Inventories of controlled substances must be recorded and open for inspection by which entities?

• A. Department of Health and Hospitals, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Louisiana State Board of Dentistry.
• B. County clerk and local police.
• C. FDA only.
• D. Insurance carriers.

Answer: (A)

Keeping an up-to-date, secure inventory of controlled substances and making it available for inspection is a key safeguard against theft, misuse, and diversion. In Louisiana, the responsibility to record and allow inspection rests with multiple authorities that oversee different aspects of practice and law. The Department of Health and Hospitals looks after public-health compliance in licensed healthcare settings, including dental practices, ensuring that handling of medications meets state health standards. The Drug Enforcement Administration enforces federal laws on controlled substances, conducts inspections, and reviews inventory and recordkeeping to confirm substances are stored securely and accounted for. The Louisiana State Board of Dentistry has regulatory authority over dental professionals and can inspect offices to verify adherence to practice rules and proper management of controlled substances.

The FDA does not conduct routine inspections of a dental office’s controlled-substance inventory, and insurance carriers generally do not have regulatory inspection authority over inventories. Local police or county clerks aren’t the bodies tasked with ongoing regulatory inspections of controlled-substance inventories.