ADA Joins Surgeon General Campaign To Increase Opioid Abuse Awareness

The ADA News reports the Association is asking dentists “to take an online pledge to help curb the widespread abuse of opioid pain medications.” The clinician pledge is in support of US Surgeon Gen. Vivek H. Murthy’s national Turn the Tide campaign “to increase professional awareness about opioids abuse and mobilize health care professionals to improve their prescribing practices.” ADA President Carol Gomez Summerhays wrote in an Aug. 25 email to members, “Today, the ADA is asking dentists everywhere to take that pledge, regardless of whether you prescribe opioid pain medications or not.” Dr. Summerhays added, “The Turn the Tide pledge is another small way to show how we, as a profession, are committed stemming the tide of opioid abuse that has been devastating our families and communities.”