Assessment of the Appropriateness of Antibiotic Prescriptions for Infection Prophylaxis Before Dental Procedures, 2011 to 2015

More than 80% of antibiotic prophylaxis prescriptions before dental procedures are unnecessary: clindamycin use, the presence of prosthetic joints, and residence in the western United States were associated with unnecessary prescribing. While antibiotic prophylaxis is appropriately prescribed for indicated dental procedures in patients with cardiac conditions, most antibiotic prophylaxis is prescribed to patients in whom guideline-identified risk factors are not present.