Key prescribing requirements for
Dentists
Note: The reader is strongly urged to read this
summary in conjunction with the Act and
Regulation to ensure full compliance. Failure to
comply with ACT legislation renders a person
liable to prosecution – regardless of whether (or
not) a medicine is prescribed as a Pharmaceutical
Benefit.
Types of scheduled medicines
Controlled medicines (Schedule 8 medicines) are
medicines with more strict legislative controls, e.g.
morphine (Kapanol, MS-Contin), pethidine,
oxycodone (Oxycontin, Endone), methadone
(Physeptone), hydromorphone (Dilaudid),
flunitrazepam (Hypnodorm), fentanyl (Durogesic),
dexamphetamine.
Chief Health Officer (CHO) approval is
required before prescribing controlled
medicines.
Prescription only medicines (Schedule 4 medicines)
include all other medicines for which prescriptions
are required e.g. diuretics, oral contraceptives,
antibiotics, some compound analgesics (Panadeine
Forte) and many others.
Pharmacy medicine & pharmacist only
medicines (Schedule 2 and 3 medicines):
Dentists may prescribe or administer
pharmacy and pharmacist only medicines in a
similar manner to prescription only medicines.
Alternatively, they may advise a patient to
purchase these from a pharmacy without a
prescription.
Prescriptions for Prescription only
medicines (Schedule 4) and Controlled
medicines (Schedule 8)
Prescriptions must contain:
• Prescriber’s details (including address,
qualifications & phone number);
• The words ‘for dental treatment only’;
• the patient’s name and address;
• the medicine, and the form, strength and
quantity to be dispensed;
• the number of repeats (if any) and for
controlled medicines, the interval required
between repeats;
• the prescriber’s signature – preferably in a
manner that prevents a patient from adding
an additional item;
• directions, including the dose and regimen,
that are adequate to allow the medicine to
be taken or administered safely; and
• for controlled medicines prescriptions, any
relevant approval details i.e. CHO approval
number.
Prescribers should refer to sections 40 & 41 of
the Regulation for full details.
Computer-generated prescriptions must meet
the general prescription criteria and be signed
by the prescriber.
Telephone and fax prescriptions
If the prescriber believes on reasonable grounds
that giving an oral prescription for the medicine
is reasonably necessary for the patient’s
treatment, and a prescription is given verbally,
the prescriber must send a written prescription
to the pharmacist not more than 24 hours later.
If the prescription is faxed by a prescriber to a
pharmacist—the prescriber must send the
original prescription to the pharmacist not more
than 24 hours later. The prescription should be
endorsed with words to the effect that the
prescription was faxed to a named pharmacy on
a stated date.
Pharmaceutical Services, Health Protection Service
Howard Florey Centenary House, 25 Mulley Street, Holder ACT 2611
Locked Bag 5005 Weston Creek ACT 2611
Phone: (02) 6205 0998 Fax: (02) 6205 1705
Email: [email protected] Web site: www.health.act.gov.au
INFORMATION
This summary has been prepared by ACT Health
Pharmaceutical Services to assist in understanding key
prescribing requirements. Refer to the Medicines,
Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Act 2008 and
Regulation 2008 (at www.legislation.act.gov.au) for
full details.
Approval to prescribe controlled medicines
Prescribing and supplying medicines
A dentist must hold approval to prescribe a controlled
medicine from the CHO when:
• Prescribing a controlled medicine to a
drug-dependent person; or
• Prescribing a controlled medicine for a person
who has been prescribed a controlled medicine in
the preceding 2 months; or
• Prescribing a controlled medicine for a period of
greater than 2 months.
A dentist who prescribes or supplies a medicine must
ensure that the prescription or supply is for a quantity
and purpose consistent with the recognised therapeutic
standard in the circumstances.
Drug-seeking behavior
Drug-seeking behaviour is not limited to users of
illicit drugs and may be associated with the diversion
or sale of prescription medicines.
If a prescriber believes that a patient is demonstrating
drug-seeking behavior, they should take all reasonable
to minimise any public or patient risks including:
• ensuring the patients identity and therapeutic
need for the medicine;
• considering the use of voluntary agreements;
• considering referring the patient to an
appropriate medical specialist.
Further information about a suspected drug-seeking
patient may be available from Medicare Australia’s
Prescription Shopper Information Service 1800 631 181
or ACT Health Pharmaceutical Services on 6205 0998.
A dentist may supply a medicine (e.g. a ‘sample pack’)
during a consultation with a patient if the medicine
supplied is labeled and recorded in accordance with
Division 4.2.6 of the Regulation.
Any supply of controlled medicines during consultations
must also be reported to the Chief Health Officer. This
does not include the administration of medicines during
consultation (e.g. an injection in the surgery prior to dental
treatment).
Self-prescribing
Dentists are not permitted to prescribe Controlled
medicines or certain prescription only medicines for
self-administration (regardless of whether the
treatment was initiated by another prescriber).
Self-prescribing is not allowed for: controlled medicines;
anabolic steroids; Appendix D medicines and
benzodiazepines.
Related documents
•
•
Medicines, Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Act 2008
Medicines, Poisons and Therapeutic Goods
Regulation 2008
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© Australian Capital Territory, Canberra, March 2015
This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced by any process without
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www.health.act.gov.au | www.act.gov.au | Enquiries: Canberra 13ACT1 or 132281 | Publication No HPS-00-0343