Antibiotic prescribing for children referred to an emergency dental clinic during the COVID-19 lockdown

During the COVID-19 pandemic, antibiotics for dental infections have been prescribed more frequently owing to reduced access to face-to-face appointments. Updated guidance emphasised antimicrobial prescribing for children. This study assessed whether the correct dose of antibiotics had been prescribed for children who were triaged by telephone at a dental emergency clinic in a London teaching hospital during the COVID-19 lockdown. Data were collected for a retrospective service evaluation from the case notes of children whose parents had contacted the triage telephone line between May and September 2020. A proforma was used to extract information including the type of antibiotics that had been prescribed, the prescriber and the dose. Of the 815 children who were triaged via the telephone emergency clinic, 229 (28%) had received antibiotics. Three-quarters (n = 175, 76%) had been prescribed amoxicillin. Half of these (n = 88, 50%) had been prescribed a lower than recommended dose of amoxicillin; all incorrect dosages were prescribed by dentists in primary care. Patients aged 5–11 years were most affected by this (65%). Incorrect antibiotic dose prescribing is a likely contributor to antimicrobial resistance as these patients often required further antimicrobial treatment. Our service evaluation highlights the importance of prescribing in line with the latest guidelines and literature.