Books

The Dentist’s Drug and Prescription Guide

Second Edition

Mea A. Weinberg, D.M.D., M.S.D., R.Ph.; Stuart J. Froum, D.D.S.; Stuart L. Segelnick, D.D.S., M.S.

(John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, NJ. 2020. 298 pages; including Appendices and Index. $79.99.)

Reviewed by Leonard B. Goldstein, D.D.S., Ph.D.

The Dentist’s Drug and Prescription Guide, Second Edition, was written and edited by three New York periodontists and oral implantologists: Mea A. Weinberg, D.M.D., M.S.D., R.Ph.; Stuart J. Froum, D.D.S.; and Stuart L. Segelnck, D.D.S., M.S. It includes contributions from eight others (scientists, dentists and physicians), and is divided into eight important chapters.

This second edition provides the reader with a timely and important update to the original textbook and shows the scientific basis for the drugs used in dentistry. It contains an extremely useful reference and guide to drugs used and prescribed in dental practices. The initial 126 pages (Chapters 1-4) cover:

- Pharmacology

- Prescriptions and Drug Names

- Basic Prescribing and Drug Dosing

- Drugs Prescribed in Dentistry

Chapter 5 covers the management of potential drug interactions in dentistry. As in all chapters, it utilizes an easy-to-read Q & A format, including multiple tables and references regarding the “what to do” in cases of drug interactions.

Chapter 6 explains the evidence-based theory for prescribing drugs in dentistry. This chapter includes sections specific to different dental specialties (e.g., periodontics, endodontics and oral surgery).

Chapter 7 describes, in detail, the management of medications taken by medically complex dental patients. It covers the proper utilization of pre-medication with antibiotics, treatment and management of patients with cardiovascular disease, pregnant and nursing patients, patients with thyroid disease, asthma and diabetes. It also includes the treatment and management of patients using psychiatric and neurological medications, anti-rejection medications for organ transplant recipients, as well as recreational and illicit drugs. The chapter concludes with a section on HIV/AIDS research and medications. As in all chapters, it includes multiple tables and is written in the easy-to-read Q & A format.

The final chapter, #8, concludes with the use of herbals, dietary supplements and natural remedies. It includes drug interactions with these remedies, and their implications in dentistry.

The authors have provided three Appendices at the conclusion of the book. They cover:

- Smoking Cessation Therapy

- Oral Manifestations of Drugs

- American Heart Association Antibiotic Prophylaxis Guidelines

Each appendix is written in the same easy-to-read Q & A format, with multiple tables for reference.

This book provides the most current information, and is a “must read” for all dentists, dental residents and dental students.