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

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I support this pledge to tackle Antibiotic Resistance

FDI Pledge on Antibiotic Resistance signatories

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Pledge map
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.
 

Downloads : 

ABR Pledge French ABR Pledge Spanish  ABR Pledge English