Missouri § 332.361 - Dentist may prescribe, possess and administer drugs — limitations for treatment of acute pain.

§ 332.361. Dentist may prescribe, possess and administer drugs — limitations for treatment of acute pain.

1.  For purposes of this section, the following terms shall mean:

(1)  "Acute pain", shall have the same meaning as in section 195.010;

(2)  "Long-acting or extended-release opioids", formulated in such a manner as to make the contained medicament available over an extended period of time following ingestion.

2.  Any duly registered and currently licensed dentist in Missouri may write, and any pharmacist in Missouri who is currently licensed under the provisions of chapter 338 and any amendments thereto, may fill any prescription of a duly registered and currently licensed dentist in Missouri for any drug necessary or proper in the practice of dentistry, provided that no such prescription is in violation of either the Missouri or federal narcotic drug act.

3.  Any duly registered and currently licensed dentist in Missouri may possess, have under his control, prescribe, administer, dispense, or distribute a "controlled substance" as that term is defined in section 195.010 only to the extent that:

(1)  The dentist possesses the requisite valid federal and state registration to distribute or dispense that class of controlled substance;

(2)  The dentist prescribes, administers, dispenses, or distributes the controlled substance in the course of his professional practice of dentistry, and for no other reason;

(3)  A bona fide dentist-patient relationship exists; and

(4)  The dentist possesses, has under his control, prescribes, administers, dispenses, or distributes the controlled substance in accord with all pertinent requirements of the federal and Missouri narcotic drug and controlled substances acts, including the keeping of records and inventories when required therein.

4.  Long-acting or extended-release opioids shall not be used for the treatment of acute pain.  If in the professional judgment^* of the dentist, a long-acting or extended-release opioid is necessary to treat the patient, the dentist shall document and explain in the patient's dental record the reason for the necessity for the long-acting or extended-release opioid.

5.  Dentists shall avoid prescribing doses greater than fifty morphine milligram equivalent (MME) per day for treatment of acute pain.  If in the professional judgment^* of the dentist, doses greater than fifty MME are necessary to treat the patient, the dentist shall document and explain in the patient's dental record the reason for the necessity for the dose greater than fifty MME.  The relative potency of opioids is represented by a value assigned to individual opioids known as a morphine milligram equivalent (MME).  The MME value represents how many milligrams of a particular opioid is equivalent to one milligram of morphine.  The Missouri dental board shall maintain a MME conversion chart and instructions for calculating MME on its website to assist licensees with calculating MME.

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(L. 1969 S.B. 97, A.L. 1981 S.B. 16, A.L. 2019 S.B. 275 merged with S.B. 514)

*Word "judgement" appears in original rolls.