A patient says he is in severe pain that doesn't respond to NSAIDs or Tylenol #3, but feels better only with Percocet. What should the dentist do?

A pattern of specifically requesting a particular strong opioid by name, reporting that only that specific drug helps (while denying any relief from reasonable first-line options), is a classic red flag for drug-seeking behavior, and the dentist should be alert to this possibility before simply prescribing the requested controlled substance. (This doesn't mean automatically refusing all care — but it does mean a careful, cautious clinical evaluation rather than reflexively prescribing what's requested.)