POLICY REGARDING SELF AND FAMILY PRESCRIBING OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES

Preamble: The purpose of this policy is to address the concerns of the Ohio State Dental Board (Board) regarding the increased use and abuse of controlled substances by licensed dentists in the state of Ohio. Despite the often times good intentions of the dentist involved, and regardless of the pharmacological knowledge possessed by many practitioners, it appears that most dentists are unable to maintain detached professional judgment when prescribing to self and family members.

Dentists should prescribe to family members only in EMERGENCY situations. A "family member" for purposes of this Board policy includes a spouse, parent, child, sibling, or other individual for whom a dentist's personal or emotional involvement may render him/her unable to exercise detached professional judgment in reaching diagnostic or therapeutic decisions.

Prescribing contemplates a dentist/patient relationship wherein a patient and a dentist enter into a relationship in which dental treatment is rendered by the dentist to the patient. Since the definition does not allow for a dentist and patient to be the same person, a dentist should not self-prescribe or self-administer controlled substances.

Dentists may prescribe and/or administer drugs to patients only for legal and legitimate therapeutic purposes within the scope of practice of dentistry. Therefore, in emergency situations when prescribing or administering drugs to family members, dentists should use extreme caution and maintain proper record keeping for the patient, including the examination, diagnosis and treatment plan.

Dentists should refrain from prescribing or administering controlled substances to family members other than in medical emergencies.

(December 3, 1998)