The new third edition of the ADA Guide to Dental Therapeutics, thoroughly updated and including about 500 new medications was unveiled at the ADA’s annual session in San Francisco.
Among other features, the new Guide includes a separate index that lists drugs by brand name. In all, about 2,500 brand-name and 1,000 generic drugs are listed, with information presented in nearly 300 easy-access tables. The ADA’s Publishing Division produces the Guide in cooperation with the Council on Scientific Affairs.
"This third edition of the ADA Guide to Dental Therapeutics is the most comprehensive dental drug reference available today," said Dr. Sebastian Ciancio, editor of all three editions.
"It was written by experts with a basic science background in pharmacology who have strong clinical expertise," he added. "Because of this combination, we were able to provide information about medications that could serve as an invaluable chairside reference."
Dr. Ciancio pinpointed several highlights of the new Guide, including a description of medications prescribed by dentists, as well as information on drugs prescribed by nondentists that patients might be taking.
There’s also a chapter on the oral manifestations of systemic agents.
"In view of our aging population, information on nondentist-prescribed drugs is essential to the diagnosis and treatment planning of patients in the 21st century," he said. "And since the mouth is a window into the body, we have included an important discussion on the topic of systemic agents and oral manifestations."
The third edition of the ADA Guide also provides
- – a new evidence-based chapter on the topic of herbal and dietary supplements and their increased usage;
- – a discussion of drug issues, including the legal implications of prescribing drugs in a dental practice, and updates on emergency drugs and procedures and infection control;
- – tables containing at-a-glance characteristics of anesthetics, analgesics and a host of other agents;
- – answers to questions on side effects, dosage recommendations and interaction precautions.
Authors for this third edition were selected for their expertise in dental therapeutics, and the material was reviewed by the Council on Scientific Affairs, Dr. Ciancio noted.
The ADA’s Publishing Division has received a number of unsolicited comments from readers testifying to the merits of the book.
In one such letter, Dr. Marc Shlossman of Chandler, Ariz., said the Guide is "written in a way that makes drug information easily accessible and complete. I purchased the first and second editions and look forward to the third." Dr. David Jolkovsky of Davis, Calif., thanked the ADA "for providing a complete drug reference for dentistry, with information not just on drugs but also on issues important to use of medications and medication-related issues— the only dental book I know of which does this."
"These important comments from our readers helped us to make this third edition extremely user friendly," says Dr. Ciancio. "For example, a few readers asked for more information on herbal agents and dietary supplements, so we added a chapter on that topic."
As it did with the first and second editions of the Guide, Colgate-Palmolive has agreed to purchase copies of the third edition to be distributed as gifts to all U.S. senior dental students in the 2004 class.
"We thank and commend Colgate for its generosity and support in helping the ADA to provide important resources to our dental students who represent the future of our profession," said Dr. T. Howard Jones, ADA president.
How to order.
To order the new ADA Guide to Dental Therapeutics, you can call 1-800-947-4746; visit the ADA’s Web site at www.ada.org; or write to Catalog Sales, P.O. Box 776, St. Charles, Ill. 60174. The price of the new Guide is $48.95 for ADA members and $68.95 for nonmembers, plus shipping and handling.
