# Florida FDLR practice questions: Prescribing and sedation permits Five original Florida FDLR practice questions on prescribing and sedation permits, each answered on this page with a rationale and a source. Last updated: 2026-09-21. ## Question 1 A Florida dentist performs an emergency surgical extraction and determines that the patient will require more than a 3-day supply of a Schedule II opioid for acute pain. Which combination of actions is required for the dentist to legally issue a 5-day supply? - A. Write "NONACUTE PAIN" on the prescription and document the medical necessity in the chart. - B. Indicate "ACUTE PAIN EXCEPTION" in the medical record only and limit the supply to 7 days. - C. Consult the E-FORCSE database before issuing the prescription and document the lack of alternative treatment options in the chart. - D. Indicate "ACUTE PAIN EXCEPTION" on the prescription and document the lack of alternative treatments in the chart. **Answer D:** Indicate "ACUTE PAIN EXCEPTION" on the prescription and document the lack of alternative treatments in the chart. Under s. 456.44, F.S., a Schedule II opioid for acute pain is limited to 3 days unless the prescriber believes more is medically necessary, indicates "ACUTE PAIN EXCEPTION" on the prescription, and documents the lack of alternative treatments in the record. Distractor A uses the wrong phrase. Distractor B misses the notation on the script itself. Distractor C is a prerequisite for any controlled substance script but does not by itself authorize a deviation from the 3-day limit. **Common trap:** Assuming professional judgment and chart documentation are sufficient without the "magic words" on the physical prescription. Source: [s. 456.44, F.S. — Controlled substance prescribing](http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0400-0499/0456/Sections/0456.44.html) ## Question 2 A Florida dentist holding an active moderate sedation permit performs a surgical extraction. To ensure the patient remains comfortable but responsive to verbal commands, the dentist administers a sub-anesthetic dose of intravenous propofol. Is this practice compliant with Florida Board of Dentistry rules? - A. Yes, provided the patient does not drift into a state of unconsciousness. - B. Yes, because propofol is permitted for moderate sedation at specific titrated doses. - C. No, because propofol may only be administered by a dentist with a general anesthesia permit. - D. No, unless the dentist has completed a 4-hour medical emergencies CE in the current biennium. **Answer C:** No, because propofol may only be administered by a dentist with a general anesthesia permit. Rule 64B5-14.002(5) lists specific drugs, including propofol and ketamine, that may only be employed by a dentist holding a valid general anesthesia permit. The intended level of sedation or the dose administered does not waive this requirement. **Common trap:** The "intended level" trap—assuming a light dose of a heavy drug is permitted under a lower permit. In Florida, the drug itself triggers the permit requirement. Source: [Fla. Admin. Code R. 64B5-14.002 — Prohibitions](https://www.flrules.org/gateway/ruleNo.asp?id=64B5-14.002) ## Question 3 A dentist is preparing to prescribe a Schedule III controlled substance for a 15-year-old patient following a traumatic dental injury. Regarding Florida’s prescription drug monitoring program (E-FORCSE), which of the following is true? - A. The dentist must consult E-FORCSE because the drug is a Schedule III controlled substance. - B. The dentist is exempt from consulting E-FORCSE because the patient is under 16. - C. The dentist must consult E-FORCSE but is exempt from the 3-day supply cap. - D. The dentist must consult E-FORCSE because the injury is classified as acute pain. **Answer B:** The dentist is exempt from consulting E-FORCSE because the patient is under 16. s. 893.055(8), F.S. requires a prescriber or designee to consult the system before prescribing or dispensing a controlled substance for a patient "age 16 or older." Distractor A and D describe reasons why a check might be needed for an adult, but ignore the age threshold. Distractor C incorrectly implies a check is required. **Common trap:** Applying the 3-day/7-day opioid rules (which apply to all ages) to the E-FORCSE consultation duty (which has an age-16 floor). Source: [s. 893.055, F.S. — Prescription drug monitoring program](http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0800-0899/0893/Sections/0893.055.html) ## Question 4 During a procedure in a dentist's outpatient facility utilizing only nitrous-oxide inhalation analgesia and local anesthesia, a patient suffers a reaction requiring emergency room treatment. Which statement accurately describes the reporting requirements? - A. The dentist must give written notice within 48 hours and file a complete written report within 30 days. - B. No report is required because nitrous oxide and local anesthesia are not permit-required levels. - C. The dentist must notify the Department of Health by telephone within 24 hours of the incident. - D. Only a mortality (death) resulting from a procedure requires a formal 30-day written report. **Answer A:** The dentist must give written notice within 48 hours and file a complete written report within 30 days. Rule 64B5-14.006(1) defines an adverse occurrence to include injuries requiring ER or hospital treatment resulting from any anesthesia, including minimal sedation, nitrous oxide, or local anesthesia; Rule 64B5-14.006(2) sets the dentist's 48-hour written notice and the 30-day complete written report for an occurrence in the dentist's outpatient facility. This item deliberately does not test the recipient of the notice, on which the statute and the rule's mailing subsection differ. **Common trap:** The "permit-free" trap—thinking that because a level doesn't require a permit (nitrous/local), complications don't need to be reported. Source: [Fla. Admin. Code R. 64B5-14.006 — Reporting Adverse Occurrences](https://www.flrules.org/gateway/ruleNo.asp?id=64B5-14.006) ## Question 5 A patient returns to the dental office 4 months after a surgical procedure, still requesting refills for a Schedule III controlled substance for persistent pain. Under Florida law, how is this pain now classified? - A. Terminal pain - B. Acute pain exception - C. Chronic nonmalignant pain - D. Palliative care pain **Answer C:** Chronic nonmalignant pain s. 456.44(1)(f), F.S. defines chronic nonmalignant pain as pain unrelated to cancer that persists beyond the usual course or "more than 90 days after surgery." This classification triggers "registrant" duties for the dentist. Distractor A and D describe specific exclusions from the acute pain definition. Distractor B is a notation for acute pain, not a classification for pain lasting over 90 days. **Common trap:** Attempting to treat long-term post-surgical pain under the "acute pain" framework. Source: [s. 456.44, F.S. — Controlled substance prescribing](http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0400-0499/0456/Sections/0456.44.html) ## Next step [Take the free 15-question FDLR practice test](https://dentovio.com/florida-dental-laws-rules/free-practice-test) Official reference: [Chapter 466, Florida Statutes — Dentistry, Dental Hygiene, and Dental Laboratories](http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0400-0499/0466/0466.html). Original exam-style questions written for study, never recalled exam content. Independent educational preparation, not legal advice, and not affiliated with or endorsed by the Florida Board of Dentistry. Confirm current requirements with the Board.