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As prescribers of pain medication, many dental professionals are taking proactive steps to prevent the misuse of prescription medications in response to the opioid epidemic. At Denver Metro OMS in Colorado, oral-maxillofacial surgeons Dr. Kevin Patterson, D.D.S., M.D., and Dr. Juliana DiPasquale D.M.D. wanted to raise awareness about the importance of proper medication disposal and offer patients a proven at-home option to encourage prompt disposal of leftover medication once it is no longer needed.
“The importance of safe prescribing and educating patients on the proper use of pain medication cannot be overstated. As an oral-maxillofacial surgeon who provides treatment that occasionally necessitates prescribing narcotics to teens and adults, I’m acutely aware of the potential risk of abuse posed by opioids and my role in educating my patients about the harm these powerful drugs can do if misused,” says Dr. Patterson. “Our first line of defense in combating this growing problem is responsible prescribing, but even when we limit the number of opioids we prescribe, it’s not uncommon for patients to have unused pills after a surgery. Unfortunately, these leftover pills can pose a risk for misuse long after they’ve been prescribed. That’s where the Deterra® Drug Deactivation and Disposal System comes in.”
Up to 60% of people with leftover prescription opioids keep pills for future use rather than disposing of them, with one in five reporting they share their medication with another person. Dr. Patterson and Dr. DiPasquale wanted to help patients understand the risk of letting leftover medications linger in the medicine cabinet, where they remain available for misuse and can be easily accessed by relatives or friends. Dr. Patterson was introduced to Deterra by a colleague who worked with the national nonprofit SAFE Project on opioid misuse prevention initiatives.
“We typically write prescriptions for five or fewer pills, but patients may only take 1-2 and then they have unused opioids at home without an immediate way to properly dispose of them,” says Dr. Patterson. “We’ve started handing out Deterra to patients so they can conveniently deactivate and dispose of their leftover prescriptions in a safe and environmentally sound way at home.”
Patients’ post-surgery pain management protocol is discussed during their initial consultation. If they receive a prescription for a narcotic and have unused pills after surgery, the clinic provides them with a Deterra Pouch and an explanation of the simple 3-step process to deactivate their unneeded medication before disposing of the pouch in the normal household trash.
“Since we started doing this, our patients – and especially parents – have been grateful to have an immediate, at-home disposal option to reduce the risk of unused narcotics,” says Dr. Patterson. “We have even had several parents call back after their child’s post-op appointment stating that we had mentioned the pouch on the day of surgery but for some reason they were not given one. They were more than happy to return to our office to get the pouch.”
In the short time that Denver Metro OMS has been offering Deterra, patients have been thankful for the added attention to prescription drug safety and for the peace of mind that at home drug deactivation provides.
Dr. Patterson is currently working with the Metro Denver Dental Society and the Colorado Dental Association on a program to expand the use of Deterra statewide; the initiative would serve as a model strategy for other states to address prevention nationwide.
“I want to make our oral surgery community and all healthcare providers more aware of Deterra and the potential of at-home drug deactivation to address the opioid issue,” Dr. Patterson says. “As prescribers, it’s critical that we take preemptive steps to protect our patients, their families and the environment from the impact of the opioid crisis. A small investment in education and proper disposal can reap substantial benefits.”
Visit DeterraSystem.com/government to explore how other organizations are using Deterra or reach out to (612) 568-1128 or Sales@DeterraSystem.com to discuss how to implement at-home drug disposal initiatives in your community.
