Medicine Prescription Guidelines From The General Dental Council (GDC)

The General Dental Council (GDC) noted in their standard guidance sheet that every dental team ‘…must provide good quality care based on current evidence and authoritative guidance.’ If you are planning to offer a range of treatments like Botulinum Toxin, then you should know the guidelines associated with it.

Who Can Prescribe Botulinum Toxin?

Botulinum toxin, also known as Botulinum Toxin, is a neurotoxic protein produced commercially for medical and cosmetic use. In dentistry, this is beneficial for patients who need to weaken their lip muscles and those suffering from temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders.

Botulinum Toxin is a prescription-only medicine (POM), so only registered dentists can offer them to patients. It is important to set an initial consultation to know whether the patient is a good candidate or not. A full assessment can help understand the patient’s medical history and current health and medication. This is to make sure that no complications will take place before proceeding.

Is There a Limitation on Prescriptions?

The GDC discourages self-prescription and prescription for people with whom you have a close relationship. When you prescribe any kind of medicine to people who are close to you personally, you may overlook your main objective, encourage addiction or lose sight of serious problems involving their treatment.

In addition, the GDC says that dentists should not prescribe remotely for non-surgical cosmetic procedures like the administration of Botulinum Toxin or any injectable cosmetic medicinal product. This means that prescription should not take place using phone calls, e-mails or information available on your site.

Prescription of medicine to National Health Service (NHS) patients may depend on certain regulations. Prescription from the British National Formulary (BNF), on the other hand, is acceptable, but it should be only according to the identified dental needs of your patient.

At BTC, we want you to be as prepared as possible. Feel free to attend our accredited clinical workshops. We welcome GDC-registered dentists and other professionals in the field. Contact us for more information.

Call 07711 731173 or email [email protected] for more information on why you should choose BTC to help you achieve a successful aesthetic business.