Congress pushes dental and medical groups to rein in antibiotic overprescribing

A California congressman is urging the American Dental Association, American Medical Association, and their state counterparts to take urgent action on antibiotic stewardship. Rep. J. Luis Correa wrote to these groups after a CIDRAP News investigation highlighted the death of a 92-year-old constituent who developed a fatal C. difficile bowel infection after being prescribed clindamycin by her dentist — an antibiotic that has carried the FDA's most serious black box warning for over 40 years.

Despite a broader national decline in antibiotic prescribing, dentists are bucking the trend. Antibiotic prescriptions from dental providers rose 6% between 2020 and 2025, with dentists writing over 27 million prescriptions last year alone. Experts note that antibiotic stewardship remains a relatively new concept in dentistry, and many practitioners still follow outdated guidance from dental school.

By the Numbers:

• 6% increase in dental antibiotic prescriptions from 2020 to 2025
• 27 million+ antibiotic prescriptions written by dentists last year
• ~80% of preventive dental antibiotic prescriptions are estimated to be unnecessary
• Only ~50% of practicing dentists are ADA members, limiting the reach of educational efforts

Why it matters: Overprescribing antibiotics fuels antimicrobial resistance and exposes patients to life-threatening infections like C. diff. Congressional pressure, combined with new CDC and ADA guidelines issued in 2026, could accelerate culture change in dental prescribing — but experts warn that accountability and follow-through will be key.