According to a news report coming out of a CBS affiliate in Las Vegas, Nevada, are seeing an increase in the number of patients that may be faking dental pain to get pain prescriptions.
Dentists have the ability to prescribe powerful drugs and now pain killer addicts are faking tooth pain in an effort to score some drugs. There can be consequences not only for the patient who obtains drugs under false pretenses, but also the doctor.
The article states:
“Just lying about pain to a health care provider can land you in hot water. It’s a felony to get powerful drugs under false pretenses, but the board often uses diversion programs for drug abusers to avoid criminal prosecutions so the addict can get help.”
Nevada however is one of the few states that have restrictions on drug prescriptions. “Doctors and patients are flagged if too many scripts change hands. That system keeps abuse down.”
With that system in place it is more difficult for fraud over prescription drugs to occur, in a dentist or doctor’s office, but it does not fully deter it from happening. Although, patients can call several dentists or doctors until they find one that will provide them the medicine.
Most of the time these patients do not have any tooth pain and are in need of drug rehab.
