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General dental practitioners' perceptions of antimicrobial use and resistance: a qualitative interview study

General dental practitioners' perceptions of antimicrobial use and resistance: a qualitative interview study
General dental practitioners' perceptions of antimicrobial use and resistance: a qualitative interview study
Background: Dentists are responsible for 9-10% of all antibiotics dispensed in primary care in the UK, many of which may be provided contrary to clinical guidelines. Since antibiotic consumption has been identified as a major cause of antibiotic resistance, dental prescribing may be a significant contributor to this important public health problem.

Objective: This study aims to explore general dental practitioners' (GDPs) perceptions and attitudes towards antibiotic use and resistance.
Method: Qualitative interview study with 19 purposively sampled GDPs working in Wales. A set of open-ended questions were developed and amended during semi-structured telephone interviews. Interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim and codes were developed using thematic analysis.

Results: Perceptions of antibiotic use and resistance varied widely between practitioners, particularly with respect to the prevalence and impact of resistant strains on the management of dentoalveolar infection, and the impact of dental prescribing on the emergence of resistance. GDPs reported that their antibiotic prescribing decisions were driven by both clinical pressures and wider public health considerations.

Conclusions: Interventions to enhance the quality of antibiotic prescribing in primary care dentistry should address issues associated with inappropriate prescribing as well as providing education about the causes, prevalence and impact of antibiotic resistance.
0007-0610
653-660
Cope, Anwen
a81ac79a-434d-4a43-bfb1-f2baf5d8c9ca
Wood, Fiona Claire
7fa2fcc6-81ab-4acf-997e-4c7113c7b1fd
Francis, Nicholas Andrew
9b610883-605c-4fee-871d-defaa86ccf8e
Chestnutt, Ivor Gordon
9e5aa7b4-0d23-443d-bb53-08dd5703ba37
Cope, Anwen
a81ac79a-434d-4a43-bfb1-f2baf5d8c9ca
Wood, Fiona Claire
7fa2fcc6-81ab-4acf-997e-4c7113c7b1fd
Francis, Nicholas Andrew
9b610883-605c-4fee-871d-defaa86ccf8e
Chestnutt, Ivor Gordon
9e5aa7b4-0d23-443d-bb53-08dd5703ba37

Cope, Anwen, Wood, Fiona Claire, Francis, Nicholas Andrew and Chestnutt, Ivor Gordon (2014) General dental practitioners' perceptions of antimicrobial use and resistance: a qualitative interview study. British Dental Journal, 217 (5), 653-660. (doi:10.1038/sj.bdj.2014.761).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Background: Dentists are responsible for 9-10% of all antibiotics dispensed in primary care in the UK, many of which may be provided contrary to clinical guidelines. Since antibiotic consumption has been identified as a major cause of antibiotic resistance, dental prescribing may be a significant contributor to this important public health problem.

Objective: This study aims to explore general dental practitioners' (GDPs) perceptions and attitudes towards antibiotic use and resistance.
Method: Qualitative interview study with 19 purposively sampled GDPs working in Wales. A set of open-ended questions were developed and amended during semi-structured telephone interviews. Interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim and codes were developed using thematic analysis.

Results: Perceptions of antibiotic use and resistance varied widely between practitioners, particularly with respect to the prevalence and impact of resistant strains on the management of dentoalveolar infection, and the impact of dental prescribing on the emergence of resistance. GDPs reported that their antibiotic prescribing decisions were driven by both clinical pressures and wider public health considerations.

Conclusions: Interventions to enhance the quality of antibiotic prescribing in primary care dentistry should address issues associated with inappropriate prescribing as well as providing education about the causes, prevalence and impact of antibiotic resistance.

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More information

Accepted/In Press date: 20 May 2014
Published date: 12 September 2014

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 436309
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/436309
ISSN: 0007-0610
PURE UUID: e77820fd-ddf2-4d2b-8c4e-000edb6e2703
ORCID for Nicholas Andrew Francis: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-8939-7312

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Date deposited: 06 Dec 2019 17:30
Last modified: 17 Mar 2024 03:58

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Contributors

Author: Anwen Cope
Author: Fiona Claire Wood
Author: Ivor Gordon Chestnutt

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