How to Find Citanest in Stock Near You (Tools + Tips)

Finding Citanest (prilocaine hydrochloride) dental anesthetic has become a challenge in 2026. Citanest Plain Dental has been discontinued in the United States, and Citanest Forte availability from dental supply distributors can be inconsistent. Whether you are a dental office trying to source product or a patient concerned about your upcoming procedure, this guide gives you practical steps to locate available stock — or find the best alternative.

Why Is Citanest Hard to Find in 2026?

Before diving into sourcing strategies, it helps to understand the supply picture. Citanest Plain Dental (4% prilocaine without epinephrine) has been formally discontinued in the US market. Citanest Forte (4% prilocaine with epinephrine 1:200,000) may still be available from some distributors, but stock levels are unpredictable. The discontinuation is driven by market consolidation, competition from articaine, and the high manufacturing costs of sterile injectables.

Step 1: Contact Your Dental Supply Distributor Directly

For dental offices, your primary source for Citanest is your dental supply distributor — not retail pharmacies. Major distributors include Henry Schein Dental, Patterson Dental, Benco Dental, and DHP Supply. Call your representative and ask specifically about:

• Current inventory of Citanest Forte (NDC 66312-580-16)
• Expected restock dates or allocation status
• Whether any equivalent prilocaine products are available from other manufacturers
• Cook-Waite brand prilocaine (another Dentsply Sirona label) — this may be the same product under a different label

Step 2: Check Multiple Distributors

Do not rely on a single distributor. When one distributor is out of stock, another may have inventory. Check the online ordering portals for:

• Henry Schein Dental (henryschein.com)
• Patterson Dental (pattersondental.com)
• DHP Supply (dhpsupply.com)
• Genuine Dental Supply (ggcatalog.com)
• Dentsply Sirona direct (dentsplysirona.com)

Step 3: Check FDA and Drug Shortage Databases

For up-to-date information on drug availability and discontinuations, check official sources:

• FDA Drug Shortages Database (accessdata.fda.gov) — official shortage and discontinuation notices
• ASHP Drug Shortages (ashp.org) — American Society of Health-System Pharmacists maintains a detailed shortage database
• DailyMed (dailymed.nlm.nih.gov) — NIH database with current labeling information and market status

Step 4: Ask Your Dentist About Alternatives

If Citanest is not available, patients should have an open conversation with their dentist. The key question is:

"Do I have a medical reason for needing an epinephrine-free anesthetic?" If yes, mepivacaine 3% plain (Carbocaine) is the most readily available alternative. If you can tolerate epinephrine, options like articaine or lidocaine with a low concentration of epinephrine may be appropriate.

How medfinder Can Help

medfinder is a paid service that helps patients find medications by calling pharmacies and supply sources near you. If you or your dental practice needs to locate Citanest or a prilocaine product, medfinder.com can help by checking availability at multiple sources, saving you time and phone calls.

Tips for Dental Offices to Prepare

Given the uncertain availability of Citanest, dental practices should:

1. Identify which patients in your practice require epinephrine-free anesthesia and flag their charts
2. Stock adequate mepivacaine 3% plain as a reliable backup
3. When Citanest Forte is available, order extra to maintain a buffer stock
4. Subscribe to distributor backorder notifications so you are alerted when stock comes in

See also our detailed guide on alternatives to Citanest for when you cannot source it at all.