Guidance development
SDCEP endeavours to use a methodology for guidance development that mirrors that used to develop high-quality guidelines and aims to be transparent, systematic and to adhere as far as possible to international standards set out by the Appraisal of Guidelines Research and Evaluation (AGREE) Collaboration (www.agreecollaboration.org).
For this guidance on drug prescribing, the ‘British National Formulary’ and ‘BNF for Children’ were used as the main sources of information.
The Guidance Development Group identified information from the BNF and BNFC, and consulted with experts and experienced practitioners to develop guidance of specific relevance to primary care dental practice.
Consultation with a wide range of individuals and organisations with particular interests in dental prescribing was conducted, with all comments taken into consideration by the guidance development group and amendments made to the guidance where necessary.
The amended guidance was subsequently peer reviewed by a range of experts comprising general dental practitioners, academic dentists, pharmacists and medical professionals, including paediatricians with further amendments made to the guidance before publication.
Further information about the methodology used to develop this guidance is available on our website: www.sdcep.org.uk.
Declarations of interest are made by all contributors to SDCEP. Details are available on request.
2025/26 Guidance review
In 2025, SDCEP initiated a review of the Drug Prescribing for Dentistry guidance. An Advisory Group comprising of consultants/specialists in oral medicine, oral and maxillofacial surgery, restorative dentistry, special care dentistry, dental public health, general dental practitioners and pharmacists was convened. The members of the Advisory Group are listed below.
The guidance will be reviewed section-by-section, with updates published on a rolling basis.
| Name | Role |
| Alexander Crighton (Clinical Adviser) |
Consultant in Oral Medicine, Newcastle Dental Hospital; Clinical Senior Lecturer in Oral Medicine, University of Aberdeen Dental School; Specialist in Oral Medicine, Edinburgh Dental Specialists |
| Marianne Dobson (Clinical Adviser) |
Specialty Registrar in Oral Medicine, Dundee Dental Hospital and Glasgow Dental Hospital |
| Nanette Brown | Senior Educator, NES Post-Registration Foundation Programme, NES Pharmacy Directorate; Community Pharmacist, Aberdeenshire |
| Anwen Cope | Senior Clinical Lecturer and Honorary Consultant in Dental Public Health, Cardiff and Vale University Health Board |
| Paul Coulthard | Professor of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Queen Mary University of London; Honorary Consultant Oral Surgeon, Barts Health NHS Trust |
| Gemma Gaw | Specialty Trainee in Special Care Dentistry, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde |
| Justine Howard | Dental Officer, North Wales Community Dental Service, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board; Medicines Management Lead |
| Frances Kerr | Project Lead, Scottish Antimicrobial Prescribing Group |
| Pamela Kidd | General Dental Practitioner, Linlithgow Dental Clinic & Implant Centre |
| David Marshall | Dental Advisor, Strategic Planning and Performance Group, Health and Social Care Northern Ireland |
| Nick Marshall | General Dental Practitioner; Educational Supervisor for the North East and North Cumbria Deanery, NHS England |
| Stuart McLaren | Medical Doctor and Principal Dental Surgeon; Prestige Dental Clinic, Rutherglen, Glasgow |
| Lyndsey McMullan | Associate Dentist, Cookstown Family Dental Care; Education Supervisor, Dental Foundation Training, Northern Ireland Medical and Dental Training Agency |
| Douglas Robertson | Senior Clinical Lecturer/Honorary Consultant in Restorative Dentistry, University of Glasgow; Co-Chair of Scottish Antimicrobial Prescribing Group (Dental) |
| Robin Thompson | General Dental Practitioner, Westport Dental Practice, Linlithgow |
| Gavin Wilson | Consultant in Oral Surgery, Forth Valley Royal Hospital |