Drug cost implications for antibiotic prophylaxis for dental procedures.

Objective: To determine the potential economic impact from the practice of antibiotic prophylaxis for dental procedures.

Study Design: We estimated the prevalence of patients in the United States with 15 medical conditions and devices. We multiplied the prevalence for each patient population by the percentage of specialists recommending prophylaxis, then by the estimated number of dental office visits per year, and then by an average pharmacy cost to arrive at a total estimated range of annual cost for this practice.