Background. Excess opioid prescriptions place patients and communities at risk of experiencing opioid-related morbidity. The authors designed a study to test the hypothesis that opioid prescription fills would be more common after dental procedures performed the day before a weekend or holiday than other weekdays.

Key Words. Analgesics; drugs; prescriptions; drug; pain; health policy; oral surgery; oral and maxillofacial surgery; practice guidelines; opioid.