Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) is excited to partner with the Minnesota Board of Dentistry and Minnesota Dental Association in promoting the observance of U.S. Antibiotic Awareness Week (USAAW)! USAAW is observed annually from Nov. 18 to 24 to raise awareness about the threat of antibiotic resistance and highlight the critical role antibiotics play in human health, environmental health, animal health, and beyond. In Minnesota, Governor Tim Walz has also proclaimed this week Antibiotic Awareness Week to coincide with the national and global recognition.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that more than 2.8 million antibiotic resistant infections occur in the U.S. each year, and more than 35,000 of those lead to death. We ALL play a role in fighting antimicrobial resistance. Working together, through a One Health approach, we must improve the global prescribing rates and use of antibiotic and antifungal drugs. We must also invest in global infection prevention actions to protect the health of humans, animals, plants, and the environment. Learn about actions you can take to fight antimicrobial resistance at CDC: Controlling the Emergence and Spread of Antimicrobial Resistance.

Visit MDH: U.S. Antibiotic Awareness Week for more information and resources, and look out for opportunities to engage during USAAW through email, social media posts, and more.

Throughout the week, we encourage dental offices across the state to raise awareness of the harms posed by antibiotic resistance and emphasize the importance of appropriate antibiotic use.

Antibiotics in Minnesota

Minnesota Data on Dental Antibiotic Stewardship and Prescribing Practices

MDH, in partnership with the MN Board of Dentistry and MN Dental Association, hosted a webinar on Nov. 15 focused on Data-Driven Dental Antibiotic Stewardship. This session featured a presentation from Dr. Erinne Kennedy, DMD, MPH, MMSc, a dental antibiotic stewardship expert, on relevant resources and guidelines for optimizing antibiotic prescribing. Missed the webinar? Check out the slides.

• Data-Driven Dental Antibiotic Stewardship: State Survey Findings and Stewardship Resources (PDF)

The webinar also highlighted results from a recent survey among Minnesota dentists on antibiotic use and implementation of antibiotic stewardship practices. Survey questions largely mirrored a similar survey conducted in 2015, allowing for comparison between years. An overview of the results are included in the slides linked above.

Minnesota’s One Health Antibiotic Stewardship Collaborative Works to Promote Stewardship Year Round

Learn more about the Association for Dental Safety (ADS)

The Association for Dental Safety (ADS), formerly known as OSAP, focuses on dental infection prevention and patient and provider safety. The ADS has an Antibiotic Stewardship for Oral Health website for dental prescribers, team members, and patients that offers resources, including toolkits, templates, chart audit tools, checklists, communication materials, free education courses, and more.

ADS is organizing the third annual Antibiotic Stewardship Summit on Feb. 2, 2025, in Atlanta, GA. Learn more and register today at Antibiotic Stewardship Summit Overview! 2024 OSAP Antibiotic Stewardship Summit (On-Demand) recordings are available for free.

How can you raise awareness of the importance of antibiotics?

Review resources and guidelines specific to dental health

• CDC: Antibiotic Stewardship Resource Bundles for Dental Settings
• CDC Safe Healthcare Blog - Dentists: Improve patient safety by optimizing antibiotic prescribing
• ADA: Key Points on Dental Antibiotic Stewardship
• JAMA: Assessment of the Appropriateness of Antibiotic Prescriptions for Infection Prophylaxis Before Dental Procedures, 2011 to 2015
• JADA: Evidence-based clinical practice guideline on antibiotic use for the urgent management of pulpal- and periapical-related dental pain and intraoral swelling

Commit to using antibiotics appropriately and only when needed

Implement CDC’s core elements of antimicrobial stewardship for outpatient health care settings.

• CDC: Core Elements of Outpatient Antibiotic Stewardship

Check out this free CDC antibiotic stewardship training course for health care professionals, offering more than 10 credits of continuing education, including a module specific to dental antibiotic stewardship.

• CDC: Antibiotic Stewardship Trainings

Explore toolkits and resources to learn more and spread the word

MDH has resources available for dental health professionals regarding antibiotic stewardship, including fact sheets and commitment materials.

• MDH: One Health Antibiotic Stewardship Resources and Print Materials
• MDH: Antibiotic Resistance and Stewardship for Health Professionals
• MDH: Antibiotics Only When Needed (O.W.N.)
• CDC: Be Antibiotics Aware Partner Toolkit

Read and share facts about antibiotic use and resistance

• MDH: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Antimicrobial Use and Resistance
• CDC: Antibiotic Use and Antimicrobial Resistance Facts

Spread the word through social media, within your organization, and with your partners

Check out CDC’s Antibiotic Awareness Week toolkit below for ideas on how your organization can promote USAAW.

• CDC: U.S. Antibiotic Awareness Week Toolkit
• Global AMR Diary
• MDH: Stories of Antibiotic Use and Resistance

Contact us! If you have questions, please contact health.stewardship@state.mn.us.

Go Purple for USAAW!