Prescribing for Dental Procedures

Prescribing for dental procedures

GPs will not issue prescriptions for sedating medications (such as diazepam) prior to dental procedures.

Dentists should not direct patients to GPs requesting they prescribes sedating medications, such as diazepam.

If a dentist wishes to prescribe sedating medications for anxious patients that dentist should be responsible for issuing the prescription. The dental practitioner’s formulary, which is the list of drugs a dentist can prescribe is found on the BNF dental practitioners formulary, includes Diazepam Tablets and Oral Solution.

If the dentist is treating a patient within their practice NHS contract, then the prescription should be on a FP10D form.

If the dentist is treating a patient privately, they should issue a private prescription.   Dentists can access a patient’s summary care record via the DERs/Rego electronic referral system for NHS England Southeast dental referrals.

Dentists may contact a GP for information or advice, if, for example the patient has a complex medical history.