title: Antibiotic prescribing practices by South Australian general dental practitioners.
abstract: The prescribing habits of a randomly selected approximately 10 per cent sample of South Australian general dental practitioners were obtained by postal questionnaire. Sixty-eight (61 per cent) usable replies were received and analysed. Generally, there was an appropriate level of knowledge of antibiotic prescription. However, there was a tendency toward over-prescription and a demonstrated lack of knowledge of the incidence of adverse reactions, development of multiresistant strains and prophylaxis against bacterial endocarditis. All of these areas are real challenges to the profession, whether in an overall global community health sense or in a highly individualized clinical or medico-legal sense. These issues are discussed and the profession is urged to reconsider and re-educate itself on these challenges.
authors.affiliation: Royal Hobart Hospital.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jaunay
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sambrook
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Goss
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019072:Antibiotic Prophylaxis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017742:Dental Care for Chronically Ill / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005792:General Practice, Dental; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D010483:Periapical Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy; D019239:Practice Patterns, Dentists' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012494:Sampling Studies; D013021:South Australia; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents