title: Medication non-adherence: a role for the dental professional.
abstract: Medication non-adherence is a multifactorial and complex problem that poses an enormous health and economic burden. Medication non-adherence related to medication side effects, referred to as rational non-adherence, is increasingly seen in patients. This article discusses rational non-adherence with an exemplar of osteoporosis patients discontinuing their medication, mainly bisphosphonates, for fear of complications such as osteonecrosis of jaw. Also, the possible role of dental professionals in overcoming medication non-adherence in general is outlined.
authors.affiliation: Orofacial Pain and Oral Medicine Center, Division of Periodontology, Diagnostic Sciences and Dental Hygiene, University of Southern California, Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry, USA.
authors.forename: Satish K S
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Kumar