Antibiotic resistance needs tackling immediately across dentistry
FDI World Dental Federation is the global voice of the dental profession, dedicated to safeguarding the health and wellbeing of people worldwide through the improved prevention, treatment, and control of oral diseases.
Antibiotics are the cornerstone of modern medicine. Effective antibiotic drugs are vital to protect people from potentially fatal diseases and reduce risk during complex procedures such as chemotherapy, organ transplantation and other surgery. For patients with a spreading dental infection, effective antibiotics are crucial. Sepsis and the spread of infection toward vital structures may occur rapidly for patients with dental infections, and these conditions can be life-threatening.
Overuse and misuse of antibiotics is driving the spread of drug-resistant infections. Antibiotic resistance is a significant threat to health and wealth. When you need antibiotics, you need them to work.
Antibiotic resistance is a problem that affects everyone, including you, your family, and friends. Action is needed immediately.
We are living in an era in which sustainable development must be at the forefront and in which the needs of the present should be met without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs and safety. The Word Health Organization (WHO) has adopted a global action plan on antimicrobial resistance. Based on a One Health approach, it recognizes the close connection of human, animal and environmental health.
Dentists are responsible for about 10% of antibiotic prescribing for humans globally. All members of the dental team have a clear responsibility to engage, commit and contribute to global, national and local efforts to tackle antibiotic resistance. National Dental Associations (NDAs) and the wider dental community have the opportunity to contribute to international efforts to tackle antibiotic resistance and enhance patient safety.
FDI Pledge
You can pledge to tackle antibiotic resistance through raising awareness, preventing dental infections and optimizing antibiotic prescribing (antibiotic stewardship) through the following actions:
Awareness raising
•Make a clear and public commitment to tackling antibiotic resistance
•Communicate to the general public about antibiotic resistance and appropriate antibiotic use in dentistry
•Identify learning opportunities for dental professionals and other health professionals on antibiotic resistance, appropriate dental antibiotic use and oral health promotion for infection prevention*
Antibiotic stewardship
•Advocate for dentistry to be included within national action plans on antibiotic resistance.
•Engage in delivering national action plans through dental antibiotic stewardship programmes, including national and local approaches that involve audits of dental antibiotic use
•Participate in the development of evidence-based guidelines on dental antibiotic use
•Encourage the inclusion of antibiotic resistance and stewardship in dental curricula and continuing education programmes
Infection prevention and control
•Advocate timely 'access for all' to oral healthcare to prevent dental infections
•Promote evidence-based guidelines on the prevention and control of infections in dentistry
•Support education and interventions on oral hygiene and low-sugar diet advice to prevent dental infections
FDI Pledge on Antibiotic Resistance signatories
| American Dental Association |
| Armenian Dental Association |
| Asociación Dental Mexicana |
| Association for Dental Sciences of the Republic of China |
| Asociación Odontológica Panameña |
| Asociación Odontologica Uruguaya |
| Association Dentaire Française |
| Association des chirurgiens-dentistes du Burkina |
| Association des Chirurgiens-Dentistes du Togo |
| Association Marocaine De Prévention Buccodentaire |
| Association Rwandaise des Chirurgiens-Dentistes |
| Associazione Nazionale Dentisti Italiani |
| Australian Dental Association |
| Azerbaijan Stomatological Association |
| Bénin ‘s National Dental Association |
| British Dental Association |
| Canadian Dental Association |
| Colegio de Cirujano Dentistas de Chile |
| Consejo General De Odontólogos Y Estomatólogos De España |
| Croatian Dental Society/Croatian Medical Association |
| Dental Chamber of Kosovo |
| Egyptian Clinical Dental Society |
| Egyptian Dental Association |
| Estonian Dental Association |
| Federacion Odontologica Colombiana |
| Georgian Stomatological Association |
| Hellenic Dental Association |
| Hong Kong Dental Association |
| Indian Dental Association |
| International Association of Dental Students |
| Irish Dental association |
| Israel Dental Association |
| Italian Dental Association (AIO) |
| Japan Dental Association |
| Kazakhstan Stomatological Association |
| Kenya Dental Association |
| Korean Dental Association |
| Lithuanian Dental Chamber |
| Macau Dental Association |
| Malaysian Dental Association |
| Myanmar Dental Asdociation |
| National Dental Association of Somalia |
| New Zealand Dental Association |
| Norwegian Dental Association |
| Ordre National des chirurgiens-dentistes de la RDC |
| Papua New Guinea Dental Association |
| Philippine Dental Association |
| Polish Dental Association |
| Royal Dutch Dental Associaton |
| Russian Dental Association |
| Slovak Chamber of Dentists |
| Slovenian Dental Association |
| South African Dental Association |
| Sri Lanka Dental Association |
| Stomatological Society of Greece |
| Swedish Dental Association |
| Turkish Dental Association |
| Ukrainian Dental Association |
| Zimbabwe Dental Association |
*Suggestion: Follow our online course on Tackling antibiotic resistance: what can dental teams do?
This pledge is based on the White Paper: The essential role of the dental team in reducing antibiotic resistance. It will be reviewed and updated every two years following the latest developments on antibiotic resistance.
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