CIDRAP

Dentists still heavily prescribing high-risk antibiotic, CIDRAP investigation finds

February 27, 2026

A CIDRAP News investigation reveals that, despite years of warnings from experts and professional societies, dentists continue to prescribe antibiotics—especially clindamycin—at rates that raise significant patient‑safety concerns. Data from the IQVIA Institute show that overall dental antibiotic prescribing increased 6% from 2020 to 2025, reaching more than 27 million prescriptions, even as medical organizations push for tighter stewardship. Although clindamycin use declined 35% during that period, it remains dentistry’s second‑most prescribed antibiotic, a pattern experts describe as evidence that antibiotics are still “massively overprescribed.”

ADA guidelines discourage clindamycin for prevention and limit its use to select treatment scenarios, yet dentists continue to face pressures—from fear of medicolegal repercussions to patient expectations—that drive unnecessary prescribing. Experts note that half of all dental antibiotic prescriptions are tied to tooth extractions or implant procedures, for which no formal prescribing guidelines exist. Changing dentists’ prescribing behavior remains slow and challenging, even as clinicians and policymakers call for stronger stewardship.

Source:

CIDRAP. “Antibiotic Aftershocks, Part 1: Dentists still write millions of prescriptions a year for an antibiotic with life‑threatening risks.” Published Feb. 24, 2026. https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/antimicrobial-stewardship/dentists-still-write-millions-prescriptions-year-antibiotic-life