ADA urges DEA to ease registration rules for dentists with multiple practice locations

The ADA has urged the Drug Enforcement Administration to revise a long-standing rule that requires separate agency registrations for each location where a practitioner prescribes controlled substances.

In comments submitted to the Drug Enforcement Administration’s online deregulatory portal, the ADA called for amending a section that mandates dentists obtain a separate $888 registration every three years for each site where they practice, even within the same state. The ADA said the rule imposes “duplicative and costly registration requirements” without improving public safety.

The Association proposed two alternatives: allowing one registration to cover multiple in-state practice locations that do not store controlled substances, or creating a reduced-fee “satellite” registration category for such sites.

“Amending [this regulation] would align with the goals of reducing regulatory costs and improving provider efficiency,” the ADA stated, adding that the change would also improve access to care by enabling more flexible provider arrangements — particularly in rural or underserved areas.

Dentists typically prescribe low volumes of controlled substances, often limited to short-term post-operative use, the ADA noted. The proposed revisions aim to maintain Drug Enforcement Administration oversight while easing unnecessary administrative burdens on providers.

The ADA’s proposal was submitted as part of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s public deregulatory comment process.