Opioid addiction is a major issue in many parts of the United States\; many have labeled it a social crisis. Inappropriate prescribing by health care providers, including dentists, has been cited as one of the factors facilitating this problem. Analgesics play an important role in the management of dental pain, primarily as adjuncts to definitive interventions. Traditionally non-opioid/opioid combinations have been the drugs of choice for management dental pain. Increasingly strong scientific evidence for the superior pain relief provided by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs has fundamentally changed the contemporary approach to the management of acute dental pain. This Quality Resource Guide (QRG) focuses on non-opioid oral analgesics for control of acute pain, with an emphasis on high-level scientific evidence. Principles of contemporary prescribing of analgesics in dental practice are covered, as well as a rationale for selection of specific drugs, the common adult dosage regimens, new NSAIDS options, the advantages of using a combination of drugs, and the use of liposomal bupivacaine for pre-emptive analgesia. Contraindications and warnings as well as adverse drug events associated with analgesics are discussed. This QRG will serve as an important resource for the dentist, and members of the office staff, when considering the use of analgesics for the patient with acute dental pain. It will also serve as a reference when explaining to a patient why the analgesics to be used may be different than they have experienced before.