US Dental Opioid Prescribing Drops but Still Trails Best Practices
A new international analysis shows meaningful declines in dental opioid prescribing, yet the US continues to outpace most countries.
A cross-sectional study published April 17, 2026, in JAMA Network Open examined international trends in dental opioid prescribing from 2021 to 2024, offering a clear snapshot of how the United States compares globally and where improvement is still needed.
The data show encouraging progress: the US dental opioid dispensing rate dropped 27.4% over the study period, falling from 2,786 prescriptions per 100,000 people in 2021 to 2,022 in 2024. This represents one of the largest reductions among the countries studied. However, despite this decline, the US still recorded the highest prescribing rate in 2024, slightly exceeding Canada and far surpassing countries like Germany and the Netherlands.
International comparisons remain striking. In 2024, US prescribing rates were more than 20 times higher than those in the Netherlands and substantially higher than in Belgium and Germany. While countries such as France, Australia, and Puerto Rico also showed elevated prescribing relative to Northern Europe, none matched US levels.
The findings underscore a critical disconnect between evidence-based pain management and prescribing patterns. A significant proportion of dental opioid prescriptions are associated with tooth extractions, where nonopioid combinations, such as ibuprofen and acetaminophen, have demonstrated equivalent or superior efficacy.
The study highlights an ongoing opportunity for oral health professionals to reassess pain management protocols, prioritize nonopioid alternatives, and align with evolving clinical guidelines. While progress is evident, the international gap suggests that further reductions are both achievable and necessary. Click here to read more.
