An analysis of the clinical appropriateness of out-of-hours emergency dental prescribing of antibiotics in Northern Ireland.

Introduction The inappropriate prescribing of antibiotics in dentistry is potentially linked to the development of antimicrobial resistance, as well as being a considerable cost to healthcare. This study analysed the clinical appropriateness of antibiotics prescribed from 'walk-in' and telephone triage out-of-hours emergency dental clinics in Northern Ireland.Methods Patient and prescribing data were collected from two out-of-hour emergency dental clinics over a two-month period between September and December 2017.