How to Check If a Dental Office Has Citanest or Its Alternatives in Stock

Citanest (prilocaine) Plain Dental has been discontinued in the United States. If you need to confirm whether a dental office or supplier has Citanest Forte or an appropriate alternative in stock, this guide gives you the fastest methods — without making dozens of phone calls.

First: Understand What You Are Looking For

Before making calls or running searches, clarify what you actually need:

• If you need epinephrine-free anesthetic: Ask specifically about mepivacaine 3% plain (Carbocaine or Polocaine). This is widely available and is the primary Citanest Plain substitute.
• If you specifically need Citanest Forte: Ask distributors about NDC 66312-580-16, prilocaine 4% with epinephrine 1:200,000.
• If any prilocaine formulation is acceptable: Look for Cook-Waite brand prilocaine (same active ingredient under a different Dentsply Sirona label) as well.

Method 1: Call Your Dental Office Directly

The simplest approach is to call your dental office before your appointment and ask:

"I have a medical condition that requires an epinephrine-free dental anesthetic. Do you carry mepivacaine 3% plain (Carbocaine) or any vasoconstrictor-free option?" Any well-stocked general dental practice should have mepivacaine 3% plain on hand.

Method 2: Check Dental Supply Distributor Websites

For dental offices looking to source Citanest Forte or confirm its availability, check the online ordering portals of major distributors. Search for:

• "Citanest Forte" at henryschein.com, pattersondental.com, and dhpsupply.com
• "Prilocaine 4%" for any available formulations
• NDC 66312-580-16 (Citanest Forte NDC)

Many distributor sites show real-time inventory status. Products listed as "backordered" or "discontinued" will appear with those labels.

Method 3: Use medfinder

medfinder is a paid service that contacts pharmacies and supply sources near you to check which ones have your medication in stock. Instead of spending time on hold with multiple distributors, you enter the medication on medfinder.com and the service does the calling for you, then texts you the results. This is especially valuable when a medication is hard to find.

Method 4: Contact Dentsply Sirona Directly

Dentsply Sirona (dentsplysirona.com) manufactures Citanest. You can contact them directly to ask about distributor availability, upcoming production, or to be pointed to distributors that have stock. For dental professionals, their customer support line can often direct you to distributors with current inventory.

Method 5: Ask Your State Dental Association

State dental associations often issue alerts and guidance when common dental supplies face shortages or discontinuations. Contact your state dental association for guidance on approved alternatives and any regional sourcing recommendations.

What to Do If No Citanest Is Available

If you confirm that Citanest Forte is unavailable and your practice needs an alternative:

1. For epinephrine-free needs: order mepivacaine 3% plain (Carbocaine or Polocaine) — available from all major distributors
2. For patients who can tolerate epinephrine: switch to articaine 4% with epinephrine 1:200,000 (Septocaine) for a clinically comparable anesthetic profile
3. Document the change in each affected patient's chart with the clinical rationale

Read our full guide on alternatives to Citanest for a detailed comparison of substitutes.