Spotting A Drug Seeker In Your Dental Office

Doctors and hospitals aren’t the only healthcare providers who find themselves targeted by drug seekers. Unfortunately, you and your dental practice can also be targets, especially if you’re a specialist who deals with painful dental issues. Drug seekers are most often after pain medications and it’s tough to spot them because many times they will have legitimate problems and very real pain.

Drug seekers aren’t always the traditional addicts or drug abusers. Absolutely anyone, regardless of their age, gender, income, race, or employment, is a potential drug seeker looking for pain medication. Whether they’re looking to take the medication themselves or sell it on the street.

Identifying Drug Seekers

Some common behaviors of drug seeking patients include:

• Seeing many healthcare providers for the same problem
• Needing increased dosage of pain medication to ease pain
• Assertiveness, sometimes demanding that you do something for them
• Consistently being either over-dressed or slovenly at appointments
• Evasive answers to medical history questions
• Extensive knowledge of symptoms and medications
• Refusal to provide contact details
• Claims an allergy to non-narcotic analgesics
• Claims that a prescription has been stolen or lost and needs to be replaced

If you do suspect that one of your patients may be exhibiting drug-seeking behavior, it can be difficult and stressful to decide how to proceed. Some of your options may include:

• Refusing prescription medication to the patient
• Communicating your suspicion to other dentists in the area
• Offering the patient information on addiction resources
• Finally, if all else fails, you may need the intervention of law enforcement 

For questions or concerns, or if you want information on any other issues relating to your dental practice, please contact a skilled dental consultant at CTC National today!