World Antimicrobial Awareness Week 2022

Preventing antimicrobial resistance together: a joint statement from the UK’s dental professional bodies for World Antimicrobial Awareness Week 2022

Preventing antimicrobial resistance together is the theme of World Antimicrobial Awareness Week (WAAW) 2022. Held annually 18-24 November, WAAW is led by the World Health Organisation (WHO), in partnership this year with the World Organisation for Animal Health, the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (UN), and the UN Environment Programme.

The World Health Organisation has declared antimicrobial resistance (AMR) as one of the top 10 global public health threats facing humanity, requiring urgent multisectoral action to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The wider oral healthcare community including decision makers and those with influence in governmental, non-governmental, academic and regulatory domains must, therefore, consider their impact on AMR as a critical part of the sustainability agenda.

During WAAW 2022, the College of General Dentistry, Association of Clinical Oral Microbiologists and Faculty of Dental Surgery of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, supported by the 14 other organisations listed below, are highlighting the importance of working together to tackle AMR.

Everyone delivering and supporting oral healthcare has a role to play.

Teams delivering oral healthcare are reminded that they can identify service improvements, working together to help keep antimicrobials working by audit of prescribing practices. The wider oral health community should consider its impact too, by ensuring access to the right oral healthcare at the right time and in the right place.

Dental teams are invited to use the following resources to ensure that antimicrobials are being used only when strictly necessary and appropriate. The Dental Antimicrobial Stewardship Toolkit provides a range of guidance, training, audit and patient-facing resources which will be useful for all members of the team, including but not limited to prescribers.

Links to resources: