The MDS Dental Practice Committee published a Dental Insights tip on April 23, 2018, entitled "Dispensing Prescriptions in Your Office - Permit Requirements." The tip stated that while you do not need a special permit to write a prescription (e.g., anti-anxiety medication) to be filled at a pharmacy, you do need a D facility permit if you administer anesthesia/sedation above the level of local anesthesia in your practice. In addition to the D facility permit, the prescribing dentist must also have a permit B. Both permits D and B must be renewed every two years coinciding with your license renewal cycle.

This Dental Insight tip resulted in several dental offices contacting the MDS Member Assistance Center (MAC) with a concern regarding the practice of dispensing antibiotics in their office to patients in the event a patient fails to pre-medicate due to some medical issue prior to a scheduled dental procedure and questioning if this practice requires additional permits. The tip above applies specifically to the practice of administering anesthesia/sedation to patients above the level of local anesthesia. The Board of Registration in Dentistry (BORID) has confirmed to the MDS that dentists are permitted to dispense antibiotics to their patients in their offices to pre-medicate, and as long as the dentist is duly licensed and holds current DEA and MCSR registrations, no additional permits are required. Be sure to document in the patient record that you are dispensing antibiotics to patient.