Understanding antimicrobial resistance and antibiotic resistance is critical to public health systems worldwide. Because of antimicrobial resistance, infections that were once easily treated with antibiotics are becoming more dangerous, causing treatment failure, prolonged suffering or even death.

The ICD Understanding Antimicrobial Resistance program aims to disseminate critical information on antibiotic resistance and appropriate use and prescribing to ICD Fellows, oral health workers and patients globally, to help spread awareness and educate.

ICD Sections, Regions and Fellows are invited to participate in this College initiative by providing program opportunities and distributing information, using their own resources and communications. The ICD Global Visionary Fund may be a source for financial support.

Complete a knowledge test after watching each of the three video resources below to receive one hour of CE credit for each resource.

Continuing Education Resource: Antibiotic Prescribing in Dentistry – Guidelines and Patient Outcomes

Three international Fellows discuss antibiotic prescribing in dentistry guidelines and outcomes. The panel of experts, Dr. Anirudha Agnihotry (USA), Prof. Michael McCullough (Australia) and Dr. Wendy Thompson (United Kingdom), engaged in interesting conversations about antibiotic sustainability, adverse effects for patients, effective use in oral surgery and pain management, and more.

Take the knowledge test below to complete your learning.

Continuing Education Resource: Antibiotic Prescribing in Dentistry – Challenges and Best Practices

Five international Fellows discuss antibiotic prescribing challenges and best practices in dentistry. The panel of experts, Dr. Gary Brillo (Philippines), Dr. Andres Pinto (United States), Dr. Wendy Thompson (United Kingdom), Dr. Mahesh Verma (India) and Dr. Sam Zwetchkenbaum (United States), engage in interesting conversations about antibiotic sustainability, adverse effects for patients, effective use in oral surgery and pain management, and correlations with COVID-19.

Take the knowledge test below to complete your learning.

Continuing Education Resource: Antibiotic Resistance – What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You

This video presentation provides a basic understanding of the critical worldwide importance of Antibiotic Resistance,  focusing on how it impacts dentistry.  The package includes introduction, handouts and study questions as well as a post-test.

Take the knowledge test below to complete your learning.

The Understanding Antimicrobial Resistance program is maintained by ICD Fellow Team Members Dr. Christine Benoit, Dr. Sam Zwetchkenbaum and Dr. Raghu Puttaiah. In addition, the CDC’s Office of Antibiotic Stewardship provides as-needed technical assistance.

Articles

Media Resources

NEW! The Economics of Antibiotic Resistance

Personal beliefs and health care barriers drive inappropriate antibiotic use

Antibiotic Prophylaxis for Prosthetic Joint Patients Undergoing Invasive Dental Procedures: Time for a Rethink?

Quantifying the risk of prosthetic joint infections after invasive dental procedures and the effect of antibiotic prophylaxis

Don’t let the sun go down on antibiotics
Understanding the impact of COVID-19 on dental antibiotic prescribing across England

COVID-19 Reverses progress in fight against antimicrobial resistance in U.S.

Global burden of bacterial antimicrobial resistance in 2019: a systematic analysis

Prescribing of dental antibiotics up 22%

ICD Section V Europe ICDigest 2021: Is antimicrobial resistance the next big problem for dentistry?

American Heart Association Scientific Statement: Prevention of viridans group streptococcal infective endocarditis

Patterns of dental antibiotic prescribing in 2017: Australia, England, United States, and British Columbia (Canada) by Cambridge University Press Journal: Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology

Future Human by Medium: How humanity’s use of antibiotics is engineering the perfect superbug

FDI World Dental Federation: The essential role of the dental team in reducing antibiotic resistance

CDC Expert Commentary: CDC doc addresses today’s pandemic and the next

Alcohol-based hand sanitisers: a warning to mitigate future poisonings and deaths by the British Medical Journal

The World Health Organization’s GLOBAL ACTION PLAN on Antimicrobial Resistance

Meet Dr Wendy Thompson, lead author of FDI white paper on tackling antibiotic resistance

Machine Learning Takes On Antibiotic Resistance

What is Antibiotic Stewardship?

Urgent Care Collaborating to Address Antimicrobial Resistance

Biggest Threats and Data!

