New Antibiotic Stewardship Resource for Patients

By Jessica Zering, PharmD, BCIDP, BCPS, CAPM

The Washington State Department of Health’s Antimicrobial Stewardship team is excited to share a new resource for dental patients and providers! This resource helps dentists educate their patients about antibiotic stewardship.

Antibiotic stewardship is the effort to use antibiotics only when necessary. This is important as antibiotics can cause side effects and lead to antibiotic resistance. Antimicrobial stewardship practices can help protect patients from these unwanted effects. Infections from antibiotic-resistant bacteria often require:

• extended hospital stays,
• additional visits to healthcare providers, and
• treatments that may be more costly and toxic.

Dentists can post this resource in a waiting area or use it as a flyer. The QR code on the poster also links to a CDC brochure that provides more information about antibiotic resistance.

If you have questions about this resource, please email ams@doh.wa.gov.