Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41081662›Full record

ArticleJournal of the American Dental Association (1939)2025

High-risk medications in pediatric dentistry: Patterns, outcomes, and clinical implications.

Yilei Liu, Kawtar Zouaidi, Colin C Hubbard, Muhammad F Walji, Matthew R Cooke, Donald B Rindal, Kristin N Ray, Elsbeth Kalenderian, Katie J Suda

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of the American Dental Association (1939), 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

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0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Yilei Liu
Kawtar Zouaidi
Colin C Hubbard
Muhammad F Walji
Matthew R Cooke
Donald B Rindal
Kristin N Ray
Elsbeth Kalenderian
Katie J Suda

Funding

Pediatric Adverse Event Risk Reduction for High Risk Medications in Children and Adolescents: Improving Pediatric Patient Safety in Dental PracticesR01DE030657 · NIDCR · UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH · PI KJ Suda · 2022 to 2026
$4.2M
NIDCR NIH HHS R01 DE030657
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundHigh-risk medications such as opioids and benzodiazepines are frequently prescribed in pediatric dental care, yet their prescribing patterns and associated adverse outcomes remain poorly understood. The aim of this study was to determine the extent of such prescribing to pediatric patients and factors associated with adverse outcomes.

methodsMarketScan data for patients younger than 18 years with a dental visit from 2014 through 2019 were analyzed. High-risk medications included benzodiazepines, barbiturates, and opioids. Composite outcomes included hospitalization, emergency department visit, or urgent care visit within 7 days after the dental visit. Opioid-attributable outcomes included opioid-related overdose within 7 days or persistent opioid use 4 through 365 days after the visit. Generalized estimating equations assessed the association between outcomes and patient and visit characteristics.

resultsAmong pediatric dental visits, 0.72% (n = 269,991) involved high-risk medications, with 4.3% experiencing a composite outcome. Higher odds were observed in ages 9 through 11 years (odds ratio [OR], 1.56), male patients (OR, 1.05), patients with complex chronic conditions (OR, 2.22), and care delivered in hospital or ambulatory surgery settings (OR, 2.20). Among dental visits with opioids, 10.1% had an opioid-attributable outcome, with the highest odds in patients 4 through 5 years (OR, 1.48), female patients (OR, 1.08), patients with complex chronic conditions (OR, 1.22), and care delivered in outpatient clinics (OR, 1.43).

conclusionsOne in 10 pediatric dental visits involving opioids was associated with opioid-related overdose or persistent use, with the highest odds in young children. These results highlight the need for caution in opioid prescribing and providing guideline-based nonopioid analgesia to children. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: Promote safer, equitable pediatric dental prescribing through guideline adherence, nonopioid pain management, and provider training.

Indexed as

Analgesics, OpioidBenzodiazepinesDental Care for ChildrenPediatric DentistryPractice Patterns, Physicians'AdolescentChildChild, PreschoolEmergency Service, HospitalFemaleHumansInfantMaleAnalgesics, OpioidBenzodiazepinesadverse eventbenzodiazepinesdentalopioidsPediatric

Identifiers

PMID41081662
PMCPMC12862245

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.