| Affiliations: | College of Community Innovation and Education |
| Team Leader: |
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| Faculty Mentor: |
Varadraj Gurupur, PhD
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Team Size:
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3 |
| Open Spots: | 3 |
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Team Member Qualifications:
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Strong critical thinking. Ability to gather and synthesize information for literature review. Effective writing skills Past research experience is a plus. |
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Description:
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The prescription of opioids in dental settings may have contributed to the escalation of the opioid epidemic. Policymakers have increasingly identified dental clinics as key intervention points for addressing the opioid crisis. In response, public health efforts have focused on the implementation of prescription-related interventions—including clinical practice guidelines, prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs), provider education, and prescribing limits—to minimize unnecessary opioid exposure and reduce the risk of misuse. Numerous studies have evaluated the effectiveness of these interventions, but their findings remain inconsistent and fragmented. Therefore, we intend to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate and summarize the existing literature on the effectiveness of prescription-related interventions in reducing opioid prescribing within dental settings to inform clinical decision-making and public health policy. |