- HIGH
- Clinical
- Tier 2
- Clinical & Visual
An opioid without a fingerprint: What cychlorphine means for the medication history and the dental hygienist
- Source
- RDH Magazine
- Author
- Tom Viola, RPh, CCP
- Originally at
- rdhmag.com(opens in a new tab)
Summary and scoring by The Bell Brief (Dr. Jennifer Bell) using the Drill-Down Protocol. Not the original publisher.
Why it matters for dental
Dental hygienists taking medication histories need to recognize that cychlorphine, a synthetic opioid undetectable by fentanyl test strips or routine urine screens, can intensify respiratory depression when combined with in-office opioids or sedatives.
Key points
- 01
DEA logged one cychlorphine identification in 2024, 106 in 2025, and 89 more early 2026.
- 02
DEA temporarily placed cychlorphine and three related orphines in Schedule I on August 27, 2026, through August 2028.
- 03
ONDCP states cychlorphine is not detected by drug test strips or routine hospital opioid urine screens.
- 04
Cychlorphine has been found mixed with fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, and bromazolam, and appeared as the sole opioid in counterfeit oxycodone and hydromorphone tablets sold in Toronto.
Who should care
- Staff
- Associate
Read the original
RDH Magazine
Full reporting and any paywalled content live on rdhmag.com. We summarize and score; we do not republish.