CURES and Opioid Pain Management

All dentists who are authorized to prescribe, order, administer, furnish or dispense controlled substances are required to register in the Controlled Substance Utilization Review and Evaluation System (CURES), a database of controlled substances dispensed to patients in California. Also, as of October 2, 2018, the dentists must check a patient’s history in CURES when prescribing, ordering, administering, furnishing, or dispensing a controlled substance to a patient as part of the patient’s treatment for a surgical procedure, if the quantity of the controlled substance exceeds a five-day supply of the controlled substance to be used in accordance with the directions for use and when prescribing a refill.

Achieve CURES 2.0 compliance. Register now at oag.ca.gov/cures.

Resources

CDA continues to promote best practices and compliance with state and federal laws regarding opioid pain management. Utilize this page to access helpful resources below:

CDA Resources

In September 2018, CDA published a special edition of the Update, CDA and Dentistry Working to Reduce Opioid Misuse and Abuse, describing the current environment of opioid misuse and CDA’s leadership on the issue.

CDA Practice Support has published resources to help members stay in compliance with all laws and regulations related to controlled-substances prescribing and dispensing, and has developed informed consent forms in English and Spanish.

CDA has offered courses on the professional, legal and regulatory requirements for pain management and prescribing controlled substances at CDA Presents The Art and Science of Dentistry since September 2015, and continues to offer this course and related courses at its biannual education convention. Learn more about course offerings at CDA Presents.

CDA hosted a webinar presented by the Department of Justice in 2016 to assist members with and answer their questions about the CURES 2.0 registration process.

The March 2019 Journal of the California Dental Association discusses opioid misuse and provides important concepts of substance-abuse disorders, pain management and prescription medication diversion.

The November 2015 Journal of the California Dental Association focuses on the science and practice of pain management in dentistry.

2018 CDA House of Delegates adopts new opioid policy.

Education

CDA hosted a webinar presented by the Department of Justice in 2016 to assist members with and answer their questions about the CURES 2.0 registration process.

The November 2015 Journal of the California Dental Association focuses on the science and practice of pain management in dentistry.

Substance Use Disorder Referral & Prescribing Resources

Search and Rescue, an online resource from Partnership for Drug-Free Kids that helps prescribers identify at-risk patients, prescribe responsibly and refer patients to evidence-based treatment.
Help for substance use disorders can be found by calling the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Helpline at 800.662.HELP (4357) or on the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) website.
HHS Office for Civil Rights on How HIPAA Allows Doctors to Respond to the Opioid Crisis
The National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center has released an opioid prescribing resource: Prescribing Opioids for Women of Reproductive Age: Information for Dentists

ADA Resources