{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,4]],"date-time":"2026-05-04T12:52:37Z","timestamp":1777899157240,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":17,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"5","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,1]],"date-time":"2026-05-01T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1777593600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Antibiotics"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: In pediatric dental care, antibiotics are routinely prescribed for both therapeutic and preventive purposes. Their use is primarily indicated for the management of widespread dental or oral infections, in conjunction with appropriate clinical treatment. Additionally, antibiotics are administered to prevent infective endocarditis (IE) in patients identified as being at increased risk. The present study aimed to evaluate the knowledge and prescribing practices of Italian dentists regarding antibiotic use in pediatric patients through an anonymous online questionnaire. Methods: A specifically designed questionnaire was electronically distributed to a group of Italian dentists. The questionnaire included three sections: demographic data, general knowledge on antibiotic prescribing, and IE prophylaxis in pediatric dentistry. Data were analyzed using appropriate statistical methods. Results: The study included 242 Italian dentists. Only a limited number of statistically significant differences were observed between specialists in pediatric dentistry and general dentists or those with other specializations, as well as between practitioners who mainly treat pediatric patients and those who predominantly treat adults. Regarding antibiotic prophylaxis for IE, most respondents identified amoxicillin as the first-line antibiotic for pediatric patients without penicillin allergy, whereas nearly 30% indicated clindamycin for patients with penicillin allergy. The knowledge about the dosage of assumption of the antibiotic of choice and the timing of administration of the antibiotic prophylaxis were considered as not sufficient. Conclusions: Important gaps remain in dentists\u2019 knowledge of current guidelines for IE prophylaxis, particularly regarding drug dosage and administration. Increased awareness of updated recommendations and potential adverse effects of alternative antibiotics, such as clindamycin, is needed.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/antibiotics15050460","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,1]],"date-time":"2026-05-01T09:33:17Z","timestamp":1777627997000},"page":"460","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Antibiotics for Prophylaxis of Infective Endocarditis in Pediatric Patients: Knowledge and Prescribing Practices Between Italian Dentists"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"15","author":[{"given":"Martina","family":"Barone","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Neuroscience, School of Dentistry, University of Padova, 35128 Padova, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2900-7196","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Giovanni","family":"Bruno","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Neuroscience, School of Dentistry, University of Padova, 35128 Padova, Italy"},{"name":"Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Roma Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6956-6227","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Christian","family":"Bacci","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Neuroscience, School of Dentistry, University of Padova, 35128 Padova, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Michele","family":"Basilicata","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"UOSD Special Care Dentistry, Department of Experimental Medicine and Surgery, University of Roma Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy"},{"name":"Dental Department, UniCamillus-Saint Camillus International University of Health Sciences, 00131 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Patrizio","family":"Bollero","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"UOSD Special Care Dentistry, Department of Experimental Medicine and Surgery, University of Roma Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Raffaella","family":"Docimo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Pediatric Dentistry, Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Antonio","family":"Gracco","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Neuroscience, School of Dentistry, University of Padova, 35128 Padova, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Alberto","family":"De Stefani","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Neuroscience, School of Dentistry, University of Padova, 35128 Padova, Italy"},{"name":"Department of Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Filippo","family":"Cavallari","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Neuroscience, School of Dentistry, University of Padova, 35128 Padova, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,1]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"4","DOI":"10.1111\/idj.12146","article-title":"Antibiotics in dental practice: How justified are we","volume":"65","author":"Oberoi","year":"2015","journal-title":"Int. Dent. J."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Barone, M., Basilicata, M., Bruno, G., Bacci, C., Bollero, P., Docimo, R., Gracco, A., De Stefani, A., and Cavallari, F. (2025). Antibiotics Use for Dental or Oral Cavity Infections in Pediatric Dentistry: Knowledge and Prescribing Practices Between Italian Dentists. Antibiotics, 14.","DOI":"10.3390\/antibiotics14040357"},{"key":"ref_3","unstructured":"Yallowitz, A.W., and Decker, L.C. (2023). Infectious Endocarditis, StatPearls Publishing."},{"key":"ref_4","unstructured":"American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (2022). Antibiotic prophylaxis for dental patients at risk for infection. 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Infective Endocarditis Wallet Card. Prevention of Infective Endocarditis, American Heart Association."},{"key":"ref_11","unstructured":"American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (2022). Use of antibiotic therapy for pediatric dental patients. The Reference Manual of Pediatric Dentistry, American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Aly, M.M., and Elchaghaby, M.A. (2021). The prescription pattern and awareness about antibiotic prophylaxis and resistance among a group of Egyptian pediatric and general dentists: A cross sectional study. BMC Oral. Health, 21.","DOI":"10.1186\/s12903-021-01685-y"},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"145","DOI":"10.4103\/0970-4388.180444","article-title":"Antibiotic overusage and resistance: A cross-sectional survey among pediatric dentists","volume":"34","author":"Konde","year":"2016","journal-title":"J. Indian Soc. Pedod. Prev. Dent."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1035","DOI":"10.1093\/jac\/dkl121","article-title":"Guidelines for the prevention of endocarditis: Report of the Working Party of the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy","volume":"57","author":"Gould","year":"2006","journal-title":"J. Antimicrob. Chemother."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3948","DOI":"10.1093\/eurheartj\/ehad193","article-title":"2023 ESC Guidelines for the management of endocarditis","volume":"44","author":"Delgado","year":"2023","journal-title":"Eur. Heart J."},{"key":"ref_16","unstructured":"European Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (2002). Policy Document for the Use of Antibiotics in Paediatric Dentistry, European Academy of Pediatric Dentistry."},{"key":"ref_17","unstructured":"Agenzia Italiana del Farmaco (2022). Manuale Antibiotici AWaRe (Access, Watch, Reserve). Edizione Italiana del \u201cThe WHO AWaRe Antibiotic Book\u201d, Agenzia Italiana del Farmaco."}],"container-title":["Antibiotics"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2079-6382\/15\/5\/460\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,1]],"date-time":"2026-05-01T09:52:26Z","timestamp":1777629146000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2079-6382\/15\/5\/460"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,1]]},"references-count":17,"journal-issue":{"issue":"5","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,5]]}},"alternative-id":["antibiotics15050460"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/antibiotics15050460","relation":{},"ISSN":["2079-6382"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2079-6382","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,1]]}}}