Book excerpt: Dentists have been inundated by patients with an array of complicated medical conditions and pain/sedation management issues. This is in addition to a variety of legal regulations dentists must follow regarding the storage and recordkeeping of controlled substances. Avoid unknowingly putting your practice at risk by becoming victim to a scam or violating a recordkeeping requirement with The ADA Practical Guide to Substance Use Disorders and Safe Prescribing. This Practical Guide is ideal for dentists and staff as they navigate: • Detecting and deterring substance use disorders (SUD) and drug diversion in the dental office (drug-seeking patients) • Prescribing complexities • Treating patients with SUD and complex analgesic and sedation (pain/sedation management) needs and the best use of sedation anxiety medication • Interviewing and counselling options for SUD • Federal drug regulations Commonly used illicit, prescription, and over-the-counter drugs, as well as alcohol and tobacco, are also covered. Special features include: • Clinical tools proven to aid in the identification, interviewing, intervention, referral and treatment of SUD • Basic elements of SUD, acute pain/sedation management, and drug diversion • Summary of evidence-based literature that supports what, when and how to prescribe controlled substances to patients with SUD • Discussion of key federal controlled substance regulations that frequently impact dental practitioners • Checklists to help prevent drug diversion in dental practices • Chapter on impaired dental professionals • Case studies that examine safe prescribing and due diligence