The FDI World Dental Federation (FDI), of which the Australian Dental Association is a member, has released a white paper which provides a framework for dental teams looking for ways in which they can tackle the serious and growing problem of antibiotic resistance.
Rather than taking an “off the shelf” approach to the issue, FDI has included an online library of resources on antibiotic resistance that can be adapted to suit local needs encompassing material from the World Health Organization, FDI itself and “national resources, such as guidelines and dental antibiotic stewardship toolkits developed by national dental associations.”
The library is not intended to be a static resource and will be updated on a regular basis.
In addition, a Massive Open Online Course or MOOC has been developed in collaboration with the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy to teach healthcare professionals “about the importance of antibiotic stewardship” so they can “learn more about the danger posed by antibiotic resistance and how dental teams can meet the challenge to protect patients.”
It is hoped that as well giving dental teams the necessary tools to respond to this growing issue, that the white paper will help raise awareness of the problems associated with antibiotics usage and ensure these are used effectively for the ongoing health of all patients by promoting the important role of dental teams in tackling the issue.
