On Monday, February 5, 2024, the American Dental Association (ADA) endorsed the newly developed opioid prescribing guidelines for dental procedures in adults and adolescents (over 12 years of age.) The new guidelines were developed cooperatively by both the University of Pittsburgh and University of Pennsylvania. Pitt Dental Medicine and Penn Dental conducted a network meta-analysis and several systematic reviews that found that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (such as ibuprofen and naproxen) alone, or in combination with acetaminophen, are sufficient for the treatment of dental pain.
Pitt Dental Medicine associate professor Dr. Deborah Polk, and Penn Dental Medicine associate professor Dr. Alonso Carrasco-Labra, were principle investigators for the studies.
Both Pittsburgh's Post-Gazette and KDKA Radio interviewed Dr. Paul Moore, Pitt Dental Medicine professor emeritus, who worked on the guidelines.