Not yet recruitingNAINTERVENTIONAL

Impact Evaluation of the Therapeutic Initiative's Prescribing Portrait and Therapeutics Letter on Opioid Use by Dentists

This study explores how providing dentists in British Columbia, Canada, with personalised information about their opioid prescribing, along with educational leaflets, impacts their decisions to prescribe these strong painkillers for dental pain. Researchers want to understand if these materials help dentists prescribe opioids more carefully. They are also testing if adding group discussions and help with making improvement plans makes an even bigger difference. This is important because while illegal drugs now cause most overdose deaths, prescribed opioids still play a role. Dentists are a key part of this, as they prescribe a notable amount of all opioids. By comparing different groups of dentists who receive this information at different times, the study hopes to find effective ways to improve prescribing habits and ultimately reduce opioid-related harm.

At a glance

Status

Not yet recruiting

Phase

Sponsor

University of British Columbia

Enrolment target

3,498

Start

06 Jan 2026

Estimated completion

31 Jan 2028

Clinical Audit Quality Improvement Opioid Dentistry

What is this study about?

This study is looking at how we can help dentists in British Columbia, Canada, make the best choices when prescribing strong painkillers, called opioids, for dental pain. Opioids are very effective at reducing pain, but they can also be habit-forming and have serious risks. In the past, over-prescribing of opioids sadly led to many overdose deaths.

The researchers want to see if giving dentists specific information about their own prescribing habits, compared to other dentists, alongside educational materials about managing dental pain, encourages them to prescribe opioids more carefully. They are also investigating if offering extra support, like group workshops where dentists can discuss their practice and plan improvements, helps even more.

This is important because even though illegal drugs now cause most overdose problems, prescribed opioids still contribute to overdoses. Dentists write a significant number of all opioid prescriptions, so helping them make informed decisions is a key step in keeping patients safe and reducing the overall problem of opioid misuse.

Key takeaways

This study helps dentists prescribe strong painkillers more carefully.
It aims to reduce the risks linked to opioid use in dental care.
The study uses existing health records, not direct patient involvement.
It focuses on dentists in British Columbia, Canada.
The findings could lead to safer pain management for dental patients.

Who may be eligible?

This study focuses on dentists and how they prescribe opioids. If you are a patient, you generally wouldn't be directly involved in the study itself, but your prescription data might be used. You would be included if you received an opioid prescription from a participating dentist in British Columbia between January 6, 2026, and January 6, 2027, and you were continuously covered by the British Columbia Medical Services Plan (MSP) for a year before that prescription.

However, you wouldn't be included if you had specific prescriptions for certain drug plans (Plan P) or for opioid addiction treatment in the months leading up to receiving the dental opioid prescription. This helps the researchers focus purely on prescribing for dental pain.

Could this study suit you?

Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.

Did you get an opioid prescription from a B.C. dentist between Jan 2026 and Jan 2027?
Was that prescription from your dentist, and not another type of doctor?
Were you covered by the B.C. Medical Services Plan (MSP) for 12 months before that prescription?
Did you NOT get a prescription for specific drug plans or opioid addiction treatment recently?

Answer every question to see your result.

What does participation involve?

This study is an observational study looking at how dentists prescribe medications, rather than a traditional medical trial for patients. Patients don't directly 'participate' in the way they might in a drug trial. Instead, the study uses existing, anonymous health records from British Columbia to understand the prescribing patterns of dentists. There are no study visits, special assessments, or new medications for patients. The researchers simply gather and analyse information that is already collected through the healthcare system. The total duration of data collection for patient prescriptions will be between January 6, 2026, and January 6, 2027.

Potential risks and benefits

Since this study uses existing, anonymised patient data, there are no direct physical risks or known benefits to individual patients because you wouldn't be actively taking part or receiving any new treatments. The potential benefit is to the wider community, as the study aims to improve how dentists prescribe painkillers, potentially leading to safer pain management and fewer opioid-related harms in the future. You always have the right to withdraw your consent for your health information to be used for research, although in this type of study, data is usually anonymised preventing direct withdrawal of specific data.

Locations (1)

Therapeutics Initiative - Dept of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology & Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia
Verified postcode
Vancouver, Canada

Common questions

What is an opioid?

Opioids are strong pain medicines, like codeine or morphine, used for severe pain. They can be very effective but carry risks, including addiction.

Why are dentists involved in opioid prescribing?

Dentists often prescribe opioids for pain after dental procedures, such as extractions or root canals.

Will my dentist change how they treat my pain because of this study?

Your dentist will always choose the best treatment for your pain. This study aims to help them consider all options and prescribe safely and effectively based on the latest information.

Is my personal information safe?

Yes, this study uses anonymised information from health records, meaning your name and other identifying details are removed to protect your privacy.

What is a 'prescribing portrait'?

A 'prescribing portrait' is a report given to dentists showing how their prescribing habits compare to their peers, along with educational tips on best practices.

How to find out more

Ellen M Reynolds, MPA

ellen.reynolds@ubc.ca 1-250-208-4889 Official trial record

Always speak to your GP or specialist before deciding to take part in a study.