Introduction

The large amount of opioid prescriptions currently written contribute to an unprecedented epidemic in the United States. In 2015, Health and Human Services (HHS) estimates that 12.5 million individuals misused prescription opioids and 33,091 individuals died following an opioid overdose.^1–3 Practitioners of medicine, surgery, and dentistry have noticed the increased number of opioid prescriptions in their practices. Patients for years have requested, expected and, received opioids for many of the common procedures and conditions in the practice of surgery and dentistry. These expectations and demands, and physician/dentist compliance must change to abate the morbidity and mortality of opioid abuse.