RIDA Journal promotes ICD antibiotic program

The Latest Report from the World Health Organization on Antimicrobial Resistance

Superbugs: The Race to Stop an Epidemic

The Death of Antibiotics

Antibiotic resistance as big a threat as climate change

Antibiotic Prophylaxis Prior to Dental Procedures

Where antibiotics are more common than water, superbugs thrive

Antimicrobial resistance needs an URGENT global response!

WHO: Antibiotic Resistance KEY FACTS

SAVE LIVES! Clean your hands

Containing Unusual Resistance

Troubling Trend in Antibiotic Prescriptions in the Outpatient Setting

STOP using antibiotics on healthy animals!

FREE Materials and Resources to promote Antibiotic Resistance Awareness

What drives inappropriate antibiotic use in outpatient care?

New Antibiotic Packs a Punch Against Bacterial Resistance

Getting medical care? How to Avoid Getting an Infection

Addressing Antibiotic Resistance in Dentistry: “What can WE do?”

Antibiotic resistance ‘scary’ threat to modern medicine

Why Do We Prescribe Unnecessary Antibiotics?

Protecting Yourself and Your Family

Antimicrobial Resistance – A Global Imperative

Antibiotic Use for a Safe Dental Trip Brochure(CDC)

Treating Patients with Dental Pain and Swelling Fact Sheet(ADA & CDC)

The WHO AWaRe (access, watch, reserve) antibiotics book

Together against antimicrobial resistance: oral health professionals must play their part – Podcast presented by FDI

Antimicrobial Prescribing in Dentistry: Good Practice Guidelines: (Chairside synopsis for common conditions)

Download and print the commitment to improving antibiotic use in English or Spanish

NEW! COVID first wave led to spike in superbugs

Improving Antibiotic Use Patient Hand-out
– English version
– Spanish version

Check out the CDC’s new and improved antibiotic resistance website

Antibiotic Toolkit

Social media educational materials in Arabic, Russian, French and Chinese

Educational resources in Spanish

Antibiotics aren’t always the answer video:
– English version
– Spanish version

Improving Antibiotic Use Patient Hand-out
– English version
– Spanish version

Do you need antibiotics from your dentist?

Do’s and Dont’s at the Dentist Downloadable brochure for patients

Virtual Antibiotic Stewardship Presentation by ICD Section VI Fellow Prashanth Haribabu

New CDC resource

ICD Online WEBINAR September 2020: ”SUPERBUGS: Antibiotic resistant worldwide killers”, discussing the global issue of antibiotic resistance in dentistry

PODCAST: Taking a “BITE” Out of Antibiotic Prescribing: Strategies to Improve Antimicrobial Usage in Dentistry

Download the Speakers’ presentations here:
Presentation 1Presentation 2

VIDEO CONTENT from the CDC: “Antibiotics Aren’t Always the Answer”

PATIENT EDUCATION MATERIALS from the CDC:

“Do you need antibiotics from your dentist?”

“Antibiotics Safety: Do’s and Don’ts at the Dentist”

“Improving antibiotic use”

DOWNLOADABLE INFOGRAPHICS from the CDC:

“What is antibiotic-resistant bacteria?”

“How antibiotic resistance happens”

Communicating with older adults (as referenced in ICD Online webinar SUPERBUGS: Antibiotic resistant worldwide killers) – The Gerontological Society of America

Antibiotic Prescribing in Dentistry

Tips for prescribing antibiotics for dental pain, swelling

The Future of Antibiotics Depends on All of Us

Worldwide Antibiotic Info graphic Download

CDC Training Video on Antibiotic Stewardship focuses on antibiotic prescribing in dentistry. Earn CE credit!

The CDC Grand Rounds “Be Antibiotics Aware: Smart Use, Best Care,”  where speakers discuss efforts to measure and improve antibiotic prescribing.

Get your Antibiotics Awareness graphics HERE!

The Be Antibiotics Aware Spanish language website is now live!

The Right Tool Video

Hand Washing Technique

Check out the this resourceful Antibiotic Resistance Q&A, perfect for both dentists and patients with questions.

We All Must Get Smarter – Blog by Christian John Lillis

The Other Side of Antibiotics – The Story of Peggy Lillis