Dentists and Pharmacists: Paradigm Shifts and Interprofessional Collaborative Practice Models Cynthia S

University of the Pacific Scholarly Commons School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences Faculty Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy and Health Articles Sciences 10-1-2015 Dentists and pharmacists: paradigm shifts and interprofessional collaborative practice models Cynthia S. Valle-Oseguera University of the Pacific Eric G. Boyce University of the Pacific, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/phs-facarticles Part of the Medicine and Health Sciences Commons Recommended Citation Valle-Oseguera, C. S., & Boyce, E. G. (2015). Dentists and pharmacists: paradigm shifts nda interprofessional collaborative practice models. Journal of the California Dental Association, 43(10), 591–595. https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/phs-facarticles/265 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences at Scholarly Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences Faculty Articles by an authorized administrator of Scholarly Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. collaboration CDA JOURNAL, VOL 43, Nº10 Dentists and Pharmacists: Paradigm Shifts and Interprofessional Collaborative Practice Models Cynthia Valle-Oseguera, PharmD, and Eric G. Boyce, PharmD ABSTRACT Collaborations between dentists and pharmacists have the potential to improve patient care; however, there are limited examples in practice of interprofessional models between these disciplines. The purpose of this article is to explore the current relationship between dentists and pharmacists and to propose new models of interprofessional collaboration that target improvements in patient care. AUTHORS Cynthia Valle-Oseguera, Eric G. Boyce, PharmD, ealth care continues to current relationship between these PharmD, is an assistant is associate dean for evolve and move toward professionals appears to be limited professor of pharmacy academic aff airs and improvements in quality to phone calls regarding ordering of practice at the University a pharmacy practice of the Pacifi c in Stockton, professor at the University of of patient-centered care prescriptions, prescription clarifi cation Calif. Her professional the Pacifi c in Stockton, Calif. through interprofessional and therapy modifi cation due to insurance areas of interest include His professional areas of Hcollaboration among different coverage or when medically necessary. interprofessional education, interest include educational disciplines. The Institute of Medicine However, there are many other areas, chronic disease state outcomes, assessment and (IOM) has designated interprofessional including prevention and treatment management and rheumatology. pharmacy leadership. Confl ict of Interest collaboration as one of the fi ve core of infection and pain management, in Confl ict of Interest Disclosure: None reported. competencies that every health care which patient care can be enhanced Disclosure: None reported. professional should meet during the through interprofessional collaborations provision of care and irrespective between dentists and pharmacists. of their discipline.1 Collaborations Both disciplines are faced with between dentists and pharmacists unique challenges that have potential have the potential to improve patient for improvement if both professions care, but there are limited examples work collaboratively. In order to achieve in practice of interprofessional models meaningful collaborations, team between these disciplines. This participants should desire to work in may be related to perceptions that partnerships, possess shared respect and disconnect oral health from overall trust and have an understanding of each health, often regarding the former as other’s roles.3,4 An important obstacle for a luxury and failing to appreciate its both professions is their limited physical impact on overall well-being.2 The interaction with other professionals. OCTOBER 2015 591 collaboration CDA JOURNAL, VOL 43, Nº10 TABLE The General Responsibilities of Dentists and Pharmacists According to the American Dental Association and the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy10, 11 Dentists’ Responsibilities10 Pharmacists’ Responsibilities11 Pharmacists’ Goals11 Diagnosing oral diseases. Dispensing medications. Cure disease. Promoting oral health and disease prevention. Monitoring patients’ health and progress to Eliminate or reduce symptoms. maximize their response to the medication. Creating treatment plans to maintain or restore oral Educating patients on the use of prescriptions and Arrest or slow a disease process. health. over-the-counter medications. Interpreting X-rays and diagnostic tests. Advising physicians, nurses and other health Prevent disease. professionals on drug decisions. Ensuring the safe administration of anesthetics. Recognize disease. Monitoring growth and development of teeth and jaws. Performing surgical procedures on the teeth, bone Alter physiological processes for desirable result in and soft tissues of the oral cavity. the patient’s health. Historically, dentistry’s former “silo” by providing counseling on tobacco toring of diseases and disorders and the safe training approach has resulted in cessation and offering therapeutic use of medications (TABLE).10,11 isolated practitioners rather than fully recommendations to aid in quitting.9 Dentists and pharmacists also share integrated players in the interdisciplinary There is a great potential for responsibilities or have complementary health care team.5 Similarly, improvement in patient-centered care responsibilities related to patient care community pharmacists who practice with the development of new, closer and within the specifi c components of the in independent or chain pharmacies stronger interprofessional collaborations care they each provide. These shared tend to be physically isolated from other among the various health care professionals. and complementary responsibilities professionals, limiting interprofessional The purpose of this article is to explore the provide excellent areas for potential interaction to fax, phone calls or other current relationship between dentists and collaboration. They could result in electronic means of communication.6 pharmacists and to propose new models improved and more effi cient patient care Interestingly, dentistry and pharmacy of interprofessional collaboration that with respect to medical and medication share a common patient care approach, target improvements in patient care. histories, pain management, prevention as they both focus on the physical and management of infections and the body and are guided by evidence-based Dentist and Pharmacist: Complementary management and referral of patients. interventions.4 Discussions centered Roles and Responsibilities A patient’s medical and medication on patient cases between dentists The general responsibilities in the history, including allergies and and pharmacists provide an excellent clinical practice of dentists and pharma- vaccinations, is very important to opportunity for collaboration. A cists may differ somewhat (TABLE),10,11 but both the dentist and the pharmacist crucial distinction between these two provide many opportunities for collabora- in the assessment of the patient. This disciplines lies in patients’ accessibility tion to improve patient care and enhance information assures recognition of to their services. While dentists are effi ciencies in providing care. The major problems that may need to be treated usually only available by appointment, responsibilities of dentists focus on the and the appropriateness of therapies that the opposite is true of pharmacists. health of the oral cavity and the major may be needed or avoided. The dentist’s This is particularly signifi cant for those responsibilities of pharmacists focus on patient chart and the pharmacist’s patients who lack access to oral health the use of medications for overall health. patient-medication profi le will likely providers and thus seek community However, both professions have respon- complement each other, but are generally pharmacists for concerns pertaining sibilities for the overall improvement of a not a complete medical record based to oral health.7,8 Pharmacists may patient’s health, diagnosis or recognition of on the limitations within those records also assist in oral health preventive disease and disorders, promotion of health, and the number of physicians, dentists services such as oral cancer prevention prevention of disease, treatment and moni- and pharmacists that patients may see 592 OCTOBER 2015 CDA JOURNAL, VOL 43, Nº10 for their care. Dentists and pharmacists Dental Practice Pharmacy are likely at a similar disadvantage, depending upon their practice site and affi liation, in having little or no access to a patient’s full medical records and clinical laboratory studies and other tests and could therefore benefi t through FIGURE 1. First model of interprofessional collaboration: Dentist and pharmacist collaborate in the sharing of clinical information that close proximity. each has on a specifi c patient. Patients would need to be well-informed and would probably need to provide HIPAA the management of chronic pain could other products that may be needed in the consent for sharing of that information. be very useful in pain management, prevention or management of infections. Whether or not information from records the selection and use of analgesics Collaboration arrangements could is shared,

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