Introduction

A patient’s overall health status determines the patient’s ability to undergo and respond to dental care. Consequently, patient-specific problems that may interfere with the clinical process must be identified. In determining perioperative risk, clinicians must consider multiple factors, including past and present illnesses; major hospitalizations; adverse drug reactions; the prescription and OTC medication profile; special diets; vital signs; and functional capacity.¹

In the United States there are approximately 500 Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved active ingredients, i.e., therapeutic agents, available in several thousand different formulations.² ClinCalc DrugStats provides prescription drug utilization data estimates based on the annual Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS).² The most recently published report reflects prescriptions for the year 2020. The Top 300 Prescription Drugs represent 60% of all available therapeutic agents and 97% of all prescription drugs dispensed by U.S. community pharmacies.²