Knowledge and Perspective on Opioids: Survey in U.S. Dental School

Objectives: The prescription of opioids was once the optimal postoperative analgesic for the management of dental pain. Current research exposes risks associated with opioids that are frequently found to be prescribed by dental providers. Utilizing three survey questionnaires at a U.S. Dental School community of students, faculty, and patients, we hope to identify the overall knowledge of safe practices regarding opioid use and the potential media’s influence.
Methods: The surveys included questions on a Likert-based scale (0-10 point scale), covering topics: opioid prescribing practices, pain management, addiction risk, and alternatives to opioids. The surveys were distributed through an online platform (Qualtrics XM software) and collected. Net promoter scores (NPS) and frequency distribution analysis were calculated to evaluate the level of agreement among respondents. We aimed to collect responses from 400 dental students, 100 faculty, and 500 patients.
Results: Results showed that dental students and faculty members had a low-to-moderate level of knowledge regarding literature on opioid prescribing practices. Faculty reported seldomly prescribing opioids in their careers, and that they would not recommend to colleagues prescribing opioids to their patients. Both student and faculty groups expressed a strong interest in learning about alternatives to opioids for pain management due to their lack of knowledge and that the media did not influence their current or future prescribing practices. NPS scores revealed that respondents were generally positive towards reducing opioid prescriptions in dentistry. Patient respondents identified moderate agreement that there is an opioid crisis and moderate confidence in the dentist’s ability to manage dental pain, with strong agreement preferring alternatives to opioids in managing severe dental pain.
Conclusions: This study highlights the understanding of dental providers in combating the opioid crisis, assessing the potential effect of the media’s portrayal. Further research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of educational interventions on opioid prescribing practices in dentistry.