Dental Assisting- Chapter -Pharmacology
1.Medicines: drugs that are used to treat diseases
2.Drug: a substance that can change life processes w/in the body
•Includes legal & illegal
3.Side effects: an unintended result caused by a drug
•Mild (drowsiness) to Fatal
4.Habit forming: term used for drugs that can cause psychological dependence
5.Addiction: physical dependence on a drug
6.Tolerance: the need to have larger amounts of the drug to produce the same effect 7. Dependency: Body's physical need/ or
addiction for a specific agent
person taking the drug has developed a strong emotional need to take that drug (no physical dependence)
8. Brand name vs generic name & examples of each: Brand Names-trade names (Bayer, Advil,
Tylenol); always capitalized & have registered trademarks; name is created by the manufacturer
Generic Names-refer to the chemical composition of the drug; not capitalized, not patent protected; less expensive (aspirin,
ibuprofen, acetaminophen)
9. Resources for dentists needing drug information: •ADA Council on Dental Therapeutics -
•Gathers information about drugs used in dentistry
•Dentist can call the ADA with questions
•Physician's Desk Reference (PDR)-
•Most common used drug-information publication
•Drugs listed by brand, generic, chemical names & by category (drug classification)
•(example: Bayer, asprin, acetylsalicylic acid, analgesic)
10. Part of a written prescription (heading, suprascription, subscription, inscrip-
tion, body, closing): 1.Heading-doctor's name & degree, office address, phone number (DEA) number must be in the heading or
near the doctor's signature 2.Superscription -date & name & address of the patient
3.Body of the Prescription-Inscription & subscription (medication & directions)
•Inscription-name, strength, dosage & form (tablet, liquid)
•Subscription-Rx symbol, directions to the pharmacist to fill, & the signature (Sig or S) which is the directions to the patient
4.Closing of the Prescription-doctor signs his/her name, authorizes refills & how many times, & whether a generic can be
dispensed
****All prescriptions & instructions given to the patient must be noted in the chart
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, Dental Assisting- Chapter -Pharmacology
11. Latin to English prescription abbreviation meanings: a.a-.Of each Sig-Take a.c.-Before meals p.c.-After meals
b.i.d.-Twice a day p.r.n.When necessary/needed
t.i.d.-Three times a day
q.i.d.-Four times a day
q. h.-Every hour
q.4.h.-Every four hours
q.8.h-Every eight hours
Example -Sig: 1 tab q4h prn pain
"Take 1 tablet every four hours or as needed for pain"
12. Drug laws(what they were enacted for): •Pure Food & Drug Act (1906)-enacted to control & regulate the composition,
sale, & distribution of drugs
•Federal Food, Drug, & Cosmetic Act (1938, '51, '65)-passed to control the sale of narcotic drugs
•Allowed for FDA to have control of all food, cosmetics & drugs sold
•Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention & Control Act of 1970
•Established to identify drugs according to five schedules of abuse potential
•Drugs can be rescheduled
Controlled Substances Act-
•Gives the power of enforcement to the DEA
13. DEA number: medical/dental professions are issued a Federal Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) identification number
•Must have a DEA number to prescribe scheduled drugs (Controlled Substances Act)
14. Drug schedules: •Schedule I Drugs
•High abuse potential
•No accepted medical usefulness in the U.S.
•Heroin, hallucinogens like LSD & mescaline
•Schedule II Drugs
•High abuse potential
•Accepted medical uses
•Prescriptions cannot be refilled, must be written (not phoned in)
•Can be faxed in an emergency but original must be at pharmacy in 72 hrs
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1.Medicines: drugs that are used to treat diseases
2.Drug: a substance that can change life processes w/in the body
•Includes legal & illegal
3.Side effects: an unintended result caused by a drug
•Mild (drowsiness) to Fatal
4.Habit forming: term used for drugs that can cause psychological dependence
5.Addiction: physical dependence on a drug
6.Tolerance: the need to have larger amounts of the drug to produce the same effect 7. Dependency: Body's physical need/ or
addiction for a specific agent
person taking the drug has developed a strong emotional need to take that drug (no physical dependence)
8. Brand name vs generic name & examples of each: Brand Names-trade names (Bayer, Advil,
Tylenol); always capitalized & have registered trademarks; name is created by the manufacturer
Generic Names-refer to the chemical composition of the drug; not capitalized, not patent protected; less expensive (aspirin,
ibuprofen, acetaminophen)
9. Resources for dentists needing drug information: •ADA Council on Dental Therapeutics -
•Gathers information about drugs used in dentistry
•Dentist can call the ADA with questions
•Physician's Desk Reference (PDR)-
•Most common used drug-information publication
•Drugs listed by brand, generic, chemical names & by category (drug classification)
•(example: Bayer, asprin, acetylsalicylic acid, analgesic)
10. Part of a written prescription (heading, suprascription, subscription, inscrip-
tion, body, closing): 1.Heading-doctor's name & degree, office address, phone number (DEA) number must be in the heading or
near the doctor's signature 2.Superscription -date & name & address of the patient
3.Body of the Prescription-Inscription & subscription (medication & directions)
•Inscription-name, strength, dosage & form (tablet, liquid)
•Subscription-Rx symbol, directions to the pharmacist to fill, & the signature (Sig or S) which is the directions to the patient
4.Closing of the Prescription-doctor signs his/her name, authorizes refills & how many times, & whether a generic can be
dispensed
****All prescriptions & instructions given to the patient must be noted in the chart
1/6
, Dental Assisting- Chapter -Pharmacology
11. Latin to English prescription abbreviation meanings: a.a-.Of each Sig-Take a.c.-Before meals p.c.-After meals
b.i.d.-Twice a day p.r.n.When necessary/needed
t.i.d.-Three times a day
q.i.d.-Four times a day
q. h.-Every hour
q.4.h.-Every four hours
q.8.h-Every eight hours
Example -Sig: 1 tab q4h prn pain
"Take 1 tablet every four hours or as needed for pain"
12. Drug laws(what they were enacted for): •Pure Food & Drug Act (1906)-enacted to control & regulate the composition,
sale, & distribution of drugs
•Federal Food, Drug, & Cosmetic Act (1938, '51, '65)-passed to control the sale of narcotic drugs
•Allowed for FDA to have control of all food, cosmetics & drugs sold
•Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention & Control Act of 1970
•Established to identify drugs according to five schedules of abuse potential
•Drugs can be rescheduled
Controlled Substances Act-
•Gives the power of enforcement to the DEA
13. DEA number: medical/dental professions are issued a Federal Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) identification number
•Must have a DEA number to prescribe scheduled drugs (Controlled Substances Act)
14. Drug schedules: •Schedule I Drugs
•High abuse potential
•No accepted medical usefulness in the U.S.
•Heroin, hallucinogens like LSD & mescaline
•Schedule II Drugs
•High abuse potential
•Accepted medical uses
•Prescriptions cannot be refilled, must be written (not phoned in)
•Can be faxed in an emergency but original must be at pharmacy in 72 hrs
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