The October issue of the Journal of the California Dental Association focuses on pharmacology. Topics range from selection factors for local anesthetic agents, systemic review of the medication list, the top 60 medications used for orofacial pain treatment to immunosuppressants. Also included is a paper on the dental management of patients treated with bisphosphonates and a Q&A featuring the guest editor and a pharmacist on handling prescriptions.

Focusing on Dental Pharmacology
An introduction to the issue
Peter L. Jacobsen, PhD, DDS

Selection Factors for Local Anesthetic Agents
This article will discuss some general properties of the anesthetic agents available in dental injection cartridges.
Alan W. Budenz, MS, DDS, MBA

Systematic Review of the Medication List: A Resource for Risk Assessment and Dental Management
A sequence for categorizing drugs in a medication list is presented to aid in the identification of potential risks in the dental treatment and management of patients with complex medical histories and drug regimens.
Elisa M. Chávez, DDS

Top 60 Medications Used for Orofacial Pain Treatment
This article introduces and briefly reviews the 60 top pharmacologic treatments provided for chronic orofacial pain patients.
Glenn Clark, DDS, MS

Dental Management of Patients With a History of Bisphosphonate Therapy: Clinical Dilemma
This manuscript discusses the dental management of two breast cancer patients who were treated with intravenous bisphosphonates as part of their cancer management and developed oral disease.
Cesar A. Migliorati, DDS, MS, PhD; Chiu-Jen Hsu, DDS; Sonia Chopra, DDS; and Steven S. Kaltman, DMD, MD

Immunosuppressants
This paper provides an introduction to  common immunosuppressants used in oral medicine, the prevention and treatment of oral adverse effects of immunosuppressants, and considerations for dental treatment in patients taking immunosuppresants.
Nita Chainani-Wu, DMD, MS, PhD, and Timothy C. Wu, DMD, MS

Dentist-Pharmacist Relations: Professional Responsibility, Scope of Practice and Rational Prescription Writing
Q&A about dentists and pharmacists’ responsibilities with regard to prescriptions.
Debra Belt

The Editor/
Beyond the Tooth
By Alan L. Felsenfeld, DDS

Letter to the Editor/

Impressions/

Dr. Bob/
Smile Yourself Sick
By Robert E. Horseman, DDS