9/25/12)
• ADA receives grant to create pain management training (ADA News 2/6/12)

Select opioid-related articles from the Journal of the American Dental Association (JADA).

• Why do we prescribe Vicodin? (JADA July 2016)
• Dental opioid prescribing and multiple opioid prescriptions among dental patients (JADA July 2016)
• Addressing after-hours requests for prescription drugs (JADA April 2014)
• Substance-use screening and interventions in dental practices: Survey of practice-based research network dentists regarding current practices, policies and barriers (JADA June 2013)
• Prevention of prescription opioid abuse: The role of the dentist (JADA July 2011)
• What Should I do When I Suspect a Patient May be Abusing Prescription Drugs? (JADA May 2008)
• What are my ethical responsibilities when I suspect an employee of substance abuse? (JADA February 2007)

Government and Public Affairs

Washington Office
202.898.2400
Email: govtpol@ada.org

State Government Affairs
312.440.2525
Email: govtpol@ada.org

American Dental Political Action Committee (ADPAC)
202.898.2424
Email: adpac@ada.org

Media Relations

Journalists may contact the media relations department at:

Media Relations
312.440.2806
Email: mediarelations@ada.org

Center for Professional Success (CPS)

Questions about government rules and regulations? Explore the ADA Center for Professional Success. (Members Only)

Other Questions?

For all other questions or inquiries, please contact us